Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, alongside co-driver Edouard Boulanger, secures hard-fought victory at BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal.
Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, alongside co-driver Edouard Boulanger, clinched a hard-fought win at the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal in Grândola, cementing their dominance in the championship race.
Defending an overnight lead of 2 minutes and 41 seconds over Portugal’s João Ferreira, Al Attiyah’s Prodrive Hunter crew faced intense pressure. However, a stellar performance on the day’s stage not only secured victory but also propelled them 12 points ahead of Carlos Sainz in the unofficial FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) Drivers’ Championship standings.
This victory also thrust Nasser Racing by Prodrive into contention for the W2RC Manufacturers’ crown.
Reflecting on his triumph, Al Attiyah said: “Portugal is almost my second home. I have a lot of friends here and I’m really happy to win this fantastic race. Thank you to all the fans and thanks to the organisation.”
“It was a very technical race and we had to be smart. After the win in Abu Dhabi, winning here was very important because it enabled us to take the lead in the World Championship.”
The final stage, which included a 101km loop around Grândola followed by a short 3.7km sprint, saw Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro secure second place despite encountering challenges with their X-Raid Mini JCW Rally Plus machine.
“It’s difficult to explain the emotions I experienced throughout the week. We received incredible support from this unique audience in the world in a very varied and beautiful race,” Ferreira shared.
Meanwhile, Lucas Moraes of Toyota Gazoo Racing, after overtaking Ferreira’s team-mates Carlos Sainz and Alex Haro, claimed the third spot, elevating him into contention for the top three in the championship race.
However, it was a disappointing event for Toyota, with early season front-runners Guerlain Chicherit and Guillaume de Mévius struggling to gain momentum, and Yazeed Al Rajhi battling his way back to fifth after a crash on stage three.
At 53 years old, Al Attiyah has collected five Dakar Rally and 18 Middle East Rally Championship titles.
His five victories in the Dakar Rally make him the only Middle Easterner and West Asian to win the competition more than once.
