Rudi Garcia Visits Loeb’s BRX Team and Inspects Dakar Rally Car After Eighth Stage Success

Following the eighth stage of the 2023 Dakar Rally from Al Duwadimi to Riyadh, Rudi Garcia, the manager of Cristiano Ronaldo’s newly-formed Saudi Pro League team Al Nassr, paid a special visit to the BRX team. On Sunday evening, Garcia presented a commemorative shirt to Sébastien Loeb in recognition of his achievements during the rally.

Garcia took a moment to step into the cockpit of Loeb’s BRX Prodrive Hunter, the very vehicle in which Loeb, alongside co-driver Fabian Lurquin, had just secured their second stage victory of the 45th Dakar Rally.

This marked a remarkable achievement as the team had managed to finish in the top ten for the fourth consecutive day, with Guerlain Chicherit and Alex Winocq securing sixth place and Vaidotas Zala with Paulo Fiuza taking tenth.

Loeb’s victory on the eighth stage demonstrated a serious recovery from previous setbacks, including a series of punctures and challenges that had previously hindered his final standing.

With a rest day on the horizon, Loeb is set to refocus on his goal of securing additional stage wins and World Rally-Raid Championship points as the rally resumes with a 358-kilometer stage from Riyadh to Haradh.

Looking ahead, both Chicherit, who had won the stage earlier in the week, and Zala are also poised to vie for stage victories as the rally continues its grueling 8,550-kilometer course towards the finish line in Dammam.

The BRX team, comprising 67 members, is dedicated to advancing sustainable motorsport solutions. The Prodrive Hunters in use are powered by EcoPower biofuel from Coryton, which offers an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to traditional petrol fuels.