Rally driver Sébastien Loeb switches co-pilots in the ongoing Dakar race
Sébastien Loeb, the nine-time World Rally Champion, is making a significant change to his team ahead of the upcoming Dakar Rally. Édouard Boulanger, previously Nasser Al-Attiyah's co-pilot, will replace Fabian Lurquin as Loeb's navigator.
Dacia Team Principal Tiphanie Isnard believes that the new pairings will bring energy, stability, and confidence to the team. The synergy between the driver and the navigator is considered essential, and the change is expected to help the team approach the next stages with more determination and ambition.
Lurquin, meanwhile, is moving to team up with Al-Attiyah. This change is due to a lack of success with their previous partners, as Loeb and Lurquin had a navigation error in the Dakar Rally that cost them a podium finish.
Loeb, who is yet to win the Dakar Rally after nine participations, is hoping that working with a new co-pilot may bring new insights and approaches to navigational errors. Boulanger, known for his expertise, is expected to provide just that.
The new associations will be effective from the Portuguese round of the World Rally-Raid Championship next week. Before the Dakar, the two new duos, Loeb and Boulanger, and Al-Attiyah and Lurquin, will have two races to find their rhythm.
Loeb and Lurquin last competed together in the Rally-Raid World Championship before the 2025 season, with Lurquin staying as navigator for Al-Attiyah for the rest of the season and the Dakar Rally in January 2026. Despite their efforts, they did not achieve success together.
Isnard anticipates that the new dynamics may reveal themselves as the season progresses. The change in co-pilots is a strategic move by Dacia, aiming to boost the team's performance in the upcoming Dakar Rally.
Loeb and Al-Attiyah, both veterans in the rally-raid world, are eager to start again on a good basis after their struggles in previous events. They are hopeful that the new partnerships will lead them to their long-awaited victories.
