AUTONEWS

Dacia Sandriders completed the first tests of the Dakar preparation program with Cristina Gutiérrez and Sébastien Loeb at the wheel

The Dacia Sandriders team has completed the first tests of the Dakar preparation program. The ultimate motorsport challenge, which the official Dacia team will face for the first time in January.

Following a systems check at the Millbrook Proving Ground in the UK, the Dacia Sandriders spent four days at the Sweet Lamb test complex in Wales from 6 to 9 May. Afterwards, the team headed to Château de Lastours, in France, for another four days of intense testing (until May 31), where the three pairs of drivers had the opportunity to test the Sandrider, equipped with BF Goodrich tires, on a terrain rocky and demanding.

Cristina Gutiérrez was behind the wheel of the Sandrider for two days in Wales, before nine-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb took over testing and development duties.

Multi-time Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah experienced the power of the Sandrider for the first time, at Château de Lastours, for two days. Loeb returned to the cockpit for a day and a half and Gutiérrez was called in for the final afternoon of testing.

Dacia Sandriders team principal Tiphanie Isnard confirmed that the initial testing phase exceeded expectations, with very few problems experienced by Al-Attiyah, Gutiérrez and Loeb and the team's engineers and technicians.

In-depth review work is now being carried out, ahead of the first test of the new machine in Africa, from June 28th to July 5th, in Morocco. It will be on the Moroccan tracks and sands that the Sandrider will run on terrain similar to that of the Dakar, the opening stage of the 2025 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, to be held in Saudi Arabia, from January 3 to 17.

“In the test at Château de Lastours I tried the Dacia Sandrider for the first time. I found it easy to drive, fast and durable. We did 270 kilometers on the first day and the same on the second day. There were no problems and we really enjoyed driving the car. We are well prepared for the next tests and now I am looking forward to riding in Morocco’, said NASSER AL-ATTIYAH (QATAR), DACIA SANDRIDERS DRIVER

“Having the opportunity to see the Dacia Sandrider in action and do my first kilometers was incredible! I'm feeling very comfortable, adapting to a new type of car and a new category for me. We still have many days of important testing ahead of us, but overall we are very happy with the team's work. We can't ask for more. The general feeling is that we are proud of the car's performance in these first tests”, reported CRISTINA GUTIÉRREZ (SPAIN), DACIA SANDRIDERS DRIVER

“The tests went very well. I did one day in the UK and two days in France. We worked on the suspension and differential to find a good balance and I was very pleased with how everything worked. The engine was responding very well from the start and we didn't have any problems. Considering that it is a new car, everything is going well and I am looking forward to continuing the tests in Morocco”, said SÉBASTIEN LOEB (FRANCE), DACIA SANDRIDERS DRIVER

“We completed a series of initial tests, before carrying out our first test in a real rally-raid environment, in Morocco. So far, everything has gone amazingly well and without any serious problems. We managed to approve all the basic things in terms of the engine, we did a lot more work than we expected on the suspension setup and the transmission settings were revised in terms of differentials. The suspension was very well worked on, not only during the test at Sweet Lamb, but also during the test at Château de Lastours. Now, we have to ‘clean up’ several details and put the car in a state of development that allows it to compete in a rally-raid. We managed to detect one or two problems in terms of the installation of the driver pair and we want to make some improvements before the tests in Morocco. But everything seems very positive, it was just very small things that we managed to resolve very quickly. Everyone is working hard for Morocco and we look forward to continuing our preparations for the Dakar”, concluded PHILIP DUNABIN, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AT DACIA SANDRIDERS