The nine times rally world champion, Dacia’s official Dakar driver, accompanied us on the dirt roads of the Nasser Camp, the ranch of his teammate Al-Actiyah
When we think of Dakar and the challenges it entails, the first scenario that comes to mind is that of the desert: the charm of the dunes and the difficulty in dealing with them correctly. However, the ground that composes the path of a rally raid is much more varied and can include Fast, tortuous and very tight traitswhich approach much more to the characteristics of a stage of the WRC World Championship. This is precisely the scenario that can be found at the Nasser Camp, a sort of ranch that recalls (much bigger) that of Valentino Rossi in Tavullia, owned by the Qatarino driver Nasser al-Actiyah. Located in Castellfollit of the Boix, about 70 km from Barcelona on the Catalan hills, this “playground” includes several more or less long dirt roads and of different difficulties, which the landlord and the team Dacia Sandriders They use during the year to train and test in preparation for the stages of the Rally Raid World Championship.
Dacia Sandrider: how it is made
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The protagonist of the experience is the Dacia Sandriderthe prototype that debuted at the Morocco Rally with a victory in 2024, before ranks fourth at the Dakar 2025 in the hands of Al-Attiyah. Then came a victory at the Abbi Dhabi Desert Challenge and a second place in South Africa, which allow the Qatarino driver to lead the World Cup reserved for Rally Raid. Built to comply with class rules Ultimate T1+is equipped with a permanent 4×4 traction and a motor 3.0 V6 Biturbo 360 HP and 539 Nm of torque, while the gearbox is a six -speed sequential. The car uses Aramco synthetic fuel obtained by combining renewable hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Just this technology is one of the most interesting aspects that can also be transferred in the future to series cars. The bodywork provides compulsory measures in terms of width and step, respectively of 2,300 and 3,000 mm, while the length is contained in just 4,140 mm Thanks to the absence of front and rear changes, a solution that allows you to improve attack angles. The weight is of 2,010 kg Thanks to the elimination of unnecessary components: the line is so futuristic and minimalist. Sandrider travels on BF Goodrich tires with 17 “rims and double oscillating arm suspensions and helical spring.
The pilot
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To lead Dacia Sandrider on the seven kilometers of the Nasser Camp was Sébastien Loeba pilot who certainly needs no introduction. Nine times WRC world championthe 51 -year -old Alsatian still holds the record of titles today, all won consecutively between 2004 and 2012 with Citroën. Great enthusiast of all -round car, in his career he also boasts Two participations in the 24 hours of Le Mans In 2005 and 2006, the latter ended in second absolute place. also played Two complete seasons in the WTCC World Championship Reserved for tourism cars, in 2014 and 2015, closing both the third times in the championship, as well as several GT category races in the career with various victories in his name. But above all, he dedicated himself to off -road vehicle: he has won a title in Extreme e reserved for electrical vehicles and participated in several rally raid and Dakar in particular, addressed nine times between 2016 and 2025 with Three seconds and two third places.
Experience
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The Nasser Camp holding covers an area of over 200 hectares and includes different paths, which include a couple of short and faster short tracks and a longer one, from seven kilometerson which the experience on board the Sandrider led by Sébastien Loeb took place, lasting about six minutes. After a practically launched departure, the Alsatian pilot faced the first stretch at high speed, consisting of a narrow mule track surrounded by wheat fields and characterized by continuous changes of elevation and fast curves. Here the feeling was not too different from the one that feels on board a WRC, with the difference that the greater excursion of the suspensions more amazed the disconnection of the soil. In this case, it was the feeling of “comfort”, if we want, of the seat: compared to what is experienced on the track or on a rally car designed to travel short stages, maintain a good level of comfort It is essential in a car that has to face specials from over 500 km to Dakar. The agility of the car was tested by a stretch full of very narrow hairpin bends, almost 180 °: the behavior was not different from that of a WRC car, despite the weight here exceeds two tons. Finally, the most exciting part of the route was certainly the long jump of over 20 meters Arrived in the final part, faced at a speed of about 110 km/h: also here, the large excursion of the suspensions allowed to absorb the impact and not to suffer the consequences. In general, the tortuous track did not allow to express the maximum speed of the Sandrider to the maximum, but on the long and narrow straights in the middle of the fields they touched themselves tips of 127 km/h.
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