By chatnewstv.com
YANBU, Saudi Arabia (chatnewstv.com) — Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah captured his sixth career Dakar Rally title Saturday, securing a historic victory for The Dacia Sandriders in only the team’s second appearance at the world’s most grueling off-road race.
Al-Attiyah and his co-driver, Fabian Lurquin, finished the 13-day marathon across Saudi Arabia with a lead of 9 minutes and 42 seconds. The win marks a milestone for the Dacia brand and a personal breakthrough for Lurquin, who claimed his first Dakar title after 22 years of competition.
“To win this Dakar with our team, The Dacia Sandriders, it was amazing,” Al-Attiyah said after crossing the finish line on the banks of the Red Sea. “I am so happy to win the Dakar six times in my career. We worked very hard, and I was so pleased to help Fabian because he deserved to win for the first time.”
A Dominant Display
The 48th edition of the Dakar Rally covered nearly 8,000 kilometers (4,970 miles), including more than 4,800 kilometers of timed specials over rock-strewn tracks and massive sand dunes. Dacia’s four-car fleet proved remarkably durable, with every vehicle finishing within the top 11 overall.
While Al-Attiyah maintained a steady lead during the final 105-kilometer loop around Yanbu, the battle for the podium remained fierce. French legend Sébastien Loeb, driving the second Dacia, narrowly missed a podium finish, ending the rally in fourth place—just 37 seconds behind the third-place finisher.
“It was not an easy Dakar. The stages were quite difficult,” Loeb said. “At the end, my result is what it is, but it’s a victory for Dacia, and that was the main goal for the team.”
Historic Milestones
The victory solidifies Al-Attiyah’s status as a legend of the sport. By securing two stage wins during this year’s event, he equaled the all-time record of 50 career stage wins, a mark previously shared by Stéphane Peterhansel and Ari Vatanen.
For the Dacia brand, the win represents a rapid ascent to the pinnacle of rally-raid competition. Katrin Adt, CEO of the Dacia Brand, described the win as a “historic moment” for the company.
“Today is a historic moment and the proudest moment for the whole Dacia brand,” Adt said. “It shows that the Dacia Sandrider is reliable and robust.”
Team Results
The Sandriders’ collective performance was bolstered by Lucas Moraes and Dennis Zenz, who finished seventh in their debut for the team. Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno rounded out the effort by moving up to 11th overall on the final day.
“To see all our four cars finishing inside the top 11 is really impressive,” said Team Principal Tiphanie Isnard. “Victory is never something easy, but when you work hard and you are passionate, dreams can come true.”
The FIA World Rally-Raid Championship continues in March with Rally-Raid Portugal, where Al-Attiyah will look to extend his lead in the global standings.
