Dakar organiser issues warning alert after Jeddah car explosion

The 44th edition of Dakar Rally kicked off from Saudi Arabia\'s financial hub on New Year\'s Day with a short 19km Prologue won by Toyota driver Nasser Al-Attiyah from Audi\'s Carlos Sainz Sr.

But sustentation was quickly diverted at virtually 18:30 local time by an official printing release, issued by organiser ASO, which issued a safety zestful for the 3,500 or so inhabitants of the touring camp.

It follows an explosion outside the Hotel Donatello on 29 December, in which five of the six inhabitants of a support vehicle for Team Sodicars were unharmed.

A first statement issued by ASO on 30 December stated that it was enlightened of the incident, and explained that the suburbanite - latterly named on France 4 as Philippe Boutron - was stuff treated in a hospital in the Red Sea coastal city.

ASO promised to investigate the incident and to pass on increasingly information when available, saying it was in unvarying contact with the local authorities to \"implement all necessary measures to ensure the full safety of all Dakar 2022 participants and fans\".

A second liaison followed on Saturday, explaining that Boutron \"suffered serious injuries to his leg and had to undergo surgery\" and is stuff readied to be repatriated to France.

\"His vehicle was brought to a sudden halt by a sudden explosion, the origin of which is still unknown at this stage,\" read the statement.

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Photo by: A.S.O.

Boutron, president of the French Ligue 2 football club US Orleans, was registered to race a buggy entered by Team Sodicars. This was to be his ninth Dakar participation, without finishing 33rd in 2021.

ASO is investigating the incident with the Saudi police, who have not yet ruled out if it was \"a malicious act\".

The Dakar organiser has decided to remoter reinforce the security that had been in place since its premiere in the Arab country in 2020 - and which had once been reinforced for this edition.

\"The unshortened route, the hotels and the bivouacs will therefore goody from a significant increase in security,\" said the ASO release. \"In this context, we ask you to observe the greatest vigilance.\"