Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah defends his title in the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia

Mohamed El Sayed - Al Jazeera Net

Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah strives to become the second best driver in the Dakar International Rally when he defends his title in the 42nd edition of the world's toughest and most famous desert rally.

The Dakar Rally, to be held for the first time in the Middle East, will be hosted by Saudi Arabia from January 5-17, 2020.

Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah confirmed his participation in defending his title at the Dakar International Rally, which is the opening of the new season.

Al-Attiyah said to Al Jazeera Net, "This is my work, and this sport has no political income, and I will participate to defend my title, and I will represent Qatar in this great international forum to be held in the Middle East for the first time."

Al-Attiyah, who is part of the Toyota Gazua Racing team, will be accompanied by Spanish trio Fernando Alonso, Formula One world champion in 2005 and 2006, South Africa's Genel De Villiers, winner of the 2009 Dakar Rally, and Dutchman Bernhard Ten Bernanke.

Al-Attiyah will be the first champion in the international rally, which will pass most of the cities of Saudi Arabia starting from Jeddah through Medina and Tabuk and then Hail and then Qassim, Riyadh and Abha, and will be the end of the competition in the city of Qidiya.

The Qatari champion participated in many local rallies held in Saudi Arabia throughout his career, and achieved the title of the most famous Hail Rally in the Kingdom in 2008 and 2011.

Al-Attiyah started his participation in the Dakar Rally in 2004 in tenth place, and then achieved second place in 2010 before achieving the title in 2011 and 2015, and he was leading and was close to the title in 2016 and 2018, but retreated to runner-up, before he managed to win his third title early this year .

The Qatari champion has long been absent from local rallies in Saudi Arabia, because the contracted Toyota company prevents its drivers from participating in these races in order to give the opportunity to local contestants.

Al-Attiyah, one of the most successful drivers in the world, stressed that the Saudi Automobile Federation welcomed his participation in the Dakar International Rally, and that his chances will be great in maintaining his title in the hardest rally and won for the fourth time in its history.

The Dakar International Rally in Saudi Arabia is a great preference for the Qatari champion to retain his title, as he has participated in many rallies there, and he knows very well and by heart the paths and nature of the land and desert in this region.

The 9,000-kilometer Dakar Rally is expected to feature around 330 drivers representing 60 nationalities in four different categories: cars, motorcycles, desert quads and trucks.

With three titles in Dakar, Al-Attiyah is the third best racer in the history of the world's most famous desert rally, after Frenchman Sebastien Peter Hansel (7 titles) and Finn Ari Fatenen (4 titles).

The Dakar Rally is being held for the first time in the Asian continent, 40 years after the World Rally in Europe, Africa and South America, and Saudi Arabia will be the 30th country in the rally since its official launch in 1978.

The Dakar Rally was launched for the first time as a race from the French capital Paris passing through the Sahara desert to the Senegalese capital Dakar in West Africa.It was considered the most difficult challenge in motor racing in the world.In 2009, the rally left Africa for security reasons and moved to South America before landing in Saudi Arabia.