The Dacia Sandrider is set to make its competitive debut this week with a trio of drivers taking on the Rallye du Maroc.
Although not a van or even a pick-up truck, we wanted to bring you exciting news of this very distant-relative to the Dacia Duster Commercial in this important pre-Dakar Rally race.
The star-studded line-up of Nasser Al-Attiyah, Cristina Gutiérrez, and Sébastien Loeb will pilot the new Sandrider vehicles in the Ultimate category, marking a significant step in their preparation for the upcoming Dakar Rally.
The team has spent months testing the Sandrider in various conditions, including Morocco's challenging terrain. The Rallye du Maroc, often described as a miniature Dakar, will provide a valuable opportunity to put their learnings into practice.
With a total distance of 2,468km, spread over 5 stages, the rally will test both driver and machine to the limit.
While this is the first competitive outing for the Dacia Sandriders, the team's members have experience in rally-raid events, including Al-Attiyah's previous victory on the Rallye du Maroc in 2021.
The Dacia Sandriders have completed five test sessions and are now ready to take on Morocco which starts on 4 October.
Nasser Al-Attiyah starts the event in contention for a sixth overall title in what is now the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship following the discipline’s rebranding in 2022. After four rounds competing with other teams, Al-Attiyah and co-driver Edouard Boulanger top their respective championships by 25 and 20 points.
Speaking about the upcoming rally, Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah said: “Rallye du Maroc is not only very important for the championship, but also very important for the teams because everybody is coming to prepare for Dakar. At this moment we are leading the championship and from my side we need to be clever, we need to manage with a good speed and do no crazy thing because the Sandrider is a new car and we must try to work day by day. I hope to win the world title and be the world champion, it would be nice for me and for my co-driver Edouard as well.”
The Rallye du Maroc, which concludes on October 11, is not only a competitive event but also a crucial step in the Dacia Sandriders' preparation for the Dakar Rally, which takes place in January 2025.
Watch a video outlingin the route and staages for Rallye du Maroc below.
