The Dacia Sandriders are gearing up for the Rallye du Maroc, continuing their quest for a remarkable triple victory in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). Following three out of five season rounds, the team has established itself in promising positions across all three championship standings. This success has been significantly bolstered by their victory at the Dakar Rally in January and their triumph at the Rally-Raid Portugal in March.

In May, the team maintained its impressive podium streak, which has been ongoing since the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in 2025, by securing third place at the Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina. Currently, the Dacia Sandriders lead the manufacturer standings in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship. In the driver standings, Sébastien Loeb is at the forefront, while Édouard Boulanger leads the co-driver rankings. Notably, Nasser Al-Attiyah is merely three points behind his teammate Loeb, with Fabian Lurquin trailing Boulanger by the same margin.

The Rallye du Maroc is scheduled to take place from September 29 to October 3, playing a crucial role at this stage of the season. This event holds special significance for the Dacia Sandriders, as they achieved their first victory in history at this rally in 2024. The following year, Édouard Boulanger secured the title of W2RC co-driver world champion here, while Nasser Al-Attiyah finished the season as the vice-world champion in the driver standings.

As they prepare for the final two rounds of the season, the team has made adjustments to its driver lineup. Spanish driver Pablo Moreno, previously co-driver for Cristina Gutiérrez, will now partner with Lucas Moraes. Moraes had clinched the world championship title at the Rallye du Maroc last year before joining the Dacia Sandriders. In a mutual agreement, it was decided that Cristina Gutiérrez will leave the team. Gutiérrez has been a part of the team since its inception in 2024, and the Dacia Sandriders extend their gratitude for her contributions to the team's success and wish her well in her future endeavors.

Consistent with all FIA World Rally-Raid Championship events, the three Dacia Sandrider vehicles will utilize sustainable fuel from ARAMCO and be equipped with BFGoodrich tires during the Rallye du Maroc.

"The Rallye du Maroc is a special event for the Dacia Sandriders. Since our first appearance in 2024, we have remained undefeated here. Our goal is to continue this winning streak. However, we must stay focused and humble. We arrive in Morocco leading the driver, co-driver, and manufacturer standings, and maintaining these top positions is our utmost priority. Additionally, with Pablo as the new co-driver, a new chapter begins for Lucas. Since the inception of the Sandrider program, our aim has been to create optimal conditions for our drivers and co-drivers to perform at their best. This new pairing is part of that approach. At the same time, Dennis Zenz has been an essential part of our journey so far, and we support him in his future path. We know what we are capable of, but in rally raid sports, nothing is guaranteed. Therefore, we approach the Rallye du Maroc with the same determination, team spirit, and humility that have guided us since the beginning of this extraordinary project," said a team representative.

Overview of the Rallye du Maroc 2026 Route

The rally commences on September 29 in the coastal town of Agadir, with the first stage heading east toward Zagora. Zagora in the Draa Valley will serve as the event's hub for the remaining four days, marking its return to the rally calendar for the first time since 2024.

  • Stage 2 (September 30): West of Zagora
  • Stage 3 (October 1): Northeast of the bivouac
  • Stage 4 (October 2): Northeast of Zagora, featuring the longest special stage of the rally at 384 competitive kilometers
  • Stage 5 (October 3): South of Zagora

While some sections will be familiar, the organizers have announced several new route segments, promising challenging and intense experiences each day.

Dacia Sandriders Lineup for Rallye du Maroc 2026

  • #299 Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar) / Fabian Lurquin (Belgium)
  • #219 Sébastien Loeb (France) / Édouard Boulanger (France)
  • #223 Lucas Moraes (Brazil) / Pablo Moreno (Spain)

Start: Agadir, Morocco, September 29
Finish: Zagora, Morocco, October 3
Special stage distance: 1,575 kilometers
Total distance: 2,524 kilometers

The Dacia Sandriders: Previous Results in 2026

  • Dakar Rally (January 3-17), W2RC round 1 of 5: 1st Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL), 48h56m53s; 4th Sébastien Loeb (FRA)/Édouard Boulanger (FRA), +15m10s; 7th Lucas Moraes (BRA)/Dennis Zenz (GER), +47m50s; 11th Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP)/Pablo Moreno (ESP), +1h29m49s
  • Rally-Raid Portugal (March 17-22), W2RC round 2 of 5: 1st Sébastien Loeb (FRA)/Édouard Boulanger (FRA), 10h58m52s; 4th Lucas Moraes (BRA)/Dennis Zenz (GER), +4m36s; 19th Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL), +18h19m03s
  • Desafío Ruta 40 (May 24-29), W2RC round 3 of 5: 3rd Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL), +2m26s; 4th Sébastien Loeb (FRA)/Édouard Boulanger (FRA), +3m54s; 21st Lucas Moraes (BRA)/Dennis Zenz (GER), +20h32m56s

FIA WORLD RALLY-RAID CHAMPIONSHIP: Preliminary Points Standings After 3 of 5 Races

  • Drivers: 1 Sébastien Loeb 114 points; 2 Nasser Al-Attiyah 111; 3 Seth Quintero 101; 4 Lucas Moraes 57; 5 Henk Lategan 56; 6 Mattias Ekström 53; etc.
  • Co-drivers: 1 Édouard Boulanger 114 points; 2 Fabian Lurquin 111; 3 Andrew Short 101; 4 Dennis Zenz 57; 5 Brett Cummings 56; 6 Emil Bergkvist 53; etc.
  • Manufacturers: 1 The Dacia Sandriders 315 points; 2 Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC 250; 3 Ford Racing 161; etc.

After two consecutive victories at the Rallye du Maroc, the Dacia Sandriders are aiming for a third win in a row at the penultimate round of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship 2026.

As reported by presse.dacia.de.