We also evaluated the lifespan of each element to provide enough until the arrival of the Dakar and optimize our chances of obtaining the best possible result for the Sandrider’s first participation in the Dakar Rally. » Involved throughout this process of continuous improvement, the three crews are now preparing to return to the interior – and the innovative modular dashboard – of the Sandrider while showing themselves humbled in the face of the monument they face. Having become a three-time world rally raid champion by winning with the Sandrider, Nasser AlAttiyah will be looking to get off to a good start in the defense of his title.
“My goal is always victory, but the competition is extremely tough and the course particularly demanding this year,” says the Qatari, co-driven by Édouard Boulanger. “The first week is going to be crazy, so it’s going to take a smart approach. That said, I feel really good behind the wheel of the Sandrider, whose robustness was demonstrated in Morocco. I have confidence in the team and the car, so I hope we can put everything together to have a great first Dakar Rally. »
The Gutierrez_Moreno crew.
As the five-time winner of the event points out, the organizers have planned a demanding route of 7,700 kilometers, including 5,100 of special stages, for the sixth edition of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. Starting tomorrow, the crews will tackle the Prologue, an already decisive exercise since the ten fastest drivers will be able to choose their place in the starting order on Saturday. The intensity will then increase, particularly with the “48 hours” stage.
Organized over two days, it forces competitors to cut their engines at nightfall and stop in one of six minimalist rest areas in the heart of the desert before resuming hostilities at dawn.
This first difficulty will be followed by others, including the marathon stage and other timed sectors between volcanic terrain, sandy soils and rocky paths. In these conditions pushing machines and organizations to their limits, BF Goodrich tires will have the mission of offering optimal grip while best resisting impacts and punctures.
Dacia Sandriders will also be able to count on numerous innovations designed to make their lives easier, such as the magnetic zones integrated into the bodywork in the event of intervention.
The second week will then be marked by crossing the Rub al Khali dunes, the largest uninterrupted expanse of sand in the world, until arriving on Friday January 17 in Shubaytah. A diverse course requiring a unique approach, as Sébastien Loeb underlines before his ninth start in the event. “It will be a difficult Dakar and we may have to drive even more than usual with our heads to be able to win,” confirms the nine-time world rally champion, supported by Fabian Lurquin.
“We will see every day how the situation evolves. We realize that you have to combine several factors to win, so I hope our experience will be an asset. We’ve been working hard to prepare for this race and I can’t wait for it to begin. We are ready to give everything, the team too. »
Seventh in Morocco, Cristina Gutiérrez is just as ready to take on the challenge, a year after her victory in the Challenger category of the Dakar Rally: “There are always unique sensations before the start,” confides the Spaniard, navigated by Pablo Moreno. “Since the last edition, it has been an incredible year. Pablo and I are like two big children. We believe we have been successful in learning and adapting to our new category. This will allow us to get the best out of us.
The Dacia Sandriders are a real family where there is an excellent atmosphere. We are approaching the Dakar with enthusiasm and confidence, while remaining aware that this is our first year. » The Dakar Rally will also kick off the 2025 FIA World Rally Raid Championship season. Throughout it, the Dacia Sandriders will face the most difficult terrains to test their innovative solutions.
In partnership with Aramco, the technical team will continue to explore sustainable solutions, tested in the unique technological laboratory that is the Dakar Rally.
With less than twenty-four hours to go before departure, the Dacia Sandriders are now finalizing their final preparations in Bisha and will put their hearts to work every day to aim for the best possible result. “We go to the Dakar Rally as winners after our success at the Morocco Rally, but this result should not make us underestimate the task that awaits us,” concludes Tiphanie Isnard, director of the Dacia Sandriders.
“We are preparing to take on an extraordinary human and technical challenge. We are determined to face it with enthusiasm and courage thanks to our hard work and preparation, but the Dakar Rally remains a formidable and intense ordeal, leaving little respite for almost three weeks. We will therefore have to be concentrated throughout each stage, starting with the Prologue tomorrow. »
