Challenges Faced by Nasser Al-Attiyah
Nasser Al-Attiyah expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of the Dakar 2025. He mentioned that he was unhappy due to the pressure of having to catch up with his rivals, including Henk Lategan, Yazeed Al-Rajhi, and Mattias Ekström. Furthermore, he encountered an error in the roadbook, which caused him significant stress.
Al-Attiyah was the first to arrive at the controversial point at km 158, where he experienced difficulties due to the error in the roadbook. He explained that many cars, including his own, got lost, and they had to take a different route to find the correct path. He expressed his frustration with the organization, stating that the roadbooks were not up to the standard of the race and that they should not have to risk their lives due to such errors.
Request for Exclusion of Lucas Moraes
Al-Attiyah also expressed his dissatisfaction with the penalty he received for losing a spare wheel, which he felt was unfair. He compared his situation to that of Lucas Moraes, who was not excluded from the race despite having a mobile phone in his car. Al-Attiyah felt that Moraes should have been excluded and that the rules were not being applied consistently.
The five-time champion admitted that he was not enjoying the Dakar 2025 due to the various challenges and controversies he had faced. He expressed his frustration with the politics involved in the race and felt that it was not fair to the drivers.
Still in the Running
Despite the challenges he faced, Al-Attiyah remains optimistic about his chances in the Dakar 2025. He believes that the stage was favorable for him, as he was able to gain time on his rivals. He is currently 21 minutes behind the leader and feels that this is a manageable gap. Al-Attiyah is determined to give his best effort in the remaining days of the race and is confident that he can still achieve a good result.