Ten
questions
to:
Nasser
Al-Attiyah

Which driver do you admire most? “There are many great drivers but Carlos Sainz has been a huge figure in my life and I never dreamed that one day I would end up as his team-mate, when we did Dakar together.”

What’s your favourite music? “I listen to all sorts of things and I wouldn’t say I had a favourite but I really like Bob Marley and also classical music as well.”

You’re an Olympic class shooter: would you make a good hit man? “No, I wouldn’t want to do that - I’m too nice!”

What was it like to win your first stage in a World Rally Car yesterday? “That was a really nice feeling. It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time so to achieve it during just my second rally with the car was great.”

What is your favourite road car? “I love cars! I really like my Bentley Continental Supersport, which is a car I use from day to day, but I also have a McLaren that I drive out to my shooting range, and a Mercedes SLS that is fantastic.”

Which dish would you recommend to somebody at a restaurant? “If they’ve not tried it before, roast camel. It’s a speciality where I come from and it’s very nice.”

You’re well known for winning the Dakar in 2011: will you be back next year? “That’s my plan. I definitely want to win another Dakar: it’s one of my ambitions.”

What do you dream about at night? “At the moment I’m dreaming about the London Olympics a lot, which I will take part in this summer. I really want to do well and make my country proud.”

How much do you have to train for the Olympics? “When I’m at home I normally shoot 500 cartridges a day, so five or six hours every day. I come to rallies to relax!”

Have you ever done a parachute jump? “Yes - at home in Qatar. It’s really good fun: I would recommend it to anybody. It's not scary at all.”