The Dacia Sandriders team wrapped up their participation in the Rallye du Maroc by securing a podium finish in the fifth and final special stage of this round of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship. As a result, they will head into the season finale next month as leaders in the Constructors' Championship standings. Lucas Moraes and Pablo Moreno achieved a commendable third-best time in Stage 5 driving their Dacia Sandrider, which is powered by sustainable fuel, further affirming the encouraging performance of their new partnership.
Throughout the rally, the team showcased remarkable skill, initially finishing second in Stage 1, just three seconds behind the best time, and subsequently taking the lead after securing the fourth-best time in Stage 2. Unfortunately, their hopes for victory were dashed due to an accident in the last 15 kilometers of Stage 3, which eliminated their chances of clinching a third consecutive win at the Rallye du Maroc.
Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin crossed the finish line in Stage 5 with the fifth-best time, facing challenges after a transmission issue in Stage 2 that hindered their ability to achieve a significant overall result in the rally. Similarly, Sébastien Loeb and Édouard Boulanger encountered further setbacks in Stage 5 after their previous triumph in Stage 3. Despite being in contention for victory once again, they suffered damage to their car after hitting a rock just one kilometer from the finish line, which left them unable to continue without assistance.
Although Stage 5 was the shortest of the rally, it brought new disappointments for the Dacia Sandriders. Nonetheless, the team remains fully committed to the race for the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship titles for Constructors, Drivers, and Navigators, with only one round left to compete.
Team Reflections and Future Aspirations
Tiphanie Isnard, the team principal of the Dacia Sandriders, expressed the challenges faced throughout the rally, stating, "This rally has been truly difficult, and it feels like everything that could go wrong has gone wrong during our adventure here. It was complicated, especially since we were leading at every stage, which shows we had the pace, but we lost everything in the final kilometers due to technical, mechanical issues, or human errors. This is part of rally-raid; it’s part of the adventure, and we must learn from this experience. It’s a reminder to stay focused until the very last line of the finish. We continue to fight for the title, dream big, and we will do everything in our power to achieve it."
Nasser Al-Attiyah commented on the team's performance, stating, "The week has been difficult for the team, but we managed to bring all three cars to the finish, and we did a good job today. The race hasn’t been easy, but there’s still one round left in Abu Dhabi, and we will try our best." Sébastien Loeb shared his perspective on the final stage, detailing the challenges faced due to dust from other competitors and the unfortunate incident that led to their withdrawal. Lucas Moraes expressed satisfaction with their performance on the last day, despite not achieving the expected results, emphasizing the team's potential and looking forward to the race in Abu Dhabi.
Rallye du Maroc Stage 5 Results & Upcoming Challenges
In terms of results, Stage 5 of the Rallye du Maroc featured a special stage distance of 257.3 km with an overall distance of 355.6 km. Lucas Moraes and Pablo Moreno finished third with a time of 3 hours 19 minutes and 43 seconds, followed closely by Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin in fifth place at 3 hours 20 minutes and 26 seconds. Sébastien Loeb and Édouard Boulanger faced a more challenging stage, finishing 37th with a time of 4 hours 31 minutes and 01 seconds.
With the season drawing to a close, the upcoming Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will serve as the decisive round of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, scheduled from November 22 to 27. As the team prepares for this critical event, they remain hopeful and determined to secure their standings in the championship.
As reported by media.dacia.com.
