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Nasser Al-Attiyah just tore the covers off his bigger and better Dakar ride

The three-time Dakar winner talks us through his previous Dakar machines before introducing the brand-new Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+.
Written by Tim Sturtridge
3 min readPublished on
The trick to staying at the top is to never stay still, and that’s especially true in motorsports. That’s why after securing his fifth FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies at the weekend, Nasser Al-Attiyah has decided to switch it up and bring a brand-new car to the next Dakar Rally.
The introduction of the new T1+ category at the 2022 Dakar has seen Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Hilux undergo a complete revamp ahead of the upcoming rally. Among the standout features on Al-Attiyah’s Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+ are bigger tyres and increased suspension travel to help match the unique demands of the event.
Excitement is building ahead of the first stage of the next Dakar on January 2 in Saudi Arabia. Watch the clip above to see Al-Attiyah introduce his new ride as well as discuss the three different cars he has already driven to victory at the Dakar.
Nasser Al-Attyiah and Mathieu Baumel perform during testing in Dubai, UAE on November 4, 2021

Nasser puts his new ride through its paces in Dubai

© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool

Al-Attiyah picked up wins in Spain, Morocco, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia on his way to this year’s World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies title. He will arrive at the 2022 Dakar in red hot form with a car designed and built for success in the desert.
The Qatari racer will be accompanied by French co-driver Mathieu Baumel at the next Dakar. This partnership has so far delivered four World Cup titles and two Dakar wins as the understanding between the team-mates gets better with each passing year.
After two second-place finishes at the Dakar in Saudi Arabia, the burning ambition of Al-Attiyah remains to win the rally in his home region. “I’m so excited to do every kilometre with the T1+,” Al-Attiyah revealed. “The car is looking so strong and aggressive. I will do my best to be the first driver to win the Dakar in a T1+ car.”
Mathieu Baumel and Nasser Al-Attyiah seen during testing in Dubai, UAE on November 4, 2021

Mathieu Baumel and Nasser Al-Attyiah

© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool

Most of the time we speak in English inside the car. It’s more easy for the navigation
Mathieu Baumel
Al-Attiyah got his first taste of the Dakar behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi in 2004, finishing the route from France to Senegal as the 10th-fastest car. He picked up his first Dakar stage win in 2007 while driving with BMW. But it was when the rally moved to South America that success really started to come. Al-Attiyah celebrated his first Dakar win in 2011 in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires after driving a Volkswagen Touareg to victory.
A second South American success followed in 2015, this time racing a MINI and with Baumel alongside him as co-driver. The duo’s dominant display that year saw them hold the race lead from the second day onwards as they collected a total of five stage wins.
Al-Attiyah’s most recent Dakar victory came in 2019, the last edition of the rally to be held in South America. It was Al-Attiyah and Baumel’s third Dakar with Toyota Gazoo Racing and their win gave the team their first ever victory at the world’s toughest rally. Al-Attiyah is now ready to write a new chapter for the team as he takes the keys of his Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+.
Stay on the racing line of the 2022 Dakar Rally with coverage on RedBull.com and Red Bull TV. The latest edition of the toughest test of motorsport endurance on the planet will be hosted on the dunes of Saudi Arabia. The first stage departs from Hail on January 2 and the chequered flag will fly in Jeddah on January 14.

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Nasser Al-Attiyah

Nasser Al-Attiyah is the sporting hero of his native Qatar – he's won the Dakar Rally on five occasions while also excelling in skeet shooting.

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