"It is now a matter of maintaining that momentum."
Crew facts
L.M.
- After a string of very strong results “back home” in South America, Lucas Moraes’ 2023 Dakar debut was eagerly anticipated. But the Brazilian driver surpassed even the highest expectations by actually finishing on the podium, just behind rally raid royalty: Nasser Al Attiyah and Sebastien Loeb.
- With more experience under his belt, Lucas was even more hotly tipped for the 2024 Dakar and living up to expectations until the penultimate day, when a suspension issue knocked him off the virtual podium.
- He was also unlucky on the second round of the W2RC when their car was completely destroyed by fire, but finished the 2024 season in 3rd place.
- In 2025, Moraes confirmed his consistency and speed with several podiums and stage wins throughout the season, eventually becoming FIA World Rally-Raid Champion with navigator Armand Monleon. The accolade came 34 years after the last of the three world titles won in Formula 1 by Ayrton Senna, who has always been a source of inspiration for him.
- For 2026, the Brazilian joins The Dacia Sandriders, teaming up with German navigator Dennis Zenz to take on a new challenge, alongside Sébastien Loeb, Nasser Al Attiyah and Cristina Gutierrez.
- Dennis Zenz comes from a family of motorsport fans and started karting as a seven-year-old. He got his first experience of being a co-driver at 13 and decided to continue down that road.
- He has memories of going to see the WRC in Germany as a boy and trying to get autographs from stars like reigning Dakar champion Carlos Sainz.
- At 16 he began racing officially in the German rally championship and has spent more than 15 years competing on the national and European rally scene.
- He met Seth Quintero at the airport on the way to the Andalucia Rally in 2020, where they both made their rally-raid debut. They competed together for five consecutive seasons, collecting numerous stage wins and the 2023 W2RC T3 title.
- After their separation following the 2025 South African Rally, Zenz joined The Dacia Sandriders to form a new pairing with Lucas Moraes. Together, they will represent Dacia in the Ultimate class from 2026, aiming for top results.
Ambition
L.M.: “The main goal is clear: arrive competitive from day one and fight for the top. We know Dakar is a long game. Consistency, teamwork, and strategy matter as much as raw speed, but I’m here to help build this new project at the front of rally-raid. For our very first Dakar together, a strong, clean race and a result that shows Dacia belongs among the top factory teams would already be a huge step. And of course… once you’ve tasted the podium, you always want to be back there. Dennis is great. Extremely professional, calm, and detail-oriented. I hope we can build a strong partnership, on and off the car, and I’m sure it will be a key part of delivering results for the team. It’s always a big transition when you move to a new car at this level, but it’s also exciting. I’ve started working closely with the engineers and the whole technical group to understand the Sandrider’s characteristics. The first tests were amazing, and the car is fantastic to drive. Of course, every kilometer we do together will make us stronger. What makes this project special is the ambition and the structure behind it. You feel the energy, the hunger, and the humility to work step by step. It’s a young project, but with a strong foundation, and that combination is powerful. When you win a World Championship, you naturally raise the expectations around you, that’s normal, and it’s a pressure I embrace. But the biggest feeling is confidence. This season proved to me and to everyone that we can compete at the highest level and win. Now it’s about carrying that momentum, staying focused, and helping Dacia to win.”
D.Z.: “With Lucas I’ve been teammates for the last year and a half and I really liked his dedication to the sport, his vision and mentality for perfection. With Dacia I believe we’ve got a very strong package that will allow us to perform at our very best. I’m really positively surprised by the team’s momentum, everyone gives 110%, and the atmosphere is fantastic. Lucas and I have a very similar work attitude. We speak straight and honest, and it didn’t take us long to understand what the other one needs. For our first outing in the car, it felt like home. I really liked everything, and I think we can be very optimistic for the future. The Dacia Sandrider gave us a really good first impression. You can feel the input from Nasser, Seb and Cris, it’s a car designed to perform at the maximum thanks to a top-level engineering team. I’m really happy to join this strong and amazing team of Sandriders. We’re all working toward one goal: to win. Everyone is fully committed, and it’s not just about the crews in the cars but the whole team. We’re thankful for every single person involved. A win for Dacia, that’s what we’re here for. But Dakar writes its own rules. The goal is to stay clean every day, avoid mistakes, nail the navigation and take care of the car. If everything comes together, we know we have a car to win. Let’s make it happen!”
