The Dacia Sandriders continues pursuit of world rally-raid glory in Portugal

The Dacia Sandriders heads to Rally-Raid Portugal next week (March 17-22) on top of the world following its outstanding Dakar Rally victory earlier this year.

Contesting international motorsport's toughest event for only the second time, The Dacia Sandriders finished first, fourth, seventh and 11th after two weeks of intense desert-based action back in January.

Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin took the landmark win for the Dacia brand to claim the lead of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) for drivers and navigators respectively, as The Dacia Sandriders moved to the head of the manufacturer standings.

From its four-strong Dakar Rally line-up, The Dacia Sandriders switches to a three-car effort for Rally-Raid Portugal, a considerably shorter event compared to the season opener in Saudi Arabia.

Joining Al-Attiyah/Lurquin are Sébastien Loeb and Édouard Boulanger and Lucas Moraes and Dennis Zenz.

Rally-Raid Portugal represents a happy hunting ground for The Dacia Sandriders after Loeb/Boulanger completed the podium when the event last took place in September 2025. After finishing third with his previous team two years ago, Moraes scored his maiden W2RC victory in Portugal last season, a result that was crucial to the Brazilian's capture of the W2RC title in Morocco the following month, prior to him joining The Dacia Sandriders. Al-Attiyah won the inaugural edition of Rally-Raid Portugal in 2024 with Boulanger navigating.

For the first time in the W2RC, the starting order of Stage 1 will be based on championship positions rather than the results of the Prologue, as was previously the case, including on the Dakar Rally. It follows a change to the W2RC sporting regulations for 2026 and means Al-Attiyah/Lurquin will open the road for their rivals.

The three Dacia Sandrider cars contesting Rally-Raid Portugal are powered by ARAMCO sustainable fuel and equipped with BFGoodrich tyres.

VIEW FROM THE TOP: TIPHANIE ISNARD, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Having overseen The Dacia Sandriders' standout victory on the Dakar Rally, Tiphanie Isnard has been hard at work preparing the team for the second round of the W2RC.

“After a Dakar that fully met our objectives, we approach this European round of the W2RC with a clear ambition: to consolidate our leading positions in the world championship standings. That said, we remain humble. The terrain our Dacia Sandrider cars will encounter during Rally-Raid Portugal will be challenging, with waterlogged ground following recent heavy rainfall and an early spring event very different from last year's autumn edition. We have worked extensively to address the brake issues experienced in Portugal last season. However, we know this will be a completely different challenge, demanding and potentially unpredictable. Our crews are looking forward to being back together, as is the entire team. We will rely on our strong mindset, our collective standards and our determination to approach each race as a truly exceptional chapter in our journey.”

RALLY-RAID PORTUGAL 2026: ROUTE IN SHORT

Organised by Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), Rally-Raid Portugal joined the W2RC schedule in 2024 and takes place for the third time this March, six months on from the second edition when it counted as the penultimate round of the 2025 season. With stages in the host country and neighbouring Spain, the event route has been overhauled for 2026. Although Grândola, which hosts the start and opening stage, and Badajoz, in Spain's Extremadura region, remain key components of the itinerary, the event concludes in Loulé in the southerly Algarve rather than the capital Lisbon. Stage 1 features more sandy sections than last September, while the route of Stage 2, when the event swaps Portugal for Spain, marks unchartered territory. Stage 3 around Badajoz and part one of Stage 4, when the action returns to Portugal, are similar to 2025. However, part two of Stage 4 and Stage 5 are new with the closing day taking inspiration from the route used for the 2006 Dakar Rally, which started in Portugal. That means hard ground over hills rather than flat plains, according to the event organisers. The finish is planned for the tranquil setting of Vilamoura Marina, close to Faro. Stages are narrower in nature compared to those encountered on the Dakar Rally. Meanwhile, the change from autumn to spring will also be notable, particularly in light of recent heavy rainfall.

RALLY-RAID PORTUGAL 2025 REVISITED

The Dacia Sandriders enjoyed a Rally-Raid Portugal to remember with two stage wins and third place for Sébastien Loeb and navigator Édouard Boulanger following five days of tough but fast-paced competition in the host country and across the border in Spain. Loeb's podium was his second in as many W2RC rounds and came on his first start alongside Boulanger, his new navigator. Boulanger previously partnered Nasser Al-Attiyah but swapped places with Fabian Lurquin as part of The Dacia Sandriders' ongoing efforts to be as competitive as possible. After setting the second fastest time on the final stage around Lisbon, Al-Attiyah and Lurquin charged up from seventh to fourth following delays earlier in the event, including time penalties, getting stuck on a rock and brake issues. Loeb also lost time after he damaged his Dacia Sandrider's upper rear-right wishbone by clipping a tree on Stage 2. However, he bounced back to win Stage 3 and climbed into third overall during Stage 4, which Al-Attiyah completed with the quickest time. The Qatari also set the pace during the Prologue. Starting their first W2RC event since the season-opening Dakar Rally, Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno were on course to finish fifth but slipped to seventh due to tyre damage. They also performed the ultimate supporting role by stopping twice on Stage 2 to assist their team-mates.

