Sergio Garcia dedicates win to father who lost two of his brothers to COVID-19 page 14 TUESday, OCTOBER 6, 2020 Attiyah, legends to test themselves big at Andalucia Rally in Spain starting today

Ace Qatari driver says ‘target is to go fast and to win this race’

Tribune News Network Doha

Nasser Al Attiyah and the best rally-raid racers on the planet would be in action in Spain in the brand-new Andalucia Rally starting Tuesday till October 10th, 2020. There’s a host of Dakar Rally cham- pions in the pack besides some intriguing rookies to keep an eye on when the five days of off-road action get underway. Expect a heavyweight tussle in the car category as Nasser Al Attiyah (QAT), Carlos Sainz (ESP), and Stephane Pe- terhansel (FRA) engage in battle. This trio have won the Dakar a staggering 19 times between them as well as picking up a host of other honours, including WRC titles and Olympic medals! “It’s always great to test ourselves against our Dakar rivals,” stated Nasser Al Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah, Carlos Sainz (ESP), and Stephane Peterhansel (FRA) will engage Attiyah who will continue with the Toyota in a heavyweight tussle at the Andalucia Rally in Spain from Tuesday. Hilux he has been helping to develop over the past seasons and brought to victory at reflection for the Red Bull KTM Factory two broken ligaments in my hand and the 2019 Dakar. Team after they missed out on victory these injuries take a long time to recover “We’re very happy to have this op- at the Dakar earlier this year, ending an from. To be coming back now after a long portunity to get back to racing rally-raid unprecedented winning streak stretch- recovery and everything else that has been in Andalucia. Our target is to go fast and ing back nearly two decades. happening feels good,” said Sanz. to win this race, like we aim to do at every The team take their place in the bike In the side-by-side (SxS) contest rally we compete in. It will be great to get race at the Andalucía Rally with a firm fo- there’s another chance to catch the Red to work with the team again and get every- cus on getting back to winning ways. Bull Off-Road Junior Team in action. Af- thing ready for Dakar,” said Attiyah. “I’m really thankful that the organis- ter setting the fastest time on six of the Reigning Dakar champion Sainz will ers have managed to arrange this rally in 12 SxS stages at the last Dakar, there’s be at the wheel of a MINI John Cooper Spain, and we get to go racing again. Af- a solid platform in place for the drivers Works Buggy while Peterhansel takes ter all, it’s what we love to do,” said Toby and their OT3 machines to kick on from. control of the 4x4 MINI Rally which he Price. Mitch Guthrie Jr. (USA) is back behind drove to victory at last month’s Baja Po- Former Dakar champions Toby Price the wheel of his OT3 by Overdrive while land. (AUS), Sam Sunderland (GBR) and Mat- Seth Quintero (USA) who just turned “Despite the difficult time we were thias Walkner (AUT) will all saddle up for 18 last month and rallycross sensation able to find some areas that we could the Red Bull KTM Factory Team in Spain. Kevin Hansen (SWE) are both getting improve on. The team has done a great Also along for his first ride as part of the their first drive in Andalucía. 2019 Nitro job and I think we have become even all-conquering KTM team will be new re- Rally Cross winner Kevin will be stand- better,” said Sainz. cruit Daniel Sanders (AUS). ing-in for Blade Hildebrand (USA) while Mr. Dakar, Stephane Peterhansel too “Testing has been going well and the the American racer sits this one out to re- is all motivated. “My motivation is still bike is feeling good, so now hopefully a cover from his unlucky accident at Baja there – maybe even more so as I know good result in Andalucía and then con- 500. that the Buggy will be even better. I have a centrate on Dakar,” remarked Matthias All racers and all teams are targeting new co-pilot sitting next to me and I think Walkner. the Andalucia Rally as a key to prepara- Edouard (Boulanger) has a lot of potential Racing in her homeland will be Laia tion ahead of the 2021 Dakar Rally in that he can certainly exploit to the fullest Sanz (ESP) with a GasGas bike while Saudi Arabia. at the Dakar. I am also very much looking CS Santosh (IND) will be onboard Hero In what has been a stop-start year for forward to Saudi Arabia – the landscape hardware for the 1,354-kilometre rally in the competitors, now is the time for the There are a host of Dakar Rally champions in the pack besides some intriguing rookies when the there is simply incredible,” he said. southern Spain. best of the best to show that they have lost five days of off-road action get underway at the Andalucia Rally from Tuesday till October 10. There has been plenty of time for “Coming out of the last Dakar I had none of their speed.

