Nasser Al-Attiyah managing in Portugal: "We are not taking any risks"

The fourth stage of RallyThe Raid of Portugal did not allow Nasser Al-Attiyah to revive his campaign. Already heavily penalized the previous day by a retirement on a special stage, the result of a battery problem that prevented it from recharging, the Dacia driver approaches the end of the event with a very different dynamic than he had hoped at the start. The defending champion and natural contender for victory, he now finds himself forced to limit the damage in a particularly demanding rally.

On this fourth stage won by João Ferreira ahead of Sébastien LoebThe conditions once again severely tested the crews. Between mud, treacherous sections, and changing grip, consistency proved to be a key factor. But for the Qatari driver, the objective was no longer pure performance: after the mechanical troubles of the previous day, the main challenge was simply to reach the finish line without taking any further risks. “Yes, the special stage was quite tricky, not easy, but it’s okay. We’re not taking any risks, you know, we’re just trying to finish after yesterday’s long break. But well, it looks like this rally won’t be easy for us. We’re trying to find a good rhythm, even for tomorrow, the last day. We’ll see.”

A cautious approach that reflects the situation of a driver now lagging behind in the standings, far from his initial ambitions. While Sébastien Loeb firmly controls the overall standings with a comfortable lead before the final stage, Nasser Al-Attiyah must settle for a more discreet role in the closing stages of the rally. Approaching the last leg, the objective is clear: to regain his rhythm, gain experience in difficult conditions, and above all, avoid another mechanical failure in an event that, for several days now, has offered him no respite.

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