Riyadh, January 03 (QNA) – Qatar’s rally driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (defending champion) topped the Dakar International Rally’s 2023 overall ranking.
The rally is being hosted by Saudi Arabia for the fourth consecutive time, until Jan.15, amid the participation of 820 drivers and navigators representing 68 different countries.
Al Attiyah (Toyota) succeeded in clinching top spot today, after Spanish rival Carlos Sainz (Audi) faced a series of mechanical problems, while Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi (Toyota) won the third stage, which ended prematurely due to heavy rains.
Al Attiyah is 13 minutes and 20 seconds ahead of Al Rajhi, with French veteran Stephane Peterhansel third, 20 minutes off the lead, while Sainz dropped to eighth place. (QNA)