Lucas Moraes leaves Toyota to join Dacia in 2026

Lucas Moraes, the reigning FIA World Rally-Raid Championship champion, will leave Toyota Gazoo Racing to join Dacia Sandriders starting in the 2026 season. The Brazilian driver will race alongside German co-driver Dennis Zenz and will join a team that already features drivers of the caliber of Nasser Al-Attiyah, Sébastien Loeb, and Cristina Gutiérrez in a lineup expanded to four cars.

Moraes arrives from Toyota, where he was crowned World Rally-Raid Champion this year. He will join the already established pairings at Dacia: Cristina Gutiérrez and Pablo Moreno, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin, plus Sébastien Loeb and Édouard Boulanger.

Photo By Dacia

Moraes Arrives at His Sporting Peak

Moraes is at the peak of his sporting career. Last September, he was crowned W2RC 2025 champion with Toyota, becoming the first driver from his country to achieve this title. His season included victory at the Rally-Raid Portugal, which earned him decisive points for the championship.

Moraes debuted in the Dakar 2023 with an immediate podium finish, and the following year he became the first Brazilian driver to win a stage in the car category. Before his international leap, he had won three national titles in Brazil and won the Rally dos Sertões in 2024.

"I am incredibly happy and proud to join Dacia Sandriders for the Dakar Rally and the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship. It's a new chapter in my career, and I feel very motivated to represent such an ambitious project," stated Moraes.

Dennis Zenz Brings High-Level Navigation Experience

Co-driver Dennis Zenz arrives with solid rally-raid credentials. He guided Seth Quintero to a second-place finish in his class at the 2023 Dakar and subsequently achieved overall podiums at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge during 2024 and 2025.

"I am very happy to join Lucas Moraes and Dacia Sandriders from 2026. We will have a strong car, a great team, and four competitive crews, which shows the scale of Dacia's ambitions," commented Zenz.

Photo By Dacia

Dacia Bets on Expanding Its Competitive Structure

Tiphanie Isnard, team principal of Dacia Sandriders, explained the decision to expand to four cars: "Rally-raid has changed a lot over the past year; the competition has become more intense. Now victories are decided by seconds instead of minutes, especially thanks to the FIA's Balance of Performance system."

The team principal added that other manufacturers already use structures of four or more cars, so this expansion was necessary to maintain competitiveness.

Frank Marotte, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Dacia, linked the signing with long-term goals: "Winning the Dakar Rally in 2026 is part of our long-term ambitions. This vision aligns perfectly with the sporting direction we have taken."

Photo By Dacia

2026 W2RC Calendar Already Defined

The 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship will include five rounds: Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia (January 3-17), Rally-Raid Portugal (March 17-22), Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina (May 24-29), Rallye du Maroc (September 28 - October 3), and Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (November 22-27).