Dacia Sandriders takes the start in the Rally of Portugal: Three elite crews attack the second W2RC stage
Dacia Sandriders: "The last waltz" under the Portuguese sun after the historic triumph in Dakar
GRÂNDOLA – Exactly two months after conquering the toughest rally in the world, Dacia's "Sand Riders" are returning to the arena of dust and mud. Tomorrow, March 17, the Dacia Sandriders team will start the Rally of Portugal, the second round of the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).
Although the atmosphere in the Romanian-French camp is one of celebration after the victory in Saudi Arabia, the competition comes with a bittersweet taste: Dacia officially confirmed that it will withdraw from rally-raid at the end of this season, considering its mission accomplished after "burning the stages" and winning the Dakar in just two years of the project.
Three "Aces" for one crown
For the Portuguese stage, Dacia is lining up an "armada" of three crews, abandoning the four-car system used in January (Cristina Gutiérrez being the one who will support the team on the sidelines at this stage, in an internal rotation system).
- Nasser Al-Attiyah & Fabian Lurquin: The new Dakar 2026 champions and current world leaders. Al-Attiyah has the thankless task of “opening the way” on the first special stage, a consequence of the new FIA regulations that eliminate the Prologue and establish the starting order based on championship position.
- Sébastien Loeb & Édouard Boulanger: The French legend is looking for his first major victory with Dacia, after a solid 4th place in January. Loeb is considered a favorite of the European public and a master on the technical, mixed surfaces of the Iberian Peninsula.
- Lucas Moraes & Dennis Zenz: The reigning world champion is playing almost “at home.” Moraes proved last year that the tracks in Portugal and Spain suit him perfectly, being a specialist in areas with variable grip.
The route: 2175 km of traps between Portugal and Spain
The 2026 Rally Portugal is not just a stroll along the Atlantic coast. The organizers at the Automóvel Club de Portugal have prepared a hybrid route that will put the suspensions of the Sandrider prototypes to the test over 5 special stages:
- Total distance: 2175 km, of which 1320 km is time trial.
- Specific: The start is in Grândola, and the route will cross the border into Spain, with a strategic stop in the Badajoz region, before returning to Portugal for the spectacular finish in Loulé (Algarve).
- Weather Challenge: Unlike past editions held in the fall, the March stage promises to be "wet." Recent rains have turned certain sections into veritable mud puddles, which could benefit Loeb's aggressive style and the optimized traction of the Dacia, powered by Aramco synthetic fuel.
The Retreat: Leaving in Full Glory
The announcement of Dacia's withdrawal at the end of 2026 surprised the world of motorsport, but the business logic is unbeatable: "We came, we saw, we conquered". With the Dakar title already in sight, the rest of the W2RC season becomes a "farewell tournament" in which the main objective is now the world constructors' title, where Dacia already has a 33-point lead over Ford.
It remains to be seen whether the Portuguese sand will be as friendly to Dacia as the dunes of the Empty Quarter were. One thing is certain: starting tomorrow, in Grândola, the Sandrider engines will roar for the last time on European soil in an official world championship setting.