Amateur Saudi Nissan Driver Steals Spotlight At Dakar Rally

A driver of a Nissan Datsun 2015 model has sparked excitement among social media users after a video surfaced showing his ability to keep up with a modified vehicle during the Dakar Rally that took place in Saudi Arabia in 2022.

The video was circulated by activists and local newspapers, with comments ranging from humor to astonishment and concerns about the risks, given that the Nissan lacks the necessary modifications for high-speed driving in the desert, unlike the fully equipped Dakar Rally vehicles.

This encounter was captured by an aerial photographer, who recorded the moment as the racing vehicle was followed for about 500 meters before the Datsun exited far off the race track.

In an interview with the Saudi newspaper “Sabq,” “Mishal bin Nayef Al-Shalawi” shared the story of this incident, which took place in less than two minutes but went viral online.

He said: “I was driving my 2015 Nissan Van, along with a friend, heading to our livestock pen to close it after a directive from the concerned authorities to livestock owners in Abu Raka, southeast of Taif, prohibiting them from letting their livestock out during the event.”

“As we were about a kilometer away, we saw the rally cars approaching on their designated path, which prompted me to follow one of the cars to film and document the event that excited me, as I have been passionate about this sport for years.”

“At that moment, I found myself and my friend in the van parallel to the racing car, which had a helicopter above it, on a path unrelated to the track, with about 50 meters between us. I noticed the photographer taking pictures from the helicopter, which fueled my enthusiasm to overtake the racing vehicle in speed, and I succeeded. After that, I left the event, which lasted about two minutes, and returned to the livestock location.”