(MENAFN - Gulf Times) Two-time former winner Qatar's Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah (2011 and 2015) of Toyota Gazoo Racing is once again a strong contender for the Dakar Rally. The 40th edition of the classic endurance event, the tenth to be held in South America since it was shifted from terror-hit sub-Sahara Africa, starts in the Peruvian capital of Lima today and ends in Argentina's second city of Cordoba on January 20.
Al-Attiyah will be making his 14th appearance in the queen of rally-raids. This time too all eyes will be on al-Attiyah, who is one of the most prominent drivers in the world of motorsports.
The Qatari veteran has claimed multiple global and regional titles throughout several cross-country rally categories. 2017 was a successful year for al-Attiyah, winning the FIA Cross-Country World Cup and the Middle East Rally Championship. Clinching the Dakar crown for third time will be his next target.
Al-Attiyah will be playing the role of the all-conquering challenger having once again become World Champion and having finished ahead of Sebastien Loeb several weeks ago in Morocco. In addition to his talent, he will also benefit from technical advantages.
'I think that the changes to the regulations made this year will make it possible to start the race on a more level playing field. Peugeot perhaps still has the best car, but we are not very far behind them at all and I'm very confident about it, al-Attiyah said
Al-Attiyah had topped the opening stage of the 2017 rally but crashed out of the rally early, and he would be hoping not repeat that mistake.
Al-Attiyah was confident going into his 15th Dakar Rally of his career. 'I literally love this race and it is a real pleasure to be at the start year-after-year. I will need to be smart and not focus on this or that or stage wins, but to finish as the winner. The first week promises to be crucial and the one who comes out with a good lead will already have taken a big step towards the win. But we are confident. We have won many rallies with the previous Hilux and this version is a little better for everything, the Qatar ace said.
Al-Attiyah main rival will again be Peugeot's Stephane Peterhansel, who will target a 14th victory on the Dakar Rally, played out over 9,000km of gruelling terrain which includes criss-crossing the Andes and confronting the unique physical demands of Bolivia's thin air. Peterhansel has won on four-wheels seven times, including the last two for Peugeot, and scorched to six titles on a motorbike since his event debut in 1988.
The veteran 52-year-old led a podium sweep in the car race for the French manufacturer in 2017 and this year will be favourite again alongside teammates Carlos Sainz, a two-time world rally champion and 2010 winner at the Dakar, Cyril Despres and Sebastien Loeb, a nine-time world rally champion.
Loeb, meanwhile, was runner-up last year, 12 months after finishing ninth on his debut. 'We will see, Loeb said when asked of his title prospects this year. 'It's difficult to predict as there are so many variables on the Dakar. There are lots of factors which can swing it either way.
The two-week race will also see Portuguese football manager Andre Villas-Boas taking part. Villas-Boas, who coached Porto, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Zenit St Petersburg and Shanghai SIGP, will drive a Toyota Hilux as he revives a family link his uncle Pedro Villas-Boas drove in the race in 1982 in a 4x4.
Villas-Boas, 40, said that he had originally thought of riding a motorcycle on the Dakar but then changed his mind after talking to one of the motorbike teams.


Dakar Rally Schedule
Jan 6: Lima-Pisco (31km of stage)
Jan 7: Pisco-Pisco (267km)
Jan 8: Pisco-San Juan de Marcona (295km)
Jan 9: San Juan de Marcona-San Juan de Marcona (330km)
Jan 10: San Juan de Marcona-Arequipa (267km of stage)
Jan 11: Arequipa-La Paz (313km)
Jan 12: rest day in La Paz
Jan 13: La Paz-Uyuni (425km)
Jan 14: Uyuni-Tupiza (498km)
Jan 15: Tupiza-Salta (242km)
Jan 16: Salta-Belen (372km)
Jan 17: Belen-Chilecito (280km)
Jan 18: Chilecito-San Juan (522km)
Jan 19: San Juan-Cordoba (368km)
Jan 20 : Cordoba-Cordoba (119km)

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