Dacia ready for its baptism of fire with the Sandrider in Morocco: “A rehearsal in real conditions before the Dakar”

The Dacia Sandrider will make its official competition debut at the Rallye du Maroc (6-11 October) with its three leading teams, an opportunity to detect any remaining minor issues and get a glimpse of performance ahead of the Dakar.

Published on 01/10/2024 à 16:36

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Dacia ready for its baptism of fire with the Sandrider in Morocco: “A rehearsal in real conditions before the Dakar”

The big day is approaching for Dacia and its off-road monster, the Sandrider. The Romanian firm will launch its new racing car in the dunes of the Sahara Desert, during the Rally of Morocco (October 6-11), for its first official appearance in competition. Developed in France on the basis of the old Prodrive Hunter, the Dacia Sandrider underwent a series of intensive tests in the United Kingdom, France and Morocco this summer in order to be ready for the Moroccan event. An event that serves as a "Mini-Dakar" three months before the most legendary of rally-raid events, contested in January 2025 in Saudi Arabia.

“Before you can run, you must learn to walk.”

"In less than three months, we will be in Saudi Arabia for the Dakar, an extraordinary human challenge, said Tiphanie Isnard, Dacia team principal. But before you can race, you have to learn to walk, and that is why we are taking part in this final round of the 2024 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship. We will strengthen our preparation and validate all the work accomplished during our tests. After five practice sessions, we are now ready for our first official race. This is a rehearsal in real conditions before we embark on our conquest of the Dakar. It has required considerable effort from the entire team, and I am extremely proud of everyone's work. Their dedication has been remarkable.".

The three star crews of the Dacia clan will be there, with Sébastien leading the way, of course. Loeb and his co-driver Fabian Lurquin. The Frenchman returns to the top category of rally-raid with the ambition of learning more about his mount… and why not play at the forefront.“After months of work in testing, it is finally time to measure ourselves against the competition and see where we stand in terms of performance., rejoices the nine-time champion WRC. It is also the start of a new adventure with a great team. This rally is a full-scale test, a real rehearsal before the Dakar. The main objective is to check that everything is in place and working well. If it is not, we will have the opportunity to identify the problems and solve them before January. But if we have the opportunity to achieve a good result, it will be even better.

Already a first title for Dacia?

Nasser Al-Attiyah, supported by Édouard Boulanger, will also be there, hoping to win a sixth world rally-raid crown in Morocco. “The Rally of Morocco is crucial, not only for the championship, but also for the teams, because everyone is preparing for the Dakar, underlines the Qatari. Currently we are leading the championship, so we have to be smart, maintain a good pace, without taking unnecessary risks. The Sandrider is a new car, and we have to improve it day by day. I hope to win the world title, it would be a great reward for my co-driver Edouard and for myself. The third car will be occupied by Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno Huete.