Al Attiyah gears up for Dakar Rally

Bengaluru/Doha, December 12; Ace Qatari driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah is raring to go at the 2018 Dakar Rally.

The two-time Dakar champion (2011 and 2015) is part of a three-member Toyota Hilux crew for the 40th edition of the most gruelling off-road rally that will be run across Peru, Bolivia and Argentina from January 6 to 20.

Nasser will be joined by French navigator Mathieu Baumel. The pair also raced with Toyota at Dakar 2017, winning the opening stage and leading before retiring on the third stage.

In October, Nasser won his fourth FIA World Cup for Cross-Country rallies title, his third in a Toyota Hilux, and is looking forward to taking the all-new race vehicle into battle on Dakar 2018.

Al Attiyah crowned world cross country rally champion again

"The Toyota Hilux has a reputation for reliability and durability. This new version is sure to take all the best characteristics of the previous model, and deliver new levels of handling and balance thanks to its innovative design," said Al Attiyah.

En route to clinching his fourth FIA World Cup for Cross-Country rallies crown, Al Attiyah had won the Morocco Rally, the penultimate round of the series, at an event which bears resemblance to Dakar in terms of route, strategy and navigation and he was quick to admit that.

#ناصر_العطية بطل العالم للمرة الرابعة في بطولة العالم للراليات الصحراويه.
ألف مبروك @AlAttiyahN 🇶🇦🏆🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/CuiVJToLwp

— Al Mayassa Al Thani (@almayassahamad) October 10, 2017

"The Morocco win was the best possible preparation for the Dakar Rally. That was one of the toughest races in FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies calendar and it was so satisfying to collecting those stage wins and I hope to put that to good use in Dakar".