The Dacia Sandriders team confirms its status as a dominant force in the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). After the second special stage of the Rally of Portugal, the legendary Sebastien Loeb took the lead, on a day marked by cross-border crossings, close duels with Toyota and unforeseen incidents.
The second stage of the Rally Portugal was the “trial by fire” of the competition so far. With an impressive timed section of 377 kilometers, the route took competitors from the wet landscape of the Portuguese town of Grândola to across the border in the Spanish city of Badajoz. It was a test of contrasts: from fast sections through waterlogged forests, to technical and arid areas towards the end of the day.
The crew of Sebastien Loeb and Edouard Boulanger demonstrated surgical precision. The Frenchman set the fastest time of the day, 9 seconds faster than his direct rival, Guy Botterill (Toyota). This performance propelled the pair to first place in the general classification, 40 seconds ahead of Botterill and 53 seconds ahead of American Seth Quintero.
"The feeling behind the wheel of the Dacia Sandrider was excellent. We attacked in the technical sectors and were cautious in the fast areas to maintain the pace. It was a very close battle," said Loeb, who however highlighted the challenge of "opening up" the route in the next stage, a phenomenon that usually penalises the leader due to the uncleaned surface.
For Brazilian Lucas Moraes, the stage was a mix of adrenaline and critical moments. Although he rode at a pace that could have placed him on the podium for the day, a small miscalculation in a narrow area caused him to hit a tree.
Despite the impact, the Sandrider's robustness allowed him to finish the event in fourth place, moving up to fifth overall, 3 minutes and 20 seconds behind Loeb. "We'll try again tomorrow, hopefully without trees in the way," Moraes joked at the end of the day, confident in the car's potential.
While Loeb had a near-perfect day, multiple champion Nasser Al-Attiyah had a difficult start to the rally. A one-minute penalty for speeding, combined with an uninspired choice of suspension setup, left the Qatari in seventh place overall.
With a gap of over 6 minutes to the leader, Al-Attiyah decided to return to last year's settings to regain control of the car on the unstable surfaces, his focus remaining on the precious points for the overall world championship standings.
| Position | Driver | Team / Manufacturer | Gap to Leader |
| 1 | Sebastien Loeb | Dacia Sandriders | Leader |
| 2 | Guy Botterill | Toyota | +0:40 |
| 3 | Seth Quintero | Toyota | +0:53 |
| 5 | Lucas Moraes | Dacia Sandriders | +3:20 |
| 7 | Nasser Al-Attiyah | Dacia Sandriders | +6:12 |
The rally remains on Spanish soil for the third special stage. The competitors will face a 296-kilometre timed section, starting and finishing in Badajoz. It will be the ultimate test of navigation for Loeb, who will have to manage his role as the "pathfinder" in the face of the Toyota armada's offensive.