The Dacia Sandriders Claim Historic Dakar Rally Victory
The Dacia Sandriders have claimed a remarkable victory at the 48th Dakar Rally, widely regarded as the toughest challenge in international motorsport. Nasser Al‑Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin delivered a commanding performance to secure overall victory by almost ten minutes, marking a historic milestone for the team.
This outstanding result comes in only the team’s second participation in a round of the FIA World Rally‑Raid Championship, further underlining Dacia’s proven expertise in designing and building robust, adventure‑ready vehicles.
Celebrations were not limited to overall victory, as all four Dacia Sandriders crews successfully reached the finish. Sébastien Loeb and Édouard Boulanger completed the rally in a strong fourth position, while Lucas Moraes and Dennis Zenz finished seventh in their first Dakar Rally with the team. Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno rounded out an impressive collective result by claiming 11th overall, having started the final stage in 12th.
Across 13 gruelling days of competition covering a total distance of 7,976 kilometres — including 4,809 kilometres against the clock — The Dacia Sandriders claimed two stage victories and slipped outside the overall top three positions on only one occasion.
Success on the demanding Saudi Arabian terrain, featuring rock‑strewn tracks, vast sand dunes and high‑speed open sections, was the result of more than driver performance alone. The Dacia‑designed Sandrider, combined with the dedication, expertise and unwavering commitment of the entire team, partners and suppliers, played a decisive role throughout the rally.
Katrin Adt, Dacia CEO, said:
“We did it! What an achievement, what an adventure, what a performance. Today is a historic moment and the proudest day for the entire Dacia brand. It reflects the extraordinary hard work of so many talented people and proves that the Dacia Sandrider — just like our road cars — is reliable and robust. Everyone involved should be incredibly proud of achieving victory so early in Dacia’s Dakar journey.”
How the Final Day Unfolded
Following a stage‑winning drive on Friday’s penultimate stage, Nasser Al‑Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin entered the final stage of the 2026 Dakar Rally with a commanding lead of 16 minutes and two seconds. The decisive 105‑kilometre timed loop around Yanbu, where the rally began with the Prologue on 3 January, featured gravel tracks through mountainous terrain, demanding precision and careful cornering.
Driving with caution and intelligence, Al‑Attiyah and Lurquin secured overall victory by a margin of 9 minutes and 42 seconds despite setting only the 36th fastest time on the stage.
For Sébastien Loeb and Édouard Boulanger, the final day delivered both promise and frustration. Starting Stage 13 just 29 seconds shy of the podium, the French pairing pushed hard in pursuit of third place. They missed the stage victory by only eight seconds and ultimately finished fourth overall, falling short of a podium by a slender 37 seconds. Considering several time‑consuming setbacks earlier in the rally, fourth place was a fitting reward for their determination.
Lucas Moraes and Dennis Zenz began the final stage just 18 seconds behind sixth place. Despite a one‑minute speeding penalty, the duo secured seventh overall — an impressive result in Moraes’ first Dakar Rally with The Dacia Sandriders.
Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno also made gains on the final day, climbing from 12th to 11th overall after recording the 10th fastest time on Stage 13.
Al‑Attiyah Secures Sixth Dakar Win as Lurquin Claims First Victory
Nasser Al‑Attiyah’s triumph marks his sixth Dakar Rally victory, adding to previous wins in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023. Three of those victories have now come in Saudi Arabia, which has hosted the event since 2020.
For Fabian Lurquin, the win represents a career milestone — his first Dakar Rally victory and the first by a Belgian navigator in the car category. Prior to this year, Lurquin had claimed three Dakar podiums, finishing second in 2022 and 2025, and third in 2024.
Tiphanie Isnard, Team Principal, The Dacia Sandriders, said:
“Winning the Dakar after our first full season of competing is a wonderful achievement. Congratulations to everyone who made this possible, especially Nasser and Fabian, whose performance was flawless from start to finish. This victory reflects outstanding teamwork, countless hours of dedication and enormous commitment. Having all four cars finish inside the top eleven is an exceptional result and a testament to our entire team.”
Nasser Al‑Attiyah added:
“Winning the Dakar with The Dacia Sandriders is an incredible feeling. Securing my sixth victory means a lot, and I am especially happy for Fabian to win his first Dakar — he truly deserves it. The final stage was tricky, but we stayed focused and managed the situation well. I feel very proud of what we achieved together.”
Fabian Lurquin said:
“I have dreamed of this moment for 22 years. Motorsport runs through my family, and bringing this trophy home is incredibly special. I have stood on the Dakar podium before, but never on the top step. I would trade ten second places for this one victory.”
Dakar Rally 2026 – Provisional Ultimate Category Results (After Stage 13)
- Nasser Al‑Attiyah (QAT) / Fabian Lurquin (BEL) – 48h 56m 53s
- Sébastien Loeb (FRA) / Édouard Boulanger (FRA) – +15m 10s
- Lucas Moraes (BRA) / Dennis Zenz (GER) – +47m 50s
- Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP) / Pablo Moreno (ESP) – +1h 29m 49s
Dakar Rally 2026 – Key Numbers
- 6: Total Dakar Rally victories for Nasser Al‑Attiyah
- 1: First Dakar Rally victory for navigator Fabian Lurquin
- 4: World Rally‑Raid Championship wins for The Dacia Sandriders
- 11: All four crews finished inside the overall top eleven
- 50: Dakar stage wins for Al‑Attiyah, equalling the all‑time record
7,976 km: Total distance covered, including 4,809 km against the clock