After Ford, another name is added to the list of manufacturers who have found their future in the Dakar. Dacia will make its debut in the most famous rally in the world starting from the 2025 edition, with the 2024 season dedicated to car development.
The Romanian company, belonging to the Renault Group, announced on Monday its entry into what represents one of the toughest and most legendary challenges in the world of motorsport. During the press conference in which it presented the project and illustrated its plans, Dacia also confirmed the technical partners and the drivers who will make up the team.
“It is a natural testing ground for new engines and driving solutions, but what people may not know is that yesterday’s Dakar is no longer today’s Dakar. It is becoming a laboratory for low-carbon mobility, a commitment called Dakar Future, precisely to open a new path. And this is Dacia’s Mission”, explained Denis Le Vot, manager of the Mioveni house, underlining how important this new sustainable path is for the brand.
“It’s not just about developing the accessible electrified mobility of tomorrow, but about exporting the group’s combustion and hybrid solutions. We will also continue to work on something low carbon alternative, that’s why we will participate in the Dakar with the sustainable fuels provided by Aramco, which are highly environmentally friendly. Our ambition is to embody the future of the low emission combustion engine, and this fits perfectly with the Dakar Future, which is why we are so excited. It’s a responsible challenge.”
“Another reason we participate is that this race looks like us, Dacia’s DNA adapts to the Dakar and vice versa. Dakar is a unique adventure. The race is a human, sporting and technical adventure, and Dacia is an adventure too , so we go where we don’t expect, we open our own path, and the three characteristics of the brand are perfectly suited to these challenges, our cars are solid and robust, made to be outdoors”.
To face this new adventure, Dacia has started a collaboration with Prodrive, a company that has already taken part in the Dakar on other occasions, while as far as sustainable fuels are concerned, the technical partner will be Aramco, already involved in various competitions such as Formula 1 and related preparatory categories.
Denis Le Vot did not want to reveal the technical details of the car, which will be presented at the beginning of 2024, when an intense test program will begin which aims to bring the team to a complete preparation before the big debut the following year.
“Dacia makes choices, when we do something, we do it well. We have worked hard to bring everyone together, the riders, the team, the team that will be in charge of developing the car. We don’t participate to get to fifth or sixth place,” explained Le Vot when asked about the brand’s goals.
Sebastien Loeb during the 2022 edition of the Dakar
Photo by: ASO
As for the drivers, Dacia’s CEO confirmed that the car will be driven by two motorsport excellences, namely Sébastien Loeb and Cristina Gutiérrez. Both have already taken part in the latest editions of the most famous Rally in the world and will join a project on which they will work closely. A collaboration that, in reality, Loeb and Gutierrez have already experienced closely in the Extreme E championship dedicated to electric SUVs, where they spent two years together in Lewis Hamilton’s team, winning the title in the second season.
The WRC legend will therefore leave the Bahrain Raid Xtrem team, with the aim of dedicating himself full-time to the Dacia project: “I’m very happy, the Dakar is now my main goal, I’ve done it six or seven times, some times on the podium, but never in first place, so I hope to fight for the win, and with the support of Dacia, with a real project from a car manufacturer, that’s excellent news for me. I’m sure we’ll do great things together.” Accompanying the Frenchman in this adventure will be Fabian Lurquin, already co-driver in the last two editions.
Cristina Gutierrez is also enthusiastic, who will thus continue an adventure in rallies that has been going on for seven years now, especially in the light prototype category: “I want to thank Dacia for welcoming me. I think it’s the best moment of my career, I’m sure I’ll do my best to give this brand the best results, to give some wonderful memories”.
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