Djokovic admits ‘awkward deja vu’ Turkish F1 Grand Prix to take place sans fans after all after ball hits line judge again! DPA Berlin AFP Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta Paris My gosh, it was very awkward deja vu. I’m or unseeded Daniel Altmaier The Formula One Turkish actually trying to find the linesperson and see if he’s of Germany for a place in the Grand Prix on November 15 Novak Djokovic admitted he okay because I saw he had a little bit of a bruise, like semi-finals. will take place without fans af- suffered an “awkward moment redness, in that place in the head where the ball hit him. Carreno Busta was the play- ter Instabul authorities decid- of deja vu” after unintentionally er who benefitted from Djoko- ed on Monday the public will hitting a ball which smashed vic’s US Open fourth round dis- not be allowed in as the coun- into the head of a line judge at qualification. try tries to control the spread Roland Garros on Monday. Djokovic, who hit 44 of the coronavirus. World number one Djoko- winners past 15th-seeded “Within the scope of ef- vic racked up his 35th win of Khachanov on Monday, forts to fight the coronavirus 2020 and a place in the Paris has yet to drop a set in the pandemic, and in accordance quarter-finals for the 14th time tournament, losing just 25 with the recommendation of with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win over games in four rounds. the Istanbul Provincial Pan- Russia’s Karen Khachanov. “It was a tight match and demic Committee, the F1 However, he had a heart- I am happy to win in straight Turkish Grand Prix will be in-the-mouth moment when Serbia’s Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Russia’s Karen Khachanov sets,” said the top seed who held without spectators,” a he stretched for a forehand in during their men’s singles fourth round at The Roland Garros 2020 has now reached 47 quarter- statement said. Instabul authorities have decided that the Formula One Turkish Grand the first set and the ball flew off tournament in Paris on Monday. (AFP) finals at the Slams and is bid- Race organisers were hop- Prix on November 15 will take place without fans. the frame of his racquet before ding to become the first man ing to host up to 100,000 spearing into the unsuspecting ward deja vu. I’m actually trying guess are going to make the sto- in half a century to win all four fans, with more than 40,000 sizeable fan presence. at the hotel.” baseline judge sitting nearby. to find the linesperson and see if ry out of this. It has happened to majors twice. tickets sold within the first “In Russia wearing a mask During the Russian Grand The Serb went immediately he’s okay because I saw he had me and to many other players Djokovic has a 3-1 career hours of sales. isn’t mandatory. Waiters do, Prix week Formula One reg- to the official to check he was a little bit of a bruise, like red- in the last 15 years that I’ve been edge over Carreno Busta, Formula One recently but don’t cover their noses,” istered the biggest number of unhurt. ness, in that place in the head on the tour. the 17th seed, and has never started to allow spectators Grosjean said. “There are infections so far this year: ten The incident came just where the ball hit him,” said “I’ve seen it a lot when played Altmaier, the world back to tracks with around many fans at the hotel so some of the 1,822 tests returned weeks after Djokovic was de- 33-year-old Djokovic who has the ball ricochets from the number 186, who came 3,000 fans at the Tuscany times we find ourselves shar- positive. faulted at the US Open in New now reached the quarter-finals racquet and the frame, hits through qualifying. Grand Prix in Mugello on Sep- ing the elevator with people All of the positive tests York for swiping angrily at a ball for an 11th straight year. someone in the stands, or Should he defeat the Span- tember 13 and 30,000 each outside of the F1 bubble. were from ‘ancillary person- which hit a female line judge, “I hope he’s fine. I mean, he someone that is close to you iard, a quarter-finalist also in day of the Russian Grand Prix “That’s not something I’m nel’, meaning outsourced and standing just behind him, in the definitely dealt with it in a very or line umpire. Yeah, it was a 2017, Altmaier would be the in Sochi on September 25-27. comfortable with. I don’t fear local companies. throat. That disqualification re- strong and brave way. But it was very awkward situation.” first qualifier in the last eight at Haas driver Romain Gros- getting infected, but if I do I For the Eifel Grand Prix mains the only defeat Djokovic a hit because I was very close. Djokovic, chasing a second Roland Garros since Marcelo jean said he did not feel safe in won’t be allowed to race, to do at the Nuerburgring, Formula has suffered all year. “Obviously because of what title in Paris and 18th career Filippini in 1999. Sochi, as this was the first race my job. I’m not happy with the One organizers hope to host “My gosh, it was very awk- happened in New York, people I , will face either (More tennis reports on pg 14) of the 2020 season to host a safety measures implemented up to 20,000 fans on Sunday.