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Dacia Sandriders Complete Initial Dakar Testing, Head To Morocco
The Dacia Sandriders team has successfully completed its initial testing phase in preparation for the 2025 Dakar Rally. The team, which will participate in the motorsport challenge for the first time in January 2025, began with a systems check at Millbrook Proving Ground in the UK. This was followed by four days of testing at the Sweet Lamb complex in Wales from 6 to 9 May.
Subsequently, the team moved to Château de Lastours, France, for another four days of rigorous testing from 27 to 31 May. During this period, the three crews tested the Sandrider, equipped with BF Goodrich tyres, on rocky and challenging terrain. Cristina Gutiérrez drove the Sandrider for two days in Wales before Sébastien Loeb, a nine-time world rally champion, took over for further test and development duties.
Multiple Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah experienced the car for the first time at Château de Lastours over two days. Sébastien Loeb returned to drive for one and a half days, with Cristina Gutiérrez concluding the final afternoon of testing. Team principal Tiphanie Isnard confirmed that the initial testing phase exceeded expectations with minimal issues encountered.
Extensive preparations are now underway for the first comprehensive test in Morocco from 28 June to 5 July. This test will simulate conditions similar to those expected during the Dakar Rally, which is also the opening round of the 2025 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship in Saudi Arabia from 3 to 17 January 2025.
Nasser Al-Attiyah expressed his satisfaction with the initial tests: "The test in Château de Lastours was my first experience with the Dacia Sandrider. I found it easy to drive, fast and strong. We covered 270 kilometres on both days without any issues and enjoyed it a lot. We are well-prepared for the next tests in Morocco."
Cristina Gutiérrez shared her thoughts: "Seeing the Dacia Sandrider in action and covering my first kilometres in it has been incredible. I am adapting well to this new type of car and category. There are still many important test days ahead, but we are very happy with our progress so far."
Sébastien Loeb added: "The testing has gone very well. I did one day in the UK and two days in France. We worked on suspension and differential settings to find a good balance with the car, and I was pleased with its performance. The engine has been reliable from the start, and we encountered no problems."
Philip Dunabin, Technical Director, provided an overview of their progress: "We have completed a series of initial tests before our first real rally-raid environment test in Morocco. Everything has gone smoothly with no serious problems. We’ve signed off on all basic engine functions and made significant progress on suspension setup and transmission settings.
The suspension underwent thorough testing at both Sweet Lamb and Château de Lastours. We are now focused on refining details to ensure the car is rally-ready. We identified minor issues related to crew installation inside the car, which we aim to resolve before Morocco. Overall, everything looks positive as we prepare for further tests."
About Dacia
Dacia was established in 1968 and relaunched by Renault Group in 2004 across Europe and Mediterranean countries. Known for offering value-for-money cars, Dacia has become a market reference with models like Sandero, Duster, Jogger, and Spring. Since its UK launch in January 2013, Dacia has sold over 250,000 vehicles in the country.
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