Nasser Al-Attiyah makes it five Dakar Rally titles as Kevin Benavides claims motorcycle glory

15.01.2023 - 15:29 rte.ie

Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally car crown for the fifth time on Sunday while Argentine KTM rider Kevin Benavides triumphed on two wheels to take his second title in Saudi Arabia.Al-Attiyah, the reigning champion for Toyota with French co-driver Mathieu Baumel, finished the final 14th stage to Dammam on the Gulf coast with a lead of an hour and 20 minutes over France's nine-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb.The Qatari, who led from stage three as rivals hit trouble, now ranks second in the list of all-time winners in the car category behind eight times champion Stephane Peterhansel of France.Peterhansel, the "Mr Dakar" who retired from this year's edition after crashing his electric hybrid Audi, has also won the motorcycle crown six times."It was really a tough Dakar for everybody but we managed to win again.

It's amazing to defend our title. I am happy to win five times, Mathieu four times now," said Al-Attiyah."We need to keep going and to win more and more.

We finished Dakar and we try to defend our world championship," added the reigning FIA Rally-Raid (W2RC) world champion."We didn't need to really push, to be crazy.

We need to accept what we get. Just to finish and win the Dakar is very important to me."Loeb had won a record six stages in a row up to Sunday for the Bahrain Raid Xtreme team but compatriot Guerlain Chicherit took the final honours in Dammam.Brazilian rookie Lucas Moraes finished third overall in a Toyota Hilux for Overdrive Racing.On the bikes, Benavides beat Australian Toby Price, also a double Dakar champion who had started the day 12 seconds clear, by 43 seconds after winning the final sprint to victory."The first point is disappointment.

Other sport Sport Motorsport FIVE as Sebastien Loeb Nasser Al-Attiyah Qatar France Brazil Argentina Australia Saudi Arabia Bahrain Dakar county Lucas county Price

DAMMAM: Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah on Sunday won his fifth Dakar Rally driver’s title and second in a row, with Argentina’s Kevin Benavides securing his second motorbike crown.

Dakar Rally to remain in Saudi Arabia, say organisers

Saudi Arabia will continue to be the home of the Dakar Rally for the next few years with race director David Castera telling AFP "we still have so many deserts to explore".

Rallying-Qatar's Al-Attiyah wins Dakar for fifth time

Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally car crown for the fifth time on Sunday while Argentine KTM rider Kevin Benavides triumphed on two wheels to take his second title in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Attiyah crowned Dakar Rally driver's champion for 5th time

Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah won his fifth Dakar Rally driver's title and second in a row on Sunday after the iconic test of endurance finished in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Al-Attiyah crowned Dakar Rally driver's champion for fifth time

Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah won his fifth Dakar Rally driver's title and second in a row on Sunday after the iconic test of endurance finished in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Dakar Rally to remain in Saudi Arabia, say organizers

AL-HOFUF, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia will continue to be the home of the Dakar Rally for the next few years with race director David Castera telling AFP “we still have so many deserts to explore.”Castera was speaking after Saturday’s penultimate stage with Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah poised for his fifth title.“I’m very happy we’re staying here, with so many deserts still to explore and with this country’s enormous potential,” he said.Motorsport’s toughest endurance test moved to the conservative Kingdom in 2020 after a spell in South America on an initial 10-year contract.Dakar organizers ASO announced the switch in 2019 saying a new chapter of the gruelling race’s history would be written in the “mysterious and vast deserts” of the land.Castera confirmed a clause in the Saudi deal to pull out after five years would not be taken up.“Today there’s been a big change, it’s progressing at a fast rate,” commented Castera.“I’m not here to play politics but to organize a sporting event which has the legitimacy to exist here because the terrain suits it.”Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in attracting high profile sporting events including tennis, golf and Formula One to its shores and is preparing a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.And last month five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Saudi side Al-Nassr in a deal worth 200 million euros.In the race, Al-Attiyah should complete the cruise to his fifth title.