Tribune News Network
Doha
Qatar’s rally veteran Nasser Al Attiyah and his co-driver Edouard Boulanger won Stage 1 of the 25th edition of the Rallye du Maroc, the final leg of the 2024 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, in Zagora, Morocco, on Monday.
The stage win saw Al Attiyah moved into overall lead.
Driving for Dacia Sandrider, the Qatari-French duo dominated the 178-kilometer stage, clocking a time of 02:10:09 to top the overall standings. Al Attiyah, a two-time world champion, is targeting his eighth FIA World Rally-Raid title.
Heading into the final round in Morocco, he held a 20-point advantage over his closest rival, Yazeed Al Rajhi. Al Rajhi and his co-driver Timo Gottschalk, winners of the 2022 Rallye du Maroc, currently sit in second place, driving for Toyota, while Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz secured the third-best time in a Ford Raptor.
In the Challenger category, Michal Goczal and Diego Ortega Gil are in the lead after a stage win.
Qatar’s Ahmed Al Kuwari and co-driver Augusto Sanz moved up to ninth place in the overall standings, while Khalifa Al Attiyah and navigator Enio Bozzano are in 13th. Meanwhile, the team of Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and Nasser Saadoon Al Kuwari are currently in 19th place.
