Meet 5-time Dakar champ Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah: Qatar’s do-all gun driver!

By Sajith B Warrier*

Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah is a champion nonpareil, who is as comfortable behind the wheel as he is behind the barrel of a gun.

The ace Qatari, won his fifth Dakar Rally crown last week as the chequered flag was waved after 5,000 kms against the clock in Saudi Arabia.

The 52-year-old led the gruelling 14-stage event from the third selective section, controlled his pace to perfection and stayed clear of undue risks to reach the finish in Dammam (Saudi Arabia) with a 1hr, 18min, 49sec advantage over rally legend Sebastien Loeb.

In the Saudi deserts, Al Attiyah’s sand racing expertise came to the fore on the 2023 Dakar route that saw the convoy plunged into the dunes.

“We didn’t have to attack like crazy. We managed to get through the second week and win the Dakar at the end, that’s what really matters,” the five-time champion said.

For the records, the fifth success also meant that Al Attiyah has become the second most successful car entrant in the history of the event behind eight-time winner and the man they call Monsieur Dakar — Stephane Peterhansel.

After gaining a decisive lead over Loeb, Al Attiyah played it safe for the remainder of the rally to defend his title for the first time.

His previous crowns in the most gruelling off-road rallies had come in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2022.

“It was a difficult Dakar for everyone. It’s crazy to manage to defend my title. I’m very happy to win five times. I always want to win more and more,” said Al Attiyah in his hour of glory.

For the layman’s knowledge, Al Attiyah is a multi-sports icon who wears different hats — he is a five-time Dakar Rally champion, has won a bronze medal in skeet shooting in 2012 London Olympics, rides powerboats, coaxes a horse and also tries some archery in his farm house.

There is even a chapter on him in the history books of Qatar’s school curriculum.

Ever since he was a child, Al Attiyah had been dreaming of winning the most-gruelling off-road event of all times. And now, in a span of 12 years, the Qatari sports icon has accomplished his mission five times nonchalantly.

Al Attiyah’s accomplishments speak for himself – five Dakar titles, 17 Middle East Rally Championship wins, two FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies crowns and as many titles in the support category of World Rally Championship (WRC) and add to that, his maiden FIA World Rally-Raid (W2RC) Championships crown.

Be it sand, gravel, rocks, mountain or desert, there is no one to beat the ace Qatari driver who has mastered them all with elan!

The first time yours truly came to know about him, he was addressed to me as the Sachin Tendulkar of Qatar by my colleague and I truly stick by it.

The ace Qatari makes it a point to attend each and every call and even when he misses out on answering them, especially in between events, he returns the call back with his trademark “How are you brother. Thank you so much, thank you so much, I appreciate,” response, which makes you feel comfortable as this journalist has found out many times, the latest being after his fifth Dakar triumph.

Whether Al Attiyah is the greatest rally driver of all times remains a subject open to debate. But for the time being he can bask in the glory of having crossed the chequered flag first after 14 stages that took the world’s most brutal rally across Saudi Arabia, from the Red Sea to the Arabian Gulf via the Empty Quarter desert.

Kudos champion!

*(Sajith B Warrier is a senior sports journalist who has extensively covered motorsports over the years in Middle East).