Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah drives the new Dacia Sandrider during stage 1 of the Rallye du Maroc in Zagora, Morocco, yesterday.
Doha: Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah and co-driver Edouard Boulanger snatched the overall lead in the 25th edition of the Rallye du Maroc, the final leg of the 2024 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, after winning Stage 1 in Zagora, Morocco.
Driving for Dacia Sandriders, the Qatari-French duo dominated the 178-kilometer stage, clocking a time of 02:10:09 to top the overall standings.
Al Attiyah, a two-time world champion, is targeting his eighth FIA World Rally-Raid title.
Heading into the final round in Morocco, he held a 20-point advantage over his closest rival, Yazeed Al Rajhi.
Al Rajhi and his co-driver Timo Gottschalk, winners of the 2022 Rallye du Maroc, currently sit in second place, driving for Toyota, while Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz secured the third-best time in a Ford Raptor.
In the Challenger category, Michal Goczal and Diego Ortega Gil are in the lead after a stage win yesterday. Qatar’s Ahmed Al Kuwari and co-driver Augusto Sanz moved up to ninth place in the overall standings, while Khalifa Al Attiyah and navigator Enio Bozzano are in 13th.
Meanwhile, the team of Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and Nasser Saadoon Al Kuwari currently occupy 19th place.
