Dacia confirms co-driver swap between Loeb and Al-Attiyah

It's been in the air since the beginning of the collaboration between Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin, and it's now confirmed. Édouard Boulanger therefore becomes Sébastien's new navigator. Loeb for the final two rounds of the World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC) season, in Portugal and Morocco. These two rounds will serve as a dress rehearsal for the pair before the 2026 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.

Spanish driver Cristina Gutiérrez, meanwhile, will continue to be accompanied by Pablo Moreno, who was a major asset for Dacia on the Dakar earlier this year, thanks in particular to his mechanical expertise. Dacia Team Principal Tiphanie Isnard confirmed that the Lurquin-Boulanger swap was made with the aim of finding better chemistry between the two crews, with the goal of winning the Dakar next year as a backdrop.

" In rally-raid, the strength of our team lies in our ability to create the best conditions for each crew to fully express their potential. The complicity between pilot and navigator is essential, and sometimes, evolving the pairs allows new synergies to be revealed. These new partnerships bring energy, stability and confidence, and we are convinced that they will allow us to approach the next stages with even more determination and ambition.

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For his part, Sébastien Loeb has not yet started a race with Édouard Boulanger, but the two men took part in test sessions together in Morocco. This will lay the foundations on which to build during the final two rounds of the season, in Portugal from September 22 to 28 and in Morocco from October 10 to 17.

“It feels good to be back behind the wheel of the Dacia Sandrider after this long break since South Africa. I’m looking forward to starting this new chapter with Édouard. We already tested together in Morocco and everything went very well, so I’m confident in the quality of our collaboration. I can’t wait to get back to the racing feeling and meet the Portuguese and Spanish fans, who are always incredibly passionate and capable of creating a unique atmosphere on each stage.”

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