The Dacia Sandriders had every reason to rejoice at the conclusion of the 2025 Rallye du Maroc. Not only did Sébastien Loeb and navigator Édouard Boulanger deliver a masterful performance to repeat the team’s victory from a year ago, but Boulanger also secured the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship for Navigators for a second consecutive season—a remarkable achievement in the highly competitive world of rally-raids.
After five days of punishing competition across the vast Sahara Desert, Loeb and Boulanger crossed the finish line in style, reclaiming the Rallye du Maroc crown. Loeb’s victory came after he surged ahead on Wednesday’s third stage, demonstrating both strategic precision and the relentless pace that has come to define The Dacia Sandriders’ approach. This triumph marked Loeb’s second win in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) and the team’s third in total, cementing the Sandriders as a dominant force in the sport.
For Boulanger, 46, the season had already been extraordinary. Beginning as Nasser Al-Attiyah’s co-driver at February’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the French navigator claimed first place with the Qatari star before switching alliances to join Loeb ahead of Rally-Raid Portugal. A podium finish there, followed by the Morocco victory, was enough to secure Boulanger the coveted FIA title, showcasing his adaptability and mastery across two of the season’s toughest events.
A Season of Highs and Heartbreaks
While the Dacia team celebrated, Nasser Al-Attiyah faced disappointment. The Qatari was poised to claim a fourth consecutive FIA World Rally-Raid Championship for Drivers but fell short by just nine points after a one-hour penalty for missing a stage checkpoint relegated him to runner-up. Co-driver Fabian Lurquin finished fourth in the navigators’ standings, leaving Al-Attiyah and his team with a bitterly close miss in a season otherwise full of promise.
Meanwhile, the rising talents of Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno impressed in the third sustainable-fuel Dacia Sandrider, finishing ninth overall in the Ultimate category. For Gutiérrez, in only her fourth appearance at this elite level, the rally provided invaluable experience ahead of the Dakar Rally—considered the pinnacle of cross-country motorsport.
Voices from the Sahara
Cristina Gutiérrez reflected on the experience: “It was a huge opportunity to drive in Morocco because it was the perfect race to train for the Dakar. I am very happy and congratulations to all the team, the engineers, mechanics, staff, everyone who is making an incredible job… I’m very happy to head to the Dakar like this.”
Loeb praised the teamwork and preparation, saying, “We had a good rhythm since the beginning of the rally, no mistakes, no problems. Édouard is the world champion navigator… he deserved it and did a great job here. This rally is good preparation for the Dakar also, we were here also for that, to prepare for Dakar. At the moment, everything is going very well.”
Boulanger, modest yet proud, added: “World champion sounds very good, second time in a row. This year was special for all of us at The Dacia Sandriders… For preparing for Dakar, we cannot ask for more. We have the feeling that the job is well done.”
Rallye du Maroc: The Numbers
- Titles: 1 (Édouard Boulanger)
- Event Wins: 2 (Nasser Al-Attiyah 1, Sébastien Loeb 1)
- Event Podiums: 3
- Stage Wins: 13 (Al-Attiyah 10, Loeb 3)
Stage five, covering 249km of timed competition and 99.6km of liaison, saw Loeb and Boulanger clocking 2h44m39s, while Gutiérrez and Moreno finished just 51 seconds behind in 2h45m30s. Al-Attiyah and Lurquin struggled through challenges to finish the stage in 3h40m01s.
Eyes on the Dakar
With Morocco behind them, The Dacia Sandriders are now focused on the 2026 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia (3–17 January), the opening round of the new FIA World Rally-Raid Championship season. Following Dakar, the team will tackle Rally-Raid Portugal, Argentina’s Desafio Ruta 40, Rallye du Maroc, and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, each event presenting fresh opportunities to extend the team’s legacy.
For Loeb, Boulanger, and the Dacia Sandriders, Morocco was both a celebration of past triumphs and a prelude to new challenges—a reminder that in rally-raids, every finish line is just the beginning.
