Nasser Al-Attiyah can breathe a big “phew” of relief this Sunday afternoon at the finish of the seventh stage of the Dakar 2025. The Qatari believed that his chances of a sixth victory on the Dakar were definitely going to be evaporate into the desert and sand dunes around the town of Al Duwadimi. Between kilometer points 138 and 183, the Dacia driver lost more than half an hour with several backs and forths, before finding the correct road to follow. Finally, the race management admitted that an error was present in the roadbook given to the co-drivers at kilometer 158, forcing the organization to react and not take into account the times over a 20-kilometer section.
“It was a nightmare, confides a relieved Nasser Al-Attiyah at the finish of the 7th stage. At one place we caught up with the two in front and we tried to open (the gap), but we found something was wrong. We had to go back to check, three times, and then we realized there was a problem with the roadbook. It wasn’t easy: we tried to manage with it, and suddenly, by chance, we found the right direction, but it wasn’t written in the roadbook. In the car, we said to ourselves that this stage had to be canceled… and upon arrival, we were told that this section had been neutralized for everyone. »
Al-Attiyah has almost made up half of his gap
Despite this big scare, Nasser Al-Attiyah ended the day by signing a great operation at the finish of this Stage 7. Fourth in the stage, 11’15 behind the winner of the day, Lucas Moraes (Toyota), the Dacia driver again taken almost nine minutes from the leader of the general classification, Henk Lategan (Toyota). His delay continues to diminish and is now 21’57 behind the South African before the last five stages. A situation which is improving day by day for the Qatari who, even if he has still not won a single special stage on this Dakar 2025, continues to believe in it for the final victory. “ I think we did a good job in closing the gap with the leaders [au général]it’s very good before the next five steps »he says briefly. Compared to Friday’s rest day, almost half of the delay has been made up… and Nasser Al-Attiyah does not intend to stop there!
READ ALSO > Dakar 2025 – Stage 7: Al-Rajhi almost equals Lategan, the race is racing!
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