Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin have returned to the top of the Dakar Rally leaderboard for The Dacia Sandriders, claiming a 12-minute advantage with three days of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship season opener remaining.
Third leaving the overnight bivouac refuge point following a night away from their mechanics and other essential support personnel, Al-Attiyah/Lurquin completed part two of the event’s second marathon stage with the second quickest time after giving their all in the process.
As a result, Al-Attiyah/Lurquin have recaptured the first place in the overall ranking they were forced to surrender yesterday (Tuesday) after encountering navigational issues.
With Sébastien Loeb and Édouard Boulanger and Lucas Moraes and Dennis Zenz setting the second and third fastest times respectively, The Dacia Sandriders filled three of the top-four positions on Stage 10, a 420-kilometre charge to Bisha over dunes and sections of soft white sand.
Hamstrung by a powersteering fault on Tuesday, Loeb/Boulanger were able to count on the hard work and expertise of Pablo Moreno – navigator to Cristina Gutiérrez – and The Dacia Sandriders’ T5 truck crews – at the overnight bivouac refuge point to make the necessary repairs.
With their Dacia Sandrider restored to full working order, Loeb/Boulanger moved up from sixth to fourth in the overall classification, 23m04s behind Al-Attiyah/Lurquin.
After coming close to winning Stage 9 only for navigational issues to intervene, Moraes/Zenz’s fourth quickest run through Stage 10 keeps the pair eighth overall.
It proved an eventful start to Wednesday for Gutiérrez/Moreno when they inadvertently rolled their Dacia Sandrider seven kilometres into Stage 10. After changing a damaged tyre and completing makeshift repairs, the Spaniards were able to continue. Tenth overall starting Stage 10 having gone sixth quickest on Tuesday, Gutiérrez/Moreno are now in 14th place.
For the second time on the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally, crews bedded down at a bivouac refuge point, a remote overnight camp where only limited resources were made available, as part of the marathon stage format. Rules required drivers and their navigators to pitch their own tents (sleeping blankets and mats were also supplied) and prepare their meals from a box of rations.
In addition to Moraes/Zenz joining its all-star line-up for 2026, The Dacia Sandriders has made several key upgrades to its event-winning Dacia Sandrider, which continues to be powered by sustainable fuel from Aramco and equipped with BFGoodrich tyres. The upgrades are focused on weight reduction, cooling efficiency, visibility, reliability and driver comfort. Meanwhile, arefreshed colour scheme, which includes more orange for a sharper look, was revealed ahead of the Dakar Rally.
KEY QUOTES
NASSER AL-ATTIYAH (QATAR), DRIVER, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS : « We did a good job today. We make a good gap, now three days left of the Dakar Rally, we just try to manage and be in a good pace. I hope it can be our Dakar. The navigation was very difficult, and Fabian did a good job. In the last 100 kilometres we were fighting all the way, we did a good job. The Dacia Sandriders did an amazing marathon stage, tomorrow we try to work altogether, and I will try to do my best for the positions. Still we have three days and we will try to keep our strategy. »
CRISTINA GUTIÉRREZ (SPAIN), DRIVER, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS : « A very tough two days without the assistance of the team. The first day was a little strange for us because we thought we got lost a lot of times, but it was not enough to be on the back. Everybody got lost, it was a little crazy, but we finished sixth and it was crazy for us. We arrived to the bivouac refuge last night, we saw Sébastien with troubles with the powersteering and we knew from the past that we don’t have the parts in the trunk. The decision was made to change our parts and put them in his car because he’s playing for the podium. The decision was tough for us but, at the same time, we play as a team. We repaired our own car [using parts carried by the T5 support truck], and we finished at two in the morning. This morning we start sixth. In kilometre seven I rolled the car in the soft sand. I think the rollcage is okay but it was a crazy moment for us. The windscreen came off, so all the dust was coming in and my eyes now need to rest a bit. But we are happy, we are four cars here and everybody is more or less on the top. »
SÉBASTIEN LOEB (FRANCE), DRIVER, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS : « It was tough. Yesterday was just incredible, driving in the dunes without the powersteering was nearly impossible. I had a lot of time that the car was turning and I couldn’t control it. I had to reverse downhill, going downhill in the dunes backwards so it was just terrible. But we made a good job yesterday night. Pablo was incredible, he really help us and did most of the job to repair the car and today the car was perfect. It was a crazy marathon stage, it was not what we expected. We thought yesterday we could do a very good step but finally we couldn’t. But today was a good day, we are fourth overall so it’s not too bad. »
LUCAS MORAES (BRAZIL), DRIVER, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS : « First of all I’m really glad to be at the finish with all the four cars of the team. Big kudos to the whole Dacia Sandriders team because all four cars are here in a great position. The most important was to finish today like we did. Another top four and more points for the championship. We are still in the mix. Yesterday we were leading the whole stage. Then we had a navigation issue, which was really tricky for everybody. But today Dennis woke up very focused and we did it. I’m really happy to be here. »
PABLO MORENO (SPAIN), NAVIGATOR, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS : « A difficult night for our team. When arrived to the marathon bivouac Sébastien had a problem with the steering rack and the steering pipes. For the solution I used parts from Cristina’s car and after that we used other parts [from the T5 support truck] to fix Cristina’s car. Now the four cars are here and I’m really happy. It was a good day for the team. We have three days more in front of us and we need to push a lot. »
DAKAR RALLY STAGE 10 RESULTS (UNOFFICIAL) – Refuge Marathon-Bisha
Stage distance: 420km Liaison distance: 50km Total distance: 470km
2nd Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL), 4h54m39s
3rd Sébastien Loeb (FRA)/Édouard Boulanger (FRA), 4h57m47s
4th Lucas Moraes (BRA)/Dennis Zenz (GER), 4h58m21s
35th Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP)/Pablo Moreno (ESP), 5h31m09s
DAKAR RALLY PROVISIONAL ULTIMATE CATEGORY OVERALL RESULTS AFTER STAGE 10 (UNOFFICIAL)
1st Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL), 41h39m50s
4th Sébastien Loeb (FRA)/Édouard Boulanger (FRA), +23m04s
8th Lucas Moraes (BRA)/Dennis Zenz (GER), +39m21s
14th Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP)/Pablo Moreno (ESP), +1h24m42s
DAKAR RALLY: THE BIG NUMBER
3: Of the top four positions on Stage 10 of the Dakar Rally, three were claimed by crews from The Dacia Sandriders following another strong performance by the team.
THE DAY AHEAD: STAGE 11, JANUARY 15
This fast-paced stage puts the onus on perfect navigation due to the numerous intersections, forks and junctions lying in store as the route heads north from Bisha to Al-Al Henakiyah. After 882 kilometres, the relative comfort of the overnight bivouac will hold great appeal.
Stage distance: 346km Liaison distance: 536km Total distance: 882km
Linda Hirvonen,