Lucas Cruz has been awarded the III Honorary Distinction by the organization of Club Cuenca Motor 4x4. With this recognition, the club aims to honour the outstanding career of the elite Spanish co-driver, his commitment to the sport, and his participation in the Rally TT Cuenca.
An IT engineer by profession, Lucas Cruz began his sporting career in 1994 in the Catalonia Rally Championship. Six years later, in 2001, he achieved his first major victory in the Spanish Rally Championship as co-driver to Txus Jaio, with whom he went on to secure further national titles in the gravel series. That same year, he made his Dakar debut in the car category alongside José Luis Monterde, winning the rookie and amateur class. In 2006, he returned to the Dakar as part of the Volkswagen team, driving a fast assistance truck.
Following those initial experiences in African rallying, his big breakthrough came in 2007 when the official Mitsubishi team signed him to partner Nani Roma. He would go on to co-drive for Roma in two Dakar editions, marking the beginning of his rise in the world’s toughest rally.
As a seasoned and highly respected Dakar competitor, Cruz has also played a key role in route navigation, contributing to the roadbooks for drivers such as Nasser Al-Attiyah and Carlos Sainz. He partnered Sainz for ten years, a period during which they secured four Dakar victories together, along with two third-place finishes.
Renowned for his technical expertise and strategic mindset, Cruz has been a decisive figure in Dakar navigation, consistently demonstrating his ability to manage complex long-distance rally scenarios.
After a long and successful partnership with Carlos Sainz, Lucas Cruz is now focused on family life while evaluating the next steps in his sporting career.
At the Baja TT Cuenca, Cruz will take part in the ceremonial start on Friday, May 8, held on Carretería Street. Over the following days, he will also attend and follow the race across its stages and tracks.
Lucas Cruz will officially receive the III Cuenca Honorary Distinction on May 10 during the awards ceremony of the Baja TT Cuenca and the XII Rally TT.
Source: Cuenca Motor official press release
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