Qatar's rally driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah is gearing up for the 45th edition of the Dakar Rally 2023, slated to kick off December 31 and runs through Jan. 15 in Saudi Arabia, for the fourth year in a row.
The four-time Dakar Rally winner seeks to be a back-to-back champion of the annual rally raid. He won the title in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2022.
In 2022, TOYOTA GAZOO Racings Al Attiyah along with co-driver Mathieu Baumel won the title, levelling the trophies of Finland's Ari Vatanen. France Stephane Peterhansel holds the record for wins at the Dakar Rally, with 14 victories.
In a press statement, Al Attiyah stressed his readiness to defend his title in this year's edition, and fight for his fifth title of the most difficult rally in the world.
He added that he was keen to arrive in Saudi Arabia early in order to prepare well for the competitions, pointing out that the official trials of the rally will start next Wednesday.
