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As early as next year, initially only at the test level, Dacia will use its technical skills and those of the English Prodrive racing team to develop the prototypes that will race in 2025 in the Dakar, the most famous race on the African continent. For this courageous adventure, the Romanian brand has chosen two exceptional drivers: the nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb, and Cristina Gutiérrez Herrero, an enterprising Spanish rally driver, who has participated in seven editions of the Dakar to her credit.
According to Denis Le Vot, CEO of Dacia, the company wants to use its participation in the Dakar as a sort of laboratory to demonstrate the robustness and safety of its vehicles, combining a real study of the use of synthetic fuels (in fact they will use those produced by Aramco ). In reality Dacia wants to take advantage of the economic moment, which is leading to a generalized increase in car prices and which is benefiting it from the point of view of sales, to increase its brand awareness. Users recognize them as having a particularly advantageous quality/price ratio, and this has meant that for two years they have been among the top three car manufacturers in Europe. The Sandero compact crossover is even the best-selling car on our continent.
The most famous race in the world
The Dakar is a unique race in the world: it has been held for over 40 years (it was previously called Paris-Dakar), it brings together more than 60 nationalities and 50 riders in an event that is unparalleled. This year the rally covered a total distance of over 8,500 km, of which 4,700 km of special stages and was won by Nasser Al-Attiyah, in a Toyota Hilux. It was also valid as the first round of the 2023 Rally Raid World Championship.
He team
Sébastien Loeb needs very little introduction: the 49-year-old Frenchman won the World Rally Championship nine times in a row from 2004 to 2012 and is considered one of the greatest rally drivers of all time. He has been participating in the Dakar since 2016 and has climbed several podiums, without ever reaching the top step. He will have as co-driver the Belgian Fabian Lurquin, his partner for the last two years.
Cristina Gutierrez Herrero is instead a Spanish rally driver. She was the first Spanish woman to finish the Dakar in 2017 and at the age of 31, she already has seven participations in the Dakar between 2017 and 2023. Cristina has also been champion of the women’s category of all terrain rallies in Spain since 2012.
Car still shrouded in mystery
Dacia has not provided any indication at the moment on which car it will use in the Dakar (it will be revealed next year) but it is known that it will use a synthetic fuel produced by Aramco, a world specialist in the energy and chemical products sector. The synthetic fuel solutions provided by Aramco are produced by combining renewable hydrogen with captured CO2, resulting in a low-carbon fuel compatible with today’s engines. Before taking up the challenge of the 2025 season, the Dacia prototypes will be put to the test as early as 2024 in the test phases of the Morocco Rally.