History in the desert: Dacia won the 2026 Dakar Rally!
Dacia writes history in the sands of Arabia: Legendary victory at the 2026 Dakar Rally
January 17, 2026 will remain engraved in the Romanian sports calendar as the day when the "tricolor" waved on the highest step of the podium in the toughest rally in the world. The Dacia Sandriders factory team achieved the impossible, winning the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally and demonstrating that engineering, courage and vision can break down the traditional barriers of motorsport.
Nasser Al-Attiyah: The man of records, now under the colors of Dacia
The hero of this edition is, without a doubt, Nasser Al-Attiyah. At 55 years old, the Qatari has consolidated his status as a living legend, achieving his 6th overall victory in Dakar. The performance is all the more remarkable as Nasser managed to win with four different brands, a testament to his incredible adaptability:
- Volkswagen (2011)
- Mini (2015)
- Toyota (2019, 2022, 2023)
- Dacia (2026)
This is also Al-Attiyah's first major victory alongside his co-driver, Belgian Fabian Lurquin, confirming that their partnership is an unshakable one in the face of the gigantic dunes and rocky terrain of Saudi Arabia.
Podium and rivalry with Ford
The victory was not an easy one. Dacia Sandriders had to face constant pressure from the Ford factory team. Nani Roma, seconded by Alex Haro, was the Qatari's main pursuer, finishing in an honorable second place. The podium was completed by his Ford teammate, Mattias Ekström, marking a close battle between the two automotive giants over the course of more than 8,000 kilometers.
The collective performance of the Dacia Sandriders team
Dacia's success was not limited to first place. The entire fleet of Sandrider prototypes demonstrated exceptional reliability and pure speed:
- Sébastien Loeb and Édouard Boulanger: The legendary French driver finished in 4th place, one step away from the podium after an excellent tactical race.
- Lucas Moraes: The newcomer to the Dacia team confirmed expectations, ranking 7th on his debut under the colors of the Mioveni brand.
- Cristina Gutiérrez: The only female presence in the top Dacia team finished in a solid 11th place, demonstrating once again why she is considered one of the best female drivers in the world.
A select club: Dacia enters the “Dakar Pantheon”
This was only the second official participation of the Dacia team in the Dakar Rally, a meteoric rise that left behind names with decades of experience. With this triumph, Dacia joins an exclusive group of manufacturers that have managed to tame the desert.
Dakar Rally Champions Pantheon (Car Class)
| Manufacturer | Country of Origin | Status in Dakar History |
| Dacia | Romania | The newest entry into the global elite (2026) |
| Audi | Germany | Pioneer of hybrid technology in the desert |
| Toyota | Japan | The modern symbol of reliability and endurance |
| Mini | Great Britain | Absolute dominance during the South American era |
| Volkswagen | Germany | Powerhouse of high-performance diesel engines |
| Mitsubishi | Japan | The all-time record holder (12 total victories) |
| Peugeot | France | Legend of the '80s and the modern era (2016-2018) |
| Citroën | France | The dominant force of the early 1990s |
| Porsche | Germany | Sports innovation adapted for extreme off-road |
| Mercedes-Benz | Germany | Winner of the classic African editions |
| Renault | France | One of the first major manufacturers on the podium |
| Land Rover | Great Britain | Winner of the very first official edition (1979) |
| Schlesser | France | The only private constructor to defeat factory teams |
What's next for the "Sandriders"?
The 2026 victory is not just a trophy in the Mioveni showcase, but a validation of the ambitious project that relied on simplicity, robustness and synthetic fuels. Dacia has proven that it can defeat technological giants on the most hostile terrain in the world.