Al Attiyah and Quintanilla Prologue in Abu Dhabi

Current Dakar Rally Champion Nasser al-Attiyah Two-time winner of the FIM Cross-Country World Cup Paul Quintanilla They made it through the prologue stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2023, a seven-kilometer route at the gates of Al Dana, giving the ten fastest cars and motorbikes a chance to choose their starting order for stage one this Monday. . .

Three-time ADDC winner Nasser Al Attiyah lived up to expectations by winning the prologue in 4:45. Gerancisheri put him 10 inches behind the Qatari leader and Sebastian set the second fastest time in Loeb’s other Pro Drive, where he was 4 inches ahead of his Hunter. Frenchman Yazid Al Raj (Overdrive Racing) was also fighting one second behind.

In T3, her teammates Seth Quintero and Mitch Guthrie Jr. (Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team USA) won the prologue in the same order in seconds before Cristina Guttiérez (Red Bull Can- Am Factory). Mattias Ekström (South Racing Can-Am) and Dakar winner Austin Jones (Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team USA) were further behind in eighth and he was ninth.

In T4, category champion and contender for next win, Rokas Baciuska (Red Bull Can-Am Factory) won.

Nasser Al-Attiyah chose to start tomorrow’s first stage in 10th place, with Guerlain Sicheri ninth, Sébastien Loeb eighth and Yazid Al Raj seventh. Cristina Gutierrez opens the stage ahead of Mitch Guthrie and Martin Prokop (Oren Benzina Team).

Honda teaches muscles with a motorcycle

The key absences of two heavyweights in the motorcycle category like Kevin Benavidez and Sam Sunderland, the last two winners of the Dakar Rally, put 2018 ADDC winner Pablo Quintanilla and last year’s 3rd. In the second round, he won with a time of 5’00 inches ahead of teammate Adrien Van Beveren (+2 inches) and KTM rider Toby Price (+5 inches).

Skyler Howes (Husqvarna Factory Racing) struggled, just 10th. The American, who finished his third in the Dakar, decided his starting position last. In Rally2, Toni Mulec (BAS World KTM Racing) took the lead ahead of Konrad Dabrowski (Dust Diverse Racing). Paolo Lucci (BAS World KTM Racing) had a poor start as he was given a two-minute penalty for missing a waypoint.

In the quad, Abdulaziz Ahli won ahead of Rodolfo Giglioli. Laisvydas Kancius (AG Dakar School) also dropped to the bottom of his category for missing a waypoint which saw him receive a two-minute penalty.

At the end of the starting order ceremony for tomorrow’s stage, the fastest riders of the day moved as far away from the stage opener as possible, with Quintanilla starting 11th, ‘VBA’ 10th and Price 9th.

Mohammed Al Balooshi, who last competed in the Rally GP category, opens the stage, followed by Skyler Howes and “Nacho” Cornejo (Monster Energy Honda). Bonuses are given to the first three from stage start to finish under new regulations for 2023 aimed at rewarding those who open the route.