By Anand Holla

Driving down the highway as part of a cavalcade of seven delightfully curvaceous MINIs on a breezy afternoon seems like a promising prelude to an exciting time in the desert. Just five minutes of co-piloting the champion would be enough to assure that it was a promise well kept.
In a first-of-its-kind event, MINI, together with Alfardan Automobiles, the exclusive importer in Qatar, partnered with Red Bull Qatar to offer a select number of VIPs and media the chance to be the co-driver of Qatar’s rally racing superstar Nasser al-Attiyah.
At the Alfardan Desert Camp in Sealine, dozens gathered around the winner of 2015 Dakar Rally – the world’s most challenging off-road endurance race that spans 9,000km over three South American countries; Argentina, Chile and Bolivia – the moment he walked in, flashing his trademark smile.
After meeting and greeting everyone warmly, al-Attiyah headed towards his trusted vehicle that stood proudly in the sun – the rugged MINI All4 Racing that helped him clinch the title. Over the next two hours, al-Attiyah would make several five to 10-minute-long trips into the dunes with a new co-driver in tow – and give each one of them one blazing hell of a ride that they are sure to not forget.
Moments before my turn came, I was given a mask and a helmet, and also a final chance to back out of the ride by a well-meaning MINI official: “This will be extremely tough. You are sure you want to take the ride?”
Having witnessed al-Attiyah storm out into the desert, disappear behind the dunes, and then heroically emerge and race back to the starting point, there was no way anyone with a bare minimum lick of adventure in them would turn away from this opportunity.
As I sat into what could even be the cockpit of a mini – no pun intended – space shuttle, al-Attiyah turned to me to shake hands. “Everything okay?” he asked, smiling away. Pedal to the metal and we took off with such a beautiful turbulent flourish that had I closed my eyes, I would have well believed that I was moments away from taking off into outer space.
Once we hit the softness of the sand dunes, al-Attiyah hurled the vehicle through large mounds, setting off continuous bursts of sand in its wake. Eyes trained on the path ahead, he drifted through the dunes with such confidence and calm as if he knew the terrain like the back of his hand.
A handful of the video crew scattered around the desert, pranced around with their camera rigs mounted with GoPros, while my head kept furiously bobbing sideways and my whole body soaked in the vehicle’s jolts and knocks courtesy al-Attiyah’s driving prowess and his All4 Racing’s impressive horsepower and torque.
Following the five minutes of adrenaline rush, al-Attiyah steered us in equally break-neck fashion to the entry line. “You enjoyed?” he asked, after easing into the brakes. Well, who wouldn’t?
After completing the multiple rides, al-Attiyah said, “This has been a great experience for all involved, but especially for those MINI owners who already have a fun and adventurous nature. That’s why they could embrace the challenge with great passion and enthusiasm.”
When racing on varied terrains, it is often gruelling and testing on the body, and the desert is one of the toughest legs in any rally, al-Attiyah explained. “So giving people who have never been in a rally car this opportunity is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and physical challenge. I would like to thank MINI, Alfardan Automobiles and Red Bull Qatar for making this day possible – it was a huge privilege for me, especially with it taking place in my home country.”
The 2015 Dakar Rally Champion has participated in a number of events with Alfardan Automobiles since his victory, including a visit to the importer’s first stand-alone MINI showroom and an appearance at the 2015 Qatar Motor Show, in which his MINI All4 Racing car was a stand highlight.