Alkass English
DOHA: Qatari motorsport star Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah has hailed his victory at the Qatar International Baja, the penultimate round of the FIA Middle East Baja Cup, after securing his maiden regional championship title with one round remaining.
The triumph marked Al Attiyah's second regional championship success within a week. On Sunday, he clinched his 21st Middle East Rally Championship title after winning the Cyprus Rally, the fifth and final round of the series.
Al Attiyah also celebrated his 13th victory at the Qatar International Baja, describing this year's edition as one of the toughest in the event's history.
He pointed to the longer stages, demanding terrain and strong international field as major challenges, noting that the competition was considerably different from previous editions.
According to the Qatari driver, the opening stage was particularly demanding, with its length and harsh terrain resembling sections of the Dakar Rally. He said the conditions required exceptional physical endurance and mental concentration, while the final day's stage covered 200 kilometres across varied terrain.
Al Attiyah explained that he adopted a cautious strategy throughout the final stage, which ultimately allowed him to maintain his position and secure victory.
He also revealed that his Nasser Racing team entered the competition with 10 cars, benefiting from the support of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation.
Among the team's highlights was the performance of promising young driver Ghanim Al Attiyah, who finished second in the T4 category on his debut. Nasser praised the result as an encouraging achievement and a source of pride for the team.
The veteran driver also commended the organisation of this year's event and the high level of international participation, saying both demonstrated Qatar's growing stature on the global motorsport stage.
He expressed his gratitude to the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation for its continued support of Qatari drivers, describing its backing as essential to their success.
Looking ahead, Al Attiyah faces a packed international schedule, starting with next week's Dubai International Baja, followed by the Jeddah Baja the following week, where he will seek to strengthen his lead in the Saudi championship.
He will then compete in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge towards the end of the month.
Al Attiyah confirmed that the Abu Dhabi event would be his final competition with the Dacia team, adding that he was currently evaluating several options before deciding on his next team and destination.
Concluding his remarks, Al Attiyah said he was particularly proud of his record 13th Qatar International Baja victory, adding that continued success provided further motivation to pursue new milestones and represent Qatar with distinction on the international motorsport stage.