Qatar’s Nasser al-Attiyah and co-driver Edouard Boulanger snatched the overall lead in the 25th edition of the Rallye du Maroc, the final leg of the 2024 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, after winning Stage 1 in Zagora, Morocco.
Driving for Dacia Sandriders, the Qatari-French duo dominated the 178-kilometer stage, clocking a time of 02:10:09 to top the overall standings.
Al-Attiyah, a two-time world champion, is targeting his eighth FIA World Rally-Raid title. Heading into the final round in Morocco, he held a 20-point advantage over his closest rival, Yazeed al-Rajhi.
Al-Rajhi and his co-driver Timo Gottschalk, winners of the 2022 Rallye du Maroc, currently sit in second place, driving for Toyota, while Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz secured the third-best time in a Ford Raptor.
In the Challenger category, Michal Goczal and Diego Ortega Gil are in the lead after a stage win on Monday. Qatar’s Ahmed al-Kuwari and co-driver Augusto Sanz moved up to ninth place in the overall standings, while Khalifa al-Attiyah and navigator Enio Bozzano are in 13th. Meanwhile, the team of Abdulaziz al-Kuwari and Nasser Saadoon al-Kuwari occupy the 19th spot.
