The Prince of Dunes fell short in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge after a roll cage accident tore apart the rally car.
Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah has settled a deal to drive a borrowed Toyota and will commence as the favourite to win this weekend’s Qatar International Baja.
After wrecking the rear bodywork, roof and windshield of his Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1, the speed racer will now compete with his famed co-driver Mathieu Baumel in the second round of the 2023 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas.
Kicking off on 15th March, the race will come to an end on 18th March, crossing a total of 844km between the competitors.
The 52-year-old first secured the Sealine tournament in 2004 and replicated the same success in the 2005 season.
An absence of racing crusades transpired for a few years, with the Qatar Prince of Dunes returning to years of triumph in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2022.
The five-time Dakar winner thanked Lithuanian Benediktas Vanagas for supplying the backup car.
Reconstructed just in time for the Qatari driver, Al-Attiyah will drive a Hilux that will be returned to the Lithuanian motorist in April.
“Obviously we are grateful to Benediktas and his team for supplying the car. This is my home event and it is so important to me that I can perform well in front of the local fans and continue my run of success here in Qatar,” Al-Attiyah voiced.
