Qatar’s Al-Attiyah leads Dakar Rally first stage

The Dakar Rally, the 40th edition of the race, started on Saturday in Lima, Peru. The rally will run south along the Pacific Coast and cross Bolivia to finish in Cordoba, Argentina, on Jan 20. Qatar’s Nasser al-Attiyah of Toyota won the first round of the rally on Saturday. The Dakar Rally is an annual event organized by the Amaury Sport Organization which now runs the rally in South America after it was moved from Africa in 2009. Most of the competitive special sections are off-road, crossing dunes and rough terrain.