Dacia’s much-anticipated entry into the world of rally-raid kicked off in spectacular style at Rally Morocco, as Nasser Al-Attiyah and Sébastien Loeb clinched a commanding one-two finish. Al-Attiyah’s flawless run and Loeb’s spectacular comeback highlighted the debut of the Dacia Sandrider, setting the stage for an intense Dakar campaign.
The Qatari rally-raid superstar, Al-Attiyah, wasted no time in seizing control, taking the shortened opening stage with a perfect performance. Free from mechanical issues and punctures, he cruised to victory, ensuring his third consecutive World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) title. Earlier successes in Abu Dhabi and Portugal compensated for his DNF at the 2024 Dakar Rally, confirming his dominance in the sport.
Sébastien Loeb’s journey, however, was far from smooth. The French legend’s rally got off to a rocky start when he crashed into a ditch during the prologue, forcing him to start 121st on the road. His luck took another hit on day one as a broken steering arm set him back by 12 minutes. Yet, in true Loeb fashion, he staged a remarkable comeback, taking stage victories on Wednesday and Friday, ultimately propelling himself from fourth to second on the final day.
X-Raid’s new Mini JCW Rally 3.0i also made its competitive debut, with drivers Guillaume de Mevius and Guerlain Chicherit leading the charge. The pair, who switched from Overdrive earlier in the season, showed early promise as Chicherit set the fastest time in the prologue. However, disaster struck on the decisive Mengoub test. Chicherit’s technical failure saw him retire from the final podium contention, while De Mevius, initially closing in on Al-Attiyah, faced his own setback and required assistance from team-mate João Ferreira to resume his run. Despite these hurdles, De Mevius managed to salvage third place, holding off Yazeed Al-Rajhi.
Toyota’s factory team drivers, Seth Quintero and Lucas Moraes, showed speed but were hampered by earlier misfortunes. Quintero’s rally hopes were dashed by an 18-minute time loss on the opening day, though he recovered to finish fifth. Moraes, who had captured a stage win, was set back by a throttle issue that cost him over an hour.
Carlos Sainz’s hopes of a top finish crumbled after a technical issue prevented him from starting the second stage, ending Ford’s chances of securing a podium. The two-time World Rally Champion, despite a strong Thursday performance, could only manage fourth-fastest on the final stage. His teammate, Mattias Ekström, faced a similarly frustrating exit, retiring early in the final stage.
In the Challenger class, Rokas Baciuška clinched the title aboard his Can-Am Maverick T3. However, the rally itself was dominated by the Goczał family and their Taurus T3 Maxes. The family was on track for a podium sweep until Michał Goczał accidentally triggered his fire extinguisher before stage four, leading to a DNS. Erik Goczał, meanwhile, secured the victory, with his father, Marek, finishing just 10 minutes behind.
With Dacia’s spectacular debut and Al-Attiyah’s relentless form, the stage is set for a thrilling W2RC season finale and an eagerly anticipated Dakar Rally.