NAVIGATOR NOTES: BOULANGER REVEALS A MISSION OF DISCOVERY

With route changes and a switch from autumn to spring, Édouard Boulanger, navigator to Sébastien Loeb, is preparing for a step into the unknown during Rally-Raid Portugal.

“Rally-Raid Portugal is always one of the nicest moments of the racing calendar due to the fans and the organisation, which are always making great efforts to offer us a spectacular route, with amazing landscapes and with all the fans cheering for us. It's the closest event to our homes, a five-star moment during the season. As a navigator we are always looking for new routes. Each time we have the opportunity to discover a new region it's obviously with a big smile on our face because it's part of the DNA of rally-raid events. This time we are going to explore a new region and it's definitely one of the things we like about this sport.”

KEY QUOTES

NASSER AL-ATTIYAH (QATAR), DRIVER, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS

“After a great Dakar Rally victory, staying in the lead of the world championship is our next focus. It won't be easy because the competition is very tough and Rally-Raid Portugal brings many challenges, including changes to the route. The different time of year will also make a difference as we can expect wet ground compared to the dry conditions we experienced when the event took place in September. But we have a great team, and the Dacia Sandrider is a very strong car.”

SÉBASTIEN LOEB (FRANCE), DRIVER, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS

“I'm always happy to be back competing in Portugal and it's a rally I really enjoy. You have to push and be on the pace right from the start of the event. It's less about endurance and race management than the Dakar was, and more about precision. The stages are narrow for cars like ours, which makes it technically demanding but very interesting from a driving perspective.”

LUCAS MORAES (BRAZIL), DRIVER, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS

“I'm happy to get back in the car and I can't wait to see the whole team again. Of course, Portugal is very special for me, it's where I took my first overall victory in my career last year and a very special country because, coming from Brazil, we speak the same language. The fans are usually really nice. Last year was a very important race for us and I hope we can defend our win. We go for full attack for sure and try to score some points and climb the championship standings a little more.”

THE DACIA SANDRIDERS RALLY-RAID PORTUGAL 2026 LINE-UP

#299: Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL)

#219: Sébastien Loeb (FRA)/Édouard Boulanger (FRA)

#223: Lucas Moraes (BRA)/Dennis Zenz (GER)

RALLY-RAID PORTUGAL 2026 KEY INFORMATION

Starts: Grândola, Portugal, March 17

Finishes: Loulé, Portugal, March 22

Stages: 5

Stage distance: 1320 kilometres

Total distance: 2175 kilometres

THE DACIA SANDRIDERS: RESULTS SO FAR IN 2026

Dakar Rally (January 3-17), W2RC round 1 of 5

1st Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL), 48h56m53s

4th Sébastien Loeb (FRA)/Édouard Boulanger (FRA), +15m10s

7th Lucas Moraes (BRA)/Dennis Zenz (GER), +47m50s

11th Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP)/Pablo Moreno (ESP), +1h29m49s

FIA WORLD RALLY-RAID CHAMPIONSHIP PROVISIONAL STANDINGS

Drivers after round 1 of 5: 1 Nasser Al-Attiyah 73 points; 2 Mattias Ekström 52; 3 Nani Roma 45; 4 Sébastien Loeb 39; 5 Carlos Sainz 27; 6 Mathieu Serradori 27; etc.

Navigators after round 1 of 5: 1 Fabian Lurquin 73 points; 2 Emil Bergkvist 52; 3 Alex Haro 45; 4 Édouard Boulanger 39; 5 Lucas Cruz 27; 6 Loïc Minaudier 27; etc.

Manufacturers after round 1 of 5: 1 The Dacia Sandriders 160 points; 2 Ford Racing 127; 3 Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC 97.

RALLY-RAID PORTUGAL 2026: THE BIG NUMBER

33: Following its victory on the Dakar Rally, The Dacia Sandriders leads the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship for Manufacturers by 33 points.

MORE INFORMATION

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