THE DACIA SANDRIDERS TOP PORTUGAL PROLOGUE WITH AL-ATTIYAH FASTEST

First to tackle the tight and twisty layout in Grândola, Al-Attiyah took 5m02.9s to complete the 5.03 km route in his Dacia Sandrider, recording a time that was three seconds faster than his closest competitor. As a result, the Qatari will get first choice when road positions are selected for Stage 1 tomorrow (Wednesday).

But with hanging dust and a deteriorating road surface to contend with, Sébastien Loeb and Édouard Boulanger had to settle for the fifth fastest time due to the challenging conditions. The Frenchman reported he almost had to stop in the stage on one occasion because of the limited visibility.

Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno, starting their first FIA World Rally-Raid Championship event since January’s Dakar Rally, were restricted to the 23rd fastest time after a rear driveshaft failed on the increasingly rutted surface.

Rally-Raid Portugal starts in earnest tomorrow (Wednesday) with Stage 1 running over a timed distance of 297 kilometres starting and finishing from the Grândola Bivouac. The stage is split into two and includes several asphalt sections to increase the challenge facing The Dacia Sandriders and its rivals.

KEY QUOTES

NASSER AL-ATTIYAH (QATAR), DRIVER, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS

The Prologue was fantastic, we start first and we win the stage. This was our plan and, like last year, we did the same Prologue and we win. Now we can choose a good road position. We won’t be opening but we also won’t be too far behind because of the dust. Our Dacia Sandrider is working very well and we try to do our best.

CRISTINA GUTIÉRREZ (SPAIN), DRIVER, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS

It was not easy with the dust and with one-minute gaps it’s super-difficult in these conditions. We tried to manage as everyone did, but the biggest problem was the broken rear driveshaft. We drive in front-wheel drive all the time in sand. We tried to survive and keep focused for tomorrow because it’s when the real race starts.

SÉBASTIEN LOEB (FRANCE), DRIVER, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS

There was a lot of dust and the road was deteriorating a lot with the big ruts. It’s easy to roll the car in these conditions so I didn’t want to make a big mistake at the start of the rally. It was tricky but we did it with the fifth fastest time so it’s not too bad.

FABIAN LURQUIN (BELGIUM), NAVIGATOR, THE DACIA SANDRIDERS

The prologue went well and, with only five kilometres, it was quite fast. It’s always a good thing to win it, as it gives us the advantage of choosing our starting position. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to begin this rally. Of course, when you get in the car with Nasser, the goal is to win. But this is a very demanding rally, with strong competition, and everything can come down to small details. Here, even more than elsewhere, we’ll need to be precise, avoid making mistakes and make the most of Nasser’s speed.

RALLY-RAID PORTUGAL PROLOGUE RESULTS (UNOFFICIAL)

Grândola

Stage distance: 5.03km Liaison distance: 0.22km Total distance: 5.25km

1st: Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL), 5m02.9s

5th: Sébastien Loeb (FRA)/Édouard Boulanger (FRA), 5m09.2s

23rd: Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP)/Pablo Moreno (ESP), 5m38.5s

RALLY-RAID PORTUGAL: THE BIG NUMBER

3: The Dacia Sandriders is back to a three-strong team for Rally-Raid Portugal as it ramps up its preparations for January’s Dakar Rally. It contested the events in Abu Dhabi and South Africa with two entries.

THE DAY AHEAD: STAGE 1 (SS1/SS2), SEPTEMBER 24

The opening day of action on Wednesday September 24 takes crews southwest towards Beja on what organisers have described as “fast, winding dirt tracks” before a sandy section in the closing 30 kilometres prior to the overnight halt in Grândola. Uniquely, the stage is split into two parts, SS1 and SS2.

Stage distance: 297 km Liaison distance: 123.2km Total distance: 420.2km