Dacia will appeal the disqualification of Sébastien Loeb (Autos)

Sébastien Loeb’s Dakar is well over, the commissioners having disqualified him this Tuesday evening after a report from the FIA ​​technical delegate stipulating that the roll bar of his Dacia Sandrider, affected in the rolls made by the Alsatian at the kilometer 12 of the 3rd stage of the test, did not offer sufficient security guarantees. Two hours after the announcement of this decision, Dacia announced its intention to appeal this sanction.

“Following the accident, a full inspection of the Dacia Sandrider No. 219 was carried out by technicians from The Dacia Sandriders under the supervision of the team’s technical director, Philip Dunabin, and from engineering consultant, David Lapworthwe can read in the press release. Following a report prepared by the FIA ​​technical delegate, representatives of the team were summoned to a stewards’ hearing. The Dacia Sandriders team said calculations were carried out to check the structure of the car’s roll bar and they concluded that a section of the structure, although deformed, is not an integral part of the solidity of the structure and therefore has no impact on the safety of the car. Although safety is always of paramount importance, Dacia Sandriders shares the disappointment of Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin following the stewards’ decision and has decided to appeal. »

As this appeal is not suspensive, the Dacia n°219 is not authorized to continue the race. It is the FIA ​​International Court of Appeal which will judge the case subsequently.