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For the fifth time in his career, Qatari Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally in the car category at the end of the last 14th stage in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, where the rally was held for the fourth year in a row. This 45th edition of the Desert Rally, the most difficult rally rally in the world, was distinguished by being longer than last year’s edition, with an introductory stage and 14 special stages on rocky tracks, sand and sand dunes, while the seventh stage for bicycles was canceled due to the heavy rains that fell in the Kingdom.
The Qatari driver won Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah racing Dakar Rally cars in Saudi ArabiaFor the fifth time in his career, after winning the title in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2022.
With the end of the final 14th stage in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, where the rally was held for the fourth year in a row.
Al-Attiyah advanced by more than an hour over Frenchman Sebastien Loeb (Prodrive), while Brazilian youth Lucas Morais (Toyota) finished third.
“It’s crazy that I can defend my title.”
After his victory, Al-Attiyah said, “We just finished and I’m very happy. It was a tough rally for everyone.” Adding, “It’s crazy to be able to defend my title. I am very happy that I was able to win for the fifth time, and (his navigator Matthew) Baumel for the fourth time…”.
And he added, “We were not required to adopt pressure and fast driving like crazy. We managed to finish the second week and win the Dakar Rally in the end, and this is the most important thing.”
For his part, navigator Baumel, who has been sitting next to Al-Attiyah since 2015, told Agence France-Presse, “We participated in the rally not to win, but to climb to the podium because we are well aware that we have to give 200 percent every day and risk a lot in order to be able to win.” Audi combat.
Al-Attiyah tightened his grip on the top of the general standings since the third stage, without any driver succeeding in competing with him, so that the 52-year-old “Annabi” advanced by 20 and 30 minutes, respectively, over the French “Mr. Dakar” Audi drivers Stephane Peterhansel and Spaniard Carlos Science.
Al-Attiyah took the lead after his direct pursuers withdrew, respectively, on the 6th (seventh stage) and 10th (the tenth stage) of this January.
Al-Attiyah knew how to successfully manage his progress in the standings, avoiding mechanical problems, without disturbing his comfort by any other driver, despite the participation of the Audi brand in hybrid (hybrid) cars, to cross the finish line in the clothes of the winner for the second year in a row.
Loeb comes second
On the other hand, Loeb finished second for the third time in his career after moving to participate in rally competitions, after 2017 with Peugeot and 2022 with Prodrive.
The 9-time World Rally Champion wrote his name in the records of the Dakar Rally after winning this version with six stages in a row, in a unique achievement in the most famous rally rally.
Loeb praised the Qatari victory, saying, “Al-Attiyah played great competitions and did not make any mistakes.”
He continued, “After what we suffered at the beginning of the rally, we could not hope for a better result than that. We cannot fight Nasser if he is at the top.”
France’s Guerlain Chichoret, Loeb’s Prodrive team mate, set the fastest time in the final 14th stage.
The 45th edition of the Dakar Rally, the most difficult rally rally in the world, was distinguished for being longer than last year’s edition, with an introductory stage and 14 special stages on rocky tracks, sand and sand dunes, while the seventh stage of bicycles was canceled due to the heavy rains that hit the Kingdom.
France 24/AFP
