Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel win the 2023 Dakar

As during the Paris-Dakar of yesteryear, the most famous rally-raid concluded with a trip to the beach. The Rose Lake of Dakar (Senegal) was replaced this Sunday, January 15 by the shores of the Arabian Gulf, near Dammam (Saudi Arabia), scene of the final arrival of this Dakar Rally 2023.

Le résultat de cette 14e et ultime spéciale, longue de 136 km, ne devait pas comporter de difficultés majeures. Toutefois, de violents orages nocturnes ont rendu certaines portions particulièrement boueuses et auraient pu piéger certains pilotes… sauf Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota).

The Qatari, associated with French navigator Mathieu Baumel, peacefully reached Dammam to achieve his fifth success on a Dakar, following the 2011 (with Volkswagen), 2015 (with Mini), 2019 (with Toyota) and 2022 ( Toyota also). He thus overtakes Ari Vatanen and is only three victories away from the record held in Car by Stéphane Peterhansel.

For Mathieu Baumel, this is the fourth victory on the Dakar (2015, 19, 22, 23) and equals Michel Périn in second place among the most successful co-drivers in the competition.

ALSO READ > Dakar 2023, Stage 13 – Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin set a record

Despite a constant attack for a good week, Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin (Bahrain Raid from the second stage due to three punctures on rough terrain.

The final third place is occupied by the astonishing rookie Lucas Moraes (Toyota). For his discovery of the Dakar, the Argentinian, associated with experienced co-driver Timo Gottschalk, led a calm and worry-free race to become the first beginner to finish on the podium since Juha Kankkunen in 1988.

Ill for several days due to repeated head impacts aboard his 4×4 Hunter T1+, Guerlain Chicherit (GCK Motorsport) should prove his mental strength for the umpteenth time by winning this final special. The driver-entrepreneur obtains his second stage victory on this Dakar 2023 after Stage 3 in the company of his co-pilot, Alex Winocq.

In the match for the places of honor, Giniel de Villiers-Dennis Murphy (Toyota) are ahead of their South African comatriots Henk Lategan-Brett Cummings (Toyota), for a long time on the podium before suffering mechanical problems and a rollover in the Empty Quarter in the second week.

Standings

Stage

General