Al-Attiyah sends letter to FIA president over Dakar frustrations

Dacia Sandriders driver Nasser Al-Attiyah has revealed he has despatched a letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem over his grievances from this 12 months’s Dakar Rally.

The five-time occasion winner was left aggrieved by a 10-minute penalty when ending quickest on Stage 5, a misplaced spare wheel taking away his 9m59s benefit on the finish of the take a look at to depart him one second adrift of the stage win in second.

Al-Attiyah has additionally been outspoken in opposition to the choice from the FIA to impede Carlos Sainz and Sebastien Loeb from persevering with the occasion after their rollover crashes within the opening 4 phases – injury to the roll cages of the Ford and Dacia machines leaving them unable to proceed as instructed by the laws.

With frustration constructing, the Qatari driver revealed his intention to write down a letter to Ben Sulayem and requested by media together with Motorsport.com for an replace on the progress of the word, Al-Attiyah defined: “Sure, we despatched the letter, and we have been saying that we needed to defend our place, our ten minutes. This can be a mistake, to obtain ten minutes, however we’re working for this example to alter – to not change, we have to put the best folks [there], I believe.

“I do not get pleasure from it. No, I do not get pleasure from Dakar, I am do daily, however each time one thing unusual [happens], I am not having fun with in any respect”.

On whether or not there was something lacking to assist his enjoyment, Al-Attiyah replied: “No, we do not miss something, however while you come to the race, you want to get pleasure from. You need not have politics within the center or one thing that is not truthful, while you put a rule – end. You need not change one thing every single day. We’re not at school.”

Al-Attiyah completed just below 12 minutes down on Stage 7 winner Lucas Moraes on a day the place 20km of the route was neutralised to resolve a roadbook error – the occasion director flying out in a helicopter mid-stage to help the rivals.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA

Photograph by: Pink Bull Content material Pool

The end result leaves him 21m57s down on Henk Lategan within the general classification and requested if he can nonetheless add a sixth win to his identify, Al-Attiyah conceded: “I have no idea.

“However possibly, ultimately, I can win. To this point I’ve not received on a stage, I’m going daily, we’ll see.

“Twenty minutes is nothing, we nonetheless have 5 days, we attempt to do our greatest daily, I’ll do my greatest to climb to win.”

Pictures from Dakar Rally Stage 7

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