Cologne, Germany,
07
November
2021
|
20:17
Europe/Amsterdam

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's Al-Attiyah & Baumel continue winning ways in Abu Dhabi

Summary

Following their recent victory at the Rally of Morocco, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel maintained their winning streak in the opening stage of the eagerly awaited Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge - the penultimate leg of the 2021 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies. Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge was cancelled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and Al-Attiyah and Baumel made up for lost time by dominating the T1 car category on day one in their V8-powered Toyota Hilux.

Starting on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, the first stage - the third-longest of the rally - saw competitors cover a timed distance of 264km, as they entered the famous Al Dhafra dunes before finishing at Hameem. The top seeded TOYOTA GAZOO Racing pair of Al-Attiyah and Baumel started first, and while the bike competitors had opened the route earlier, navigation remained critical for the Qatari driver and his French co-driver.

The duo, who lead the championship by 17 points ahead of their closest challengers, Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Michael Orr, enjoyed a highly successful run across the extremely sandy terrain, with Al-Attiyah living up to his moniker ‘King of the Dunes’. The pair last tasted success in the event in 2016 but look good to replicate that feat in 2021 after an impressive early showing in the United Arab Emirates.

Baumel’s navigational skills were faultless, and while they experienced one puncture along the way, he and Al-Attiyah covered the distance quickest in a time of 3hr 22min 07sec – three minutes faster than their nearest competitors Jakub Przygonski and Timo Gottschalk.  

Monday’s second stage features the longest leg of the rally, as competitors will travel a timed distance of 332km. The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is comprised of five stages totalling a timed distance of 1,360km.

 

STAGE 1 RESULTS:

1. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Mathieu Baumel Toyota Hilux (TGR) 3hr 22min 07sec

2. Jakub Przygonski/Timo Gottschalk MINI +3min 00sec

3. Martin Prokop/Viktor Chytka Ford +7min 10sec

4. Lucio Alvarez/Armand Monleon Toyota Hilux (Overdrive) +7min 11sec

5. Yazeed Al Rajhi/Michael Orr Toyota Hilux (Overdrive) +7min 57sec

 

STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 1:

1. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Mathieu Baumel Toyota Hilux (TGR) 3hr 22min 07sec

2. Jakub Przygonski/Timo Gottschalk MINI +3min 00sec

3. Martin Prokop/Viktor Chytka Ford +7min 10sec

4. Lucio Alvarez/Armand Monleon Toyota Hilux (Overdrive) +7min 11sec

5. Yazeed Al Rajhi/Michael Orr Toyota Hilux (Overdrive) +7min 57sec

 

QUOTES:

Glyn Hall, Team Principal:

“It’s great to be able to win the stage especially while opening the road because Abu Dhabi is incredibly difficult with its tall dunes and very few gravel tracks. It only gets more difficult though, and tomorrow we will have to do it all again.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah:

“It was a very good stage for us. It was not too long but I think we did a good job. Tomorrow we’ll have to repeat this performance especially as we’re opening the road again. We just need to keep extending that gap between us and the rest.”

Mathieu Baumel:

“It was an enjoyable mix of terrain – a twisty, fast track before we entered the dunes for about 30kms. We didn’t make any mistakes today and we hope to do the same tomorrow.”