The Peninsula
Three-time Dakar Rally champion, Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah has some bad news for his rivals: the vastly experienced rallying star yesterday said his best is yet to come.
The Minister of Culture and Sports, H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali and QMMF President Abdulrahman Al Mannai yesterday joined the motor sport family in the country to welcome the rallying star at the Hamad International Airport in Doha yesterday.
Al Attiyah on Thursday won the Dakar Rally for the third time in his illustrious career. The Minister and QMMF President along with Al Attiyah cut a cake at the reception that was attended by a huge flag-waving crowd inside the VIP Lounge of the airport.
“I am still strong. I will continue to be strong. All the fans and experts at Dakar Rally have been saying that the race will be difficult in the next 10 years since it wont be easy to stop Nasser. I won’t say it will be easy but everybody knows I will be back,” Al Attiyah, 48, said yesterday.
“It’s a special win. It’s a big win for me and an equally a major victory for Toyota. There was more pressure this time. It was a difficult race since there were some top competitors out there. It wasn’t easy by any means. I am very happy since the support I get from my country, the sports ministry and the Federation is great,” a beaming Al Attiyah added.
“The support from the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani makes me a strong contender for every event I go to,” Al Attiyah added.
Al Attiyah said his win makes him a popular sports figure in Japan, the home of Toyota and the Olympic Games in 2020.
“Yes, Olympic year is coming up. I am ready for the Olympic Games. My name and that of Qatar are popular in Japan,” Al Attiyah, who represents the country in skeet shooting, said yesterday.
“It will be my dream to go to Japan because the Olympic Games will be held in Tokyo. My team, Toyota is from Japan. Toyota is also one of the sponsors at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
“This is the first time that Toyota has won the Dakar Rally title so it is a very special win. I received a call from the boss of Toyota, Mr President Akio Toyoda. He’s proud and happy at my achievement. I think Toyota will be backing the sport a lot,” he said.
Qatar’s Minister for Culture and Sports said yesterday: “It is a big moment for our country. As you know, motor sport is a big thing in Qatar. Nasser has won the most difficult off-read championship for the third time. Nasser did it in style. He is young and he can do more. We say ‘thank you’ to Nasser for his achievements’. I am sure there’s more to come.”
The Minister added: “His title win is a big gift for the nation. I am sure there will be more glories in the sports field for Qatar in 2019.”
QMMF President Al Mannai said yesterday: “We are here to receive our champion. It was the best performance of his career, in my opinion. As you know Dakar Rally is at the top of all desert duels. He battled against the world’s best and I think he used the right strategy this year. He started with a bang and then he had to pull himself back in the middle of the rally. He managed the gap between him and the others very well.”
Al Mannai added: “To us this is a victory for Qatar, for the federation, for the country’s motorsport fans. To be a multiple winner of the Dakar Rally from the Middle East, Asia or Europe must be a record. We are so proud of him. I am sure he needs to take rest. I think he has a lot to give. The best is yet to come from him in the next few years.”