Nasser Al-Attiyah has revealed he’s left with a “lot of stress” after a navigation error on Stage 10 dented his hopes of scoring a sixth profession victory within the Dakar Rally.
The Dacia star opened the street on Wednesday’s first go to to the gruelling Empty Quarters of Saudi Arabia, however a mistake by co-driver Edouard Boulanger meant they misplaced their manner simply 9km into the stage.
They subsequently dropped 13 minutes heading in the direction of the primary checkpoint and, with little likelihood to make up misplaced floor in a stage that ran for simply 120km, recorded his worst end of the 2025 occasion in thirtieth.
Baffled by not having the ability to discover the proper route within the dunes, the 54-year-old admitted that the occasions of Thursday had dampened his spirits forward of the ultimate two levels of the rally-raid.
“From the beginning we acquired misplaced, Edouard took the flawed route and we made a giant mistake, greater than 20 kilometres,” Al-Attiyah mentioned.
“I am upset, however we won’t do any extra. I haven’t got a very good feeling, it is by no means occurred to me earlier than, I’ve by no means been misplaced within the dunes, however, I do not know.
#200 The Dacia Sandriders Dacia: Nasser Al-Attiyah
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
“I would like to speak and see what occurred, as a result of now there’s quite a lot of stress, we have to discuss.”
He added: “I am very upset, however what are you able to do? We may have had a fantastic stage, however we’ll see what place we’re in and what we are able to do tomorrow.
“Daily is essential, and we had a very good tempo, however we misplaced quite a lot of time. That is essentially the most disappointing day of my life.”
Al-Attiyah’s long-time co-driver Boulanger took full accountability of the error and defined what occurred initially of the stage that brought on him to lose his bearings.
“It wasn’t arduous over the entire day, it was arduous as a result of I made a giant mistake at kilometre 10,” he mentioned.
“There have been two drawings, two equivalent containers [on the roadbook], and I merely jumped a line. So I made an actual mistake at kilometre 10, taking the flawed [direction] for greater than three kilometres.
“After that, I used to be targeted on following my [direction] as a result of there was a waypoint to catch up behind. By the point I realised my mistake, I do not know the way a lot time we misplaced. However the day wasn’t arduous, it is simply that I made a mistake.”
With two comparatively quick levels left in Dakar 2025, Al-Attiyah is fourth within the standings and faces a huge 30-minute deficit to general chief Toyota driver Henk Lategan.
Even to complete on the rostrum, he should get better virtually 4 minutes to Ford rival Mattias Ekstrom in Shubaytah, the place the final two levels are being held.
Having beforehand expressed quite a lot of confidence about his probabilities within the Dakar this yr, Al-Attiyah is now much more apprehensive about his potential to salvage a win.
“I do not know, we’ll see what we are able to do tomorrow,” he mentioned of his victory hopes. “There is a lengthy, lengthy solution to go, we’ll see what we are able to do, we’re ready for Henk Lategan to see.
“I am at all times assured, day-after-day, but when we make a mistake like this, it isn’t the sport, I’ve to repair the issue.”
Photographs from Dakar Rally Stage 10
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Rachit Thukral
Dakar
Nasser Al-Attiyah
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