After 13 days of intense competition, held over a total distance of 7,976 km – including 4,809 km of special stages – the Dacia Sandriders claimed two stage victories, finishing outside the overall top three only once.
Their success is due not only to the performance of the drivers, co-drivers and the Dacia Sandrider model, but also to the tireless work, total dedication and commitment of the entire team, as well as the support of partners and suppliers.
KATRIN ADT, CEO DACIA
“We did it! What a performance, what an adventure, what an exceptional result! Today we mark a historic moment and an immense source of pride for the Dacia brand, for our partners and our customers. It is the result of enormous work carried out by many talented people, and a clear demonstration of the robustness and reliability of the Dacia Sandrider. All team members fully deserve this success and can be extremely proud to have delivered a victory so early in Dacia’s Dakar history.”
THE FINAL DAY OF THE DAKAR RALLY
After the spectacular victory in Friday’s penultimate special stage – a performance that put them within touching distance of overall success – Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin started the final stage of the 2026 Dakar with a lead of 16 minutes 02 seconds.
The last special stage, a 105 km timed loop around the Yanbu area, marked a symbolic return to the place where the competition began on 3 January with the Prologue.
Run on rocky tracks in a mountainous landscape, the route demanded precision and caution. Al-Attiyah and Lurquin adopted an ultra-conservative strategy, securing the final victory with a margin of 9 minutes 42 seconds, despite finishing a modest 36th on the stage.
For Sébastien Loeb and Édouard Boulanger, the day unfolded very differently. Starting just 29 seconds off the podium, they knew they had to attack to claim third place. They missed out on the stage win by 8 seconds and on the final podium by 37 seconds, finishing the Dakar in fourth place – a logical result after the multiple difficulties encountered.
Reigning world champion Lucas Moraes, competing in his first Dakar with the Dacia Sandriders alongside co-driver Dennis Zenz, began the final stage 18 seconds behind sixth place. With 16th place on the stage (including a one-minute speeding penalty), the crew finished the rally in seventh place, 1 minute 48 seconds off the higher position.
Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno gained one place in the standings after an excellent 10th place on the special stage, finishing the Dakar in 11th position.
AL-ATTIYAH CLAIMS A SIXTH VICTORY
Nasser Al-Attiyah thus secures his sixth Dakar Rally victory, three of them in Saudi Arabia, host of the event since 2020. He previously won in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
For Fabian Lurquin, this is his first Dakar success and the first overall car-class victory for a Belgian co-driver. Previously, he had reached the podium three times: second place in 2022 and 2023, and third place in 2024.
TEAM STATEMENTS
TIPHANIE ISNARD, TEAM PRINCIPAL, DACIA SANDRIDERS
“We’ve done it – we’ve won the Dakar in our very first full season, an extraordinary result. Congratulations to everyone who made this incredible success possible, especially Nasser and Fabian, who delivered a remarkable performance, perfect from start to finish.
This victory is the result of collective work and exceptional commitment. The fact that all four cars finished in the top 11 is impressive and reflects the efforts of the entire team. After a short rest, we’ll be back to work – our goal remains winning the FIA Rally-Raid World Championship.”
NASSER AL-ATTIYAH (QATAR), DRIVER
“It’s incredible to win this Dakar with the Dacia Sandriders. I’m very happy to achieve my sixth victory and just as happy for Fabian, who fully deserved his first success.
The final stage was emotionally difficult, but we managed the situation well, drove cautiously and got the job done. I’m convinced that next year we’ll fight to have three Dacia Sandriders on the podium.”
CRISTINA GUTIÉRREZ (SPAIN), DRIVER
“There was a lot of navigation and moments when it was difficult to find the right route. We drove cautiously, without taking risks, with the clear objective of reaching the finish. I’m very happy for the whole team – this victory is for them.
For us, 11th place is a great satisfaction after all the challenges. The fact that all four cars reached the finish says everything about the strength of the team.”
SÉBASTIEN LOEB (FRANCE), DRIVER
“It wasn’t an easy Dakar. The special stages were technical, tough and full of rocks. Fourth place, given how competitive the field was, isn’t bad. Of course we wanted more, but the important thing is that we scored valuable points and that Dacia won – that was the main objective.”
LUCAS MORAES (BRAZIL), DRIVER
“We finished the Dakar – my first Dakar with the Dacia Sandriders – and the experience was extraordinary. Three cars in the top seven is an extremely solid result. Thank you to the entire team; I’m honored to be part of this adventure.”
STAGE 13 RESULTS (UNOFFICIAL)
Special stage distance: 105 km
Liaison distance: 33 km
Total distance: 138 km
- Sébastien Loeb (FRA) / Édouard Boulanger (FRA) – 46m22s
- Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP) / Pablo Moreno (ESP) – 48m27s
- Lucas Moraes (BRA) / Dennis Zenz (GER) – 49m17s
- Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Fabian Lurquin (BEL) – 55m02s
PROVISIONAL OVERALL CLASSIFICATION AFTER THE FINAL STAGE (UNOFFICIAL)
- Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Fabian Lurquin (BEL) – 48h56m53s
- Sébastien Loeb (FRA) / Édouard Boulanger (FRA) – +15m10s
- Lucas Moraes (BRA) / Dennis Zenz (GER) – +47m50s
- Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP) / Pablo Moreno (ESP) – +1h29m49s
DAKAR RALLY – KEY FIGURES
- 6 – Nasser Al-Attiyah’s Dakar victories
- 1 – First victory for co-driver Fabian Lurquin
- 4 – Dacia Sandriders become four-time winners in the W2RC
- 11 – All four crews finish in the top 11
- 50 – Al-Attiyah equals the record of 50 stage wins (Peterhansel & Vatanen)
- 7,976 km – Total distance covered by each crew
- 13 – Number of stages in the 48th edition (4–17 January), plus the Prologue on 3 January and the rest day
NEXT UP
Round two of the 2026 FIA Rally-Raid World Championship: Rally-Raid Portugal – 17–22 March