In a few hours, the start of the most legendary Rally-Raid in the world will be given. And among the participants in this 2025 edition of the Dakar, the Dacia driver duo is undoubtedly the most prestigious. Indeed, Sébastien Loeb, Cristina Gutiérrez and Nasser Al-Attiyah will make up the team responsible for leading the Renault Group to victory in this race, for the first time in its history.
Dakar 2025: optimal preparation for Dacia
And very clearly, the preparation of the Dacia Sandriders was optimal. Thus, ahead of the Dakar, all manageable details were reviewed and worked on. In particular, through the Morocco Rally, which served as a full-scale test session. In addition, the reliability of the engine was the subject of extensive preparations, this aspect being logically crucial to aim for final victory. Additionally, other areas related to vehicle development were checked and pushed through a climatic wind tunnel at the MIRA center in the UK.
“The double at the Morocco Rally showed the good performance of the Sandrider, but we placed the emphasis on reliability for the Dakar Rally”explains Philip Dunabin, technical director of the Dacia Sandriders. “We have worked both on engine reliability at Sweet Lamb and on optimizing cooling and other aspects in a climatic wind tunnel at the MIRA center in the UK. In Morocco, we had encountered problems with the electronics controlling the cooling fans and we were able to look into this further to put measures in place. 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. »
For Cristina Gutiérrez, winning this Dakar or finishing on the podium would already constitute a historic feat. And to achieve this goal, the Spaniard intends to rely on the family atmosphere that reigns within the team in question.
« These are always unique sensations before departure », 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. »
On the Sébastien Loeb side, will this 2025 vintage finally be the right one? This is all the harm we wish the Alsatian, eager to add this success to his already monstrous record.
“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. »
However, the nine-time world rally champion will have to, to achieve the feat, get ahead of his teammate, who is very experienced on the Dakar, from the start of the Dakar.
“My goal is always victory, but the competition is extremely tough and the course particularly demanding this year”says Nasser Al-Attiyah. “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. »
For the Director of Dacia Sandriders, if the victory in Morocco makes her team the favorite, she does not want to get carried away. Well aware of the difficulties of crossing the desert, to finally see the checkered flag and the first step of the podium.
“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. »
To conclude, let's move on to the list of stages of this Dakar 2025, which will begin this Friday, January 3, 2025.
DAKAR RALLY 2025: list of stages
January 3 | Prologue | Bisha – Bisha | 79 km, 29 timed
January 4 | Step 1 | Bisha – Bisha | 500 km, 412 timed
January 5-6 | Step 2 | Bisha – Bisha | 1057 km, 965 timed
January 7 | Stage 3 | Bisha – Al Henakiyah | 845 km, 496 chronometers
January 8 | Step 4 | Al Henakiyah – Alula | 588 km, 415 timed
January 9 | Step 5 | Alula – Hail | 491 km, 428 timed
January 10 | Rest | Haile
January 11 | Step 6 | Hail – Al Duwadimi | 829 km, 606 timed
January 12 | Step 7 | Al Duwadimi – Al Duwadimi | 745 km, 481 timed
January 13 | Step 8 | Al Duwadimi – Riyadh | 733 km, 487 timed
January 14 | Step 9 | Riyadh – Haradh | 589 km, 357 timed
January 15 | Step 10 | Haradh – Shubaytah | 638 km, 123 timed
January 16 | Step 11 | Shubaytah – Shubaytah | 506 km, 284 timed
January 17 | Step 12 | Shubaytah – Shubaytah | 205 km, 62 timed
List of all winners of the Dakar Rally (Auto)
1979 Alain Génestier Contamine/Lemordant Land Rover Range Rover
1980 Freddy Kottulinsky Gerd Loeffelmann Volkswagen Iltis
1981 René Metge Bernard Giroux Land Rover Range Rover
1982 Claude Marreau Bernard Marreau Renault 20
1983 Jacky Ickx Claude Brasseur Mercedes-Benz 280 G
1984 René Metge Dominique Lemoyne Porsche 911
1985 Patrick Zaniroli Jean da Silva Mitsubishi Pajero
1986 René Metge Dominique Lemoyne Porsche 959
1987 Ari Vatanen Bernard Giroux Peugeot 205 Turbo 16
1988 Juha Kankkunen Juha Piironen Peugeot 205 Turbo 16
1989 Ari Vatanen Bruno Berglund Peugeot 405 Turbo 16
1990 Ari Vatanen Bruno Berglund Peugeot 405 Turbo 16
1991 Ari Vatanen Bruno Berglund Citroën ZX Rallye-raid
1992 Hubert Auriol Philippe Monnet Mitsubishi Pajero
1993 Bruno Saby Dominique Series Mitsubishi Pajero
1994 Pierre Lartigue Michel Périn Citroën ZX Rally-raid
1995 Pierre Lartigue Michel Périn Citroën ZX Rally-raid
1996 Pierre Lartigue Michel Périn Citroën ZX Rally-raid
1997 Kenjiro Shinozuka Henri Magne Mitsubishi Pajero
1998 Jean-Pierre Fontenay Gilles Picard Mitsubishi Pajero
1999 Jean-Louis Schlesser Philippe Monnet Schlesser-Renault
2000 Jean-Louis Schlesser Henri Magne Schlesser-Renault
2001 Jutta Kleinschmidt Andreas Schulz Mitsubishi Pajero
2002 Hiroshi Masuoka Pascal Maimon Mitsubishi Pajero
2003 Hiroshi Masuoka Andreas Schulz Mitsubishi Pajero
2004 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul Cottret Mitsubishi Pajero
2005 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul Cottret Mitsubishi Pajero
2006 Luc Alphand Gilles Picard Mitsubishi Pajero
2007 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul Cottret Mitsubishi Pajero
2008 No race
2009 Giniel de Villiers Dirk von Zitzewitz Volkswagen Race Touareg 2
2010 Carlos Sainz Lucas Cruz Volkswagen Race Touareg 2
2011 Nasser Al-Attiyah Timo Gottschalk Volkswagen Race Touareg 3
2012 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul Cottret Mini Countryman All4 Racing
2013 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul Cottret Mini Countryman All4 Racing
2014 Nani Roma Michel Périn Mini Countryman All4 Racing
2015 Nasser Al-Attiyah Mathieu Baumel Mini Countryman All4 Racing
2016 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul Cottret Peugeot 2008 DKR
2017 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul Cottret Peugeot 3008 DKR
2018 Carlos Sainz Lucas Cruz Peugeot 3008 DKR Maxi
2019 Nasser Al-Attiyah Mathieu Baumel Toyota Hilux
2020 Carlos Sainz Lucas Cruz Mini JCW Buggy
2021 Stéphane Peterhansel Édouard Boulanger Mini JCW Buggy
2022 Nasser Al-Attiyah Mathieu Baumel Toyota Hilux
2023 Nasser Al-Attiyah Mathieu Baumel Toyota Hilux
2024 Carlos Sainz Lucas Cruz Audi RS Q E-Tron E2
Article published on 01/02/2024 at 5:08 p.m.
