Nasser Al-Attiyah Leads After Epic Sixth Stage Win in Dakar Rally

Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar leads the Dakar Rally after securing a crucial victory in the sixth stage, surpassing Henk Lategan. Saturday is a rest day before the race continues in Riyadh. Daniel Sanders faces a penalty in the motorcycle category, while Al-Attiyah closes in on a stage win record.

Qatar's rally legend Nasser Al-Attiyah has taken the lead in the Dakar Rally, following a pivotal victory in the sixth stage through the Saudi Arabian desert on Friday. Al-Attiyah, now racing with the Dacia Sandriders, turned a setback of over three minutes into a commanding six-minute lead over the 326km stage from Hail to Riyadh, overtaking South African competitor Henk Lategan.

As competitors enjoy a rest day on Saturday in Riyadh, the rally will continue with seven more stages, culminating in Yanbu on the Red Sea coast by January 17. Al-Attiyah's remarkable performance includes a two-minute and 58-second lead over teammate Sebastien Loeb, marking Dacia's first one-two finish in the Dakar Rally. Toyota's Seth Quintero placed third in Friday's segment.

In the overall rankings, Toyotas' Henk Lategan holds the second place while Ford's Nani Roma claims third, marking his first podium finish since 2019. Al-Attiyah, a five-time Dakar winner, eyes a record-tying 50th stage win, following his 49th on Friday. Meanwhile, in the motorcycle category, rider Daniel Sanders faces a six-minute penalty, allowing KTM teammate Ricky Brabec to close in on his lead.

(With inputs from agencies.)