Following Dacia's decision to withdraw from the World Rally-Raid Championship at the end of the season, Prodrive, the British company that has managed Dacia's factory program from the beginning, has begun negotiations with two to three different car manufacturers for the 2027 Dakar Rally. Prodrive director David Richards confirmed this to Motorsport.com.
Richards: We may make an announcement at the end of the summer.
Dacia, part of the Renault Group, announced it would end its cross-country rally program shortly after Nasser Al-Attiyah won the 48th Dakar Rally in January. The project, initially planned to last three years, was terminated prematurely due to extensive changes in Renault's motorsport strategy. Prodrive was informed of this decision several months prior.
Richards said the following regarding future plans: “We are currently in talks with two or three manufacturers on this matter. We are working on a long-term plan. Our partnership with Jaguar Land Rover on the Defender program will continue for many years, but we are also looking for a manufacturer to replace Dacia in the short and long term. We are not yet in a position to share it publicly; but I hope we can announce our 2027 Dakar plan towards the end of summer, and the long-term program by the end of the year.”
The current Sandrider may be used under a different manufacturer's name.
As part of Dacia's preparations for its entry into the 2025 Dakar Rally, Prodrive had completely redesigned the Hunter vehicle competing in the Bahrain Raid Xtreme, practically building a prototype from scratch. Richards stated that the existing Sandrider could be adapted to the requirements of a new manufacturer, significantly shortening the time.
“Now that there’s a formula involved, the car essentially remains the same no matter who you produce it for,” said Richards, adding: “There might be some technical differences, but only the body design changes. So the car we’re using now can be converted into a car for any manufacturer.” Richards also described the Sandrider as a ‘race car for the desert’ and stated that the performance ceiling has largely been reached: “We are very close to maximum performance within the current regulations; there is limited room for improvement.”
Names like Al-Attiyah and Loeb are in the shadows.
Prodrive's decision regarding its manufacturing partner will directly impact the future of the drivers in its lineup. Dacia has included drivers like Nasser Al-Attiyah, Sebastien Loeb, Lucas Moraes, and Cristina Gutierrez in the 2026 Dakar Rally. Their roles in the 2027 program will depend on the outcome of the new partnership negotiations.