Rivalries and Mind Games at the Dakar 2025
The Dakar 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting event, with top drivers engaging in a war of words and mind games. Nasser Al-Attiyah, a five-time champion, has been known to “spice things up” at the beginning of each Dakar, and this year is no exception.
During the official press conference, Al-Attiyah couldn’t resist taking a jab at his rival, Carlos Sainz. When asked if he was worried about Sainz equaling his record of five victories, Al-Attiyah responded with a mischievous smile, “But… how many does Carlos have? Four?”
A Lighthearted Exchange
The exchange between Al-Attiyah and Sainz was lighthearted, with both drivers showing respect for each other. Al-Attiyah praised Sainz, saying, “I have a lot of respect for Carlos. I have learned a lot from him and you know that he gives everything in every kilometer of every stage.”
I have a lot of respect for Carlos, I have learned a lot from him and you know that he gives everything in every kilometer of every stage
Al-Attiyah also made it clear that he is determined to win his sixth Dakar title, saying, “For my part, I’m going to fight to raise my number of wins to six.”
Al-Rajhi Joins the Fray
Another driver who joined in on the fun was Yazeed Al-Rajhi, who drives for Toyota. He jokingly told Sainz and Al-Attiyah to “check their date of birth,” implying that the new generation of drivers is coming up.
Al-Attiyah responded, “No young person wins the Dakar,” to which Al-Rajhi replied, “You’ll have to wait a bit.”