Rallying-Al-Attiyah loses World Rally-Raid title to Moraes after stop-sign error

Oct 18 (Reuters) – A mistake after crossing the finishing line cost Nasser Al-Attiyah his fourth straight World Rally-Raid Championship title, as a penalty he received following the final stage of the Rallye du Maroc handed the trophy to Lucas Moraes on Friday. Al-Attiyah (The Dacia Sandriders) drove past the final stop sign, resulting in stewards handing him a one-hour time penalty that knocked him off top spot in the general rankings of the world championship that started with the Dakar Rally in January. The Qatari driver appealed the decision, with media reports quoting him as saying that he and his navigator could not see the final stop sign due to dust. But his appeal was rejected, which confirmed Brazil's Moraes (Toyota Gazoo Racing) as champion. (Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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