To prepare for its second Dakar Rally, the Dacia Sandrider underwent a rigorous weight loss regimen that would put CrossFit to shame (probably).

Ahead of 2026, Dacia focused on reducing the car’s weight and improving reliability. The latter was imperative as the team had struggled with cooling issues during the 2025 season.

To achieve these, lighter body panels were introduced along with a redesigned rear section that removes the trunk assembly and adds a new rear panel. On the cooling side, a new air intake and snorkel system was added specifically for Dakar, the air filter box was moved, and the rear radiator grille was tweaked in design to account for blockages. Foam filter has also been added for the front grille to reduce the amount of sand that gets into the fan.

New, faster fan motors are installed in addition to a water-cooled DC-to-DC converter (direct current) to allow for cooling without relying just on airflow. A helmet cooling system is also available if the driver wishes.

Other changes include removing the headlight LED housing to improve forward visibility, strenghtening the LED’s spotlight for driving at night, strengthening the upper wishbone in the suspension and updating the front prop shaft design for improved durability, and reducing the clamp-load clutch unit. The engine software, connecting rods, and torque meter have also received updates to comply with FIA rules.

“Back then, we faced some issues with the radiators and cooling system because the car was still very new in its development phase,” Sébastien Loeb stated. “The overall performance was strong, but a few reliability problems held us back. These have now been solved thanks to the excellent work carried out by the whole team throughout the 2025 W2RC season.

“On top of that, we won Rallye du Maroc last October, the traditional dress rehearsal for the Dakar, so I’d say we couldn’t be better prepared or more confident heading into this year’s event. We know the Dakar is long and complex, with challenges every single day.”

Dacia narrowly missed out on the championship in 2025 with Nasser Al-Attiyah. He, Loeb, and Cristina Gutiérrez are joined by defending champ Lucas Moraes for 2026.

Featured image credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI / ASO