Nasser Al-Attiyah puts things in perspective after a difficult weekend: "We had a good time."

The 2026 edition of the Rally-Raid Portugal proved particularly challenging for Nasser Al-Attiyah. Forced to retire during the third stage due to a major technical issue, the defending champion saw his hopes of victory dashed prematurely. Falling far down the overall standings, he ultimately finished in 38th place, more than 28 minutes behind the winner, Sébastien Loeb, author of a test that was controlled until the very end.

In conditions made particularly challenging by rain, mud, and numerous treacherous sections, the Qatari driver had to contend with demanding terrain throughout the week. Stage 3, marked by a faulty battery, proved to be a turning point in his rallydepriving him of any ambition in the general classification. From then on, the priority was elsewhere: reaching the finish line and limiting losses in the fight for the championship.

Faced with these challenges, Nasser Al-Attiyah chose to focus on the positive aspects of a difficult event, particularly during the last stage, which was contested without taking excessive risks. “Yes, the Rally-Raid Portugal is a really tough race for everyone. And we have to discover the difficulties of the race with all this water, but oh well. Apart from the third day when we had to stop, we could have achieved a good result in the top five. But hey, at least today we scored a good point and had a lot of fun.”

Despite a final result far from his standards, the driver also looked to the overall performance of his team, who leave Portugal with significant reasons for satisfaction, notably thanks to Sébastien Loeb's victory and the team's solidity.

“The Rally-Raid Portugal is over, but we are really pleased to still be leading the manufacturers' standings. Seb won and Lucas [Moraes] finished fourth. It's a really good result. I'm sure it bodes well for Argentina.” At the end of a rally marked by twists and turns, Nasser Al-Attiyah is now looking ahead to the rest of the championship, with the goal of bouncing back in the next round.

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