Nasser Al-Attiyah sends a letter to the FIA president to express his frustration regarding the Dakar
Nasser Al-Attiyah expressed his dissatisfaction with several issues encountered during this edition of the Dakar Rally by sending a letter to the FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
The Dacia Sandriders driver, Nasser Al-Attiyah, revealed that he sent a letter to the FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, to express his frustrations related to this year’s Dakar Rally.
The five-time winner of the event was frustrated by a 10-minute penalty after finishing first in the 5th stage. A lost spare tire cost him his lead of 9 minutes 59 seconds at the end of the stage, leaving him one second short of victory and in second place.
Nasser Al-Attiyah frustrated
Nasser Al-Attiyah also spoke out against the FIA’s decision to prevent Carlos Sainz Sr and Sébastien Loeb from continuing the event after their rollover accidents in the first four stages. The damage to the safety structures of the Ford and Dacia cars made their continuation impossible, in accordance with the regulations.
With growing frustration, the Qatari driver revealed his intention to write a letter to Mohammed Ben Sulayem and, when questioned by the media about the note’s progress, Nasser Al-Attiyah explained: « Yes, we sent the letter, and we were saying that we need to defend our position, our ten minutes. It is a mistake to receive ten minutes, but we are working to change this situation, not to change the rule, but to put the right people [there], I think. »
« I don’t appreciate that. No, I don’t appreciate the Dakar, I do it day after day, but every time something weird happens, I don’t enjoy it at all. »
When asked if there was something missing to help him enjoy the race, the driver replied: « No, we lack nothing, but when we come to the race, we should enjoy it. There shouldn’t be politics or anything unfair, when a rule is set – it is there. We shouldn’t change something every day. We’re not at school. »
Nasser Al-Attiyah finished a little less than 12 minutes behind the winner of stage 7, Lucas Moraes, on a day when 20 km of the course were neutralized to correct a roadbook error. The race director had to intervene by helicopter in the middle of the stage to help the competitors.
This result leaves Nasser Al-Attiyah 21 minutes 57 seconds behind the leader Henk Lategan in the overall standings. When asked if he could still clinch a sixth victory, he conceded: « I don’t know. But maybe in the end, I can win. So far, I haven’t won a stage, I’m taking it day by day, we’ll see. »
Twenty minutes is nothing, we still have five days left, we will try to do our best every day, I will give my best to try to win.
