THE DACIA SANDRIDERS REMAIN ON TOP AFTER HARD-FOUGHT ARGENTINE ADVENTURE

The Dacia Sandriders continues to lead the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship for Drivers, Navigators and Manufacturers after Desafío Ruta 40 concluded with a podium finish for Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin.

Sébastien Loeb and navigator,  Édouard Boulanger, fought back from several delays to complete the event’s final stage on Friday with the second quickest time and secured fourth in the overall classification. Reigning world champion Lucas Moraes made it through a tough event in 21st position alongside navigator Dennis Zenz.

Fourth place for Loeb / Boulanger ensured they continue to lead the provisional Drivers’ and Navigators’ standings, albeit by a reduced three-point advantage ahead of team-mates Al- Attiyah / Lurquin with two rounds of the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) remaining.

Al-Attiyah and navigator Lurquin started Friday’s deciding stage just seven seconds down on first place on the back of another strong performance, which included a day victory on Stage 2 and a second fastest time on Stage 4. Unfortunately, an enforced wheel change on Stage 5 ended Al-Attiyah / Lurquin’s victory hopes in Argentina, where The Dacia Sandriders was competing for the first time.

Loeb / Boulanger, whose Desafío Ruta 40 challenge was hampered by multiple damaged tyres, were second quickest twice, finishing runner-up in the stage order on Wednesday and again on Friday, despite another damaged tyre change.

Those additional stage points proved crucial to the French pair remaining in front of the W2RC title race after they moved up from fifth overnight to reach the finish in San Juan in fourth place following the final 340 timed kilometres.

Moraes / Zenz were playing catch up after earlier setbacks when a collision with a rival competitor led to their retirement on Stage 3 with damaged rear suspension. Restarting on Thursday, they reached the finish of Stage 5 sixth quickest.

While The Dacia Sandriders’ unbroken run of W2RC victories is over following three consecutive W2RC wins on Rallye du Maroc last season and the Dakar Rally and Rally-Raid Portugal this season, Desafío Ruta 40 was a case of mission accomplished for the team with the goal of maintaining its lead at the top of the Drivers’, Navigators’ and Manufacturers’ standings achieved.

After the traditional summer break, the 2026 W2RC season resumes in North Africa in the late September for Rallye du Maroc, which The Dacia Sandriders won in 2024 – its championship debut – and again in 2025.

KEY QUOTES
Tiphanie Isnard, Team Principal, The Dacia Sandriders said: “It was a solid performance with three Dacia Sandriders at the finish of the rally. For the first time here in Argentina with such a challenge, the altitude and rocky stages, we can be pleased with that. We’ve never been in this kind of terrain. It’s really good to finish in these strong positions. Obviously, we all want to win, but it was a victory for another team and we congratulate them.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah, Driver, The Dacia Sandriders added: “We were fighting hard to the end, but we had a puncture and then we were stuck behind Seb with all the dust. We couldn’t do anything, but this is motorsport and we finished third, which is good for the championship. We’ll see for Morocco.”

Sébastien Loeb, Driver, The Dacia Sandriders said: “The stage was very good, we pushed really hard all the stage. We had a puncture and had to change a wheel in the stage. But the rest was a really good battle, and I tried really hard, but not enough.”

Lucas Moraes, Driver, The Dacia Sandriders commented: “A very demanding rally here in Argentina but happy to finish. Today we played a little safe in the rocks at the beginning of the stage just to make sure we could finish the neutralisation with Seb and Nasser in case they needed some tyres. We did that and were basically in the dust for 90 kilometres and couldn’t push at all. But we are here, we’re still leading the Manufacturers’ championship, which is really important, of course the Drivers’ and Navigators’ also, and we’ll keep fighting now in Morocco.”

Fabian Lurquin, Navigator, The Dacia Sandriders: “A complicated rally because there were many good competitors. We made a good rally and didn’t make many mistakes. We had a good speed and even then we found some competitors in front of us, so it shows the level in this championship, which is good for the championship. Of course, we’re a little sad not to be winning, but happy to be third. The guys in the front deserve it so congrats to them.”

DESAFÍO RUTA 40 STAGE 5 RESULTS (UNOFFICIAL)
San Juan – San Juan
Stage Distance: 340km | Liaison Distance: 223km | Total: 573km
2nd: Sébastien Loeb / Édouard Boulanger, 2h32m40s
5th: Nasser Al-Attiyah / Fabian Lurquin, 2h36m29s
6th: Lucas Moraes / Dennis Zenz, 2h37m14s

DESAFÍO RUTA 40 ULTIMATE CATEGORY OVERALL RESULTS (UNOFFICIAL)
3rd: Nasser Al-Attiyah / Fabian Lurquin, +2m26s
4th: Sébastien Loeb / Édouard Boulanger, +3m54s
21st: Lucas Moraes / Dennis Zenz, +20h32m56s

FIA WORLD RALLY-RAID CHAMPIONSHIP PROVISIONAL STANDINGS

DRIVERS AFTER ROUND 3 OF 5: 1st: Sébastien Loeb, 114 points | 2nd: Nasser Al-Attiyah, 111 points | 3rd: Seth Quintero, 101 points | 4th: Lucas Moraes, 57 points | 5th: Henk Lategan, 56 points

NAVIGATORS AFTER ROUND 3 OF 5: 1st: Édouard Boulanger, 114 points | 2nd: Fabian Lurquin, 111 points | 3rd: Andrew Short | 4th: Dennis Zenz, 57 points | 5th: Brett Cummings, 56 points

MANUFACTURERS AFTER ROUND 3 OF 5: 1st: The Dacia Sandriders, 315 points | 2nd: Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC, 250 points | 3rd: Ford Racing, 161 points

WHAT’S NEXT?
The Dacia Sandriders heads next to the Rallye du Maroc, where it made its FIA World Rally-Raid Championship debut in 2024, for the penultimate event of the season between 28 September – 3 October.

ENDS