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Nasser Al Attiyah

Al Attiyah clinches world title with win

Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s Nasser Al Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel drove their Hilux to their fifth Rally of Morocco win on Tuesday. “It was a powerful display by Nasser and Mathieu,” Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Team Principal, Glyn Hall confirmed. “They truly showed their class by leading from the get-go, and despite a scare when they lost a wishbone on the car, the pair powered on to victory. It takes a mammoth team effort to win a race like this, and I’m proud of what our entire team achieved out here in Morocco.”

The duo won the short, 10 km-long prologue, and then followed up with wins on Stages 1 and 2 of the rally. By Stage 3 they were already well clear of the nearest competition, and managed the race from the front. Stage 5 saw the victorious pair cruise home, setting only the 7th-fastest time, but doing more than enough to claim a fifth consecutive title – their third in a Toyota Hilux.

Giniel de Villiers and new co-driver Alex Winocq had a difficult week: “It was a tough race for us,” de Villiers admitted. “We managed to fight on through most of it, but were forced to retire yesterday when the exhaust manifold broke, but things went a lot better in the final stage.” De Villiers/Winocq lead through most of Stage 5 only to be pipped to the post by Mini’s Carlos Sainz.

In the end, Al Attiyah/Baumel led Jakub Przygonski and Tom Colsoul (Mini) home to clinch new Rally Raid World Championship.