(Reuters) – Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally for the fifth time on Sunday, while Argentine KTM rider Kevin Benavides triumphed in the motorcycle class to clinch his second title.
Al-Attiyah, current Toyota champion with French co-driver Mathieu Baumel, finished the final stage in Dammam, on the coast of the Persian Gulf, with an hour and 20 minutes ahead of Frenchman Sébastien Loeb, multiple world rally champion.
The Qatari, which had led since the third stage, now occupies second place on the list of all-time winners in the car category, behind eight-time champion Stéphane Peterhansel of France.
Peterhansel, “Mr. Dakar”, has also won the motorcycling crown six times.
“It has been a very difficult Dakar for everyone, but we won again. It’s incredible to defend our title. I’m happy to have won five times and Mathieu four”, said Al-Attiyah.
Brazilian Lucas Moraes finished third overall in a Toyota Hilux for Overdrive Racing.
On bikes, Benavides outscored Australian Toby Price, also a two-time Dakar champion, by 43 seconds after winning the final sprint. American Skyler Howes finished third overall for the works Husqvarna team.
Frenchman Alexandre Giroud won the quad title for the second consecutive year, while Dutchman Janus Van Kasteren won the truck category in his Iveco, ending a string of successes for Kamaz since 2017.
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