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French rally raid co-driver Lucie Baud is making her mark in one of motorsport’s most grueling disciplines—racing alongside her father, Lionel, through the world’s harshest deserts in pursuit of podiums and proving grounds.

EARLY YEARS

Growing up French in a family deeply embedded in precision manufacturing—her father Lionel runs Baud Industries, a prominent décolletage and machining company—Lucie was surrounded by engineering excellence and exacting standards from the start. The family business, founded in 1978 and employing 500 people with €100 million in annual turnover, specializes in high-precision bar turning at its Vougy, Haute-Savoie plant. But while the Baud name meant industrial prowess to some, for Lucie it also meant adventure. Her father wasn’t just a businessman; he was a rally raid competitor, and that world of dust, danger, and determination became her playground.

OTHER INTERESTS

When she’s not strapped into the navigator’s seat getting pummeled across rocky desert stages, Lucie enjoys hiking—a fitting counterbalance to the chaos of rally raid. It’s a quieter pursuit that still demands endurance, navigation skills, and an appreciation for rugged terrain, all qualities that translate directly to her day job calling pace notes at 150 kilometers per hour.

EARLY SUCCESS

Lucie began navigating for her father in rally raid events, cutting her teeth in the unforgiving world of cross-country rallying where one wrong instruction can mean hours lost or worse. The father-daughter pairing quickly proved they had chemistry both on and off the course. By 2023, they were competing in major World Rally-Raid Championship events, racing a MINI JCW Rally 3.0d prepared by the legendary X-raid team. That year, they claimed a remarkable first-place finish at the Rallye du Maroc, a punishing multi-day event through Morocco’s deserts that serves as the final major shakedown before Dakar. They also notched a fourth-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, establishing themselves as serious contenders in the T3.1 category and beyond.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2023: 1st place, Rallye du Maroc, co-pilot of Lionel Baud[1].
• 2023: 4th place, Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, co-pilot of Lionel Baud[2].
• 2024: 17th place overall, Rallye du Maroc, co-pilot of Lionel Baud[3].
• 2025: 17th place T1 Ultimate class, 22nd place overall, Dakar Rally, co-pilot of Lionel Baud[4].
• 2025: 15th place, Rally Raid Portugal, co-pilot of Lionel Baud[5].
• 2025: 8th place, Qatar International Baja, co-pilot of Lionel Baud[6].
• 2025: 1st place, Morocco Desert Challenge, co-pilot of Lionel Baud—taking control by the second day and holding the lead through to the finish[7].

INSPIRATIONS

Information about Lucie’s specific inspirations is not available from the research provided. What is clear, however, is that her partnership with her father has been both her entry point and her foundation. Racing with Lionel means navigating not just the terrain but also the complexities of a family business empire and a shared competitive drive. In interviews, she’s expressed a clear motivation: “I want to know I can do the most difficult rally-raid race.” That’s Dakar, and she’s already done it—multiple times.

REPUTATION

Lucie has earned respect in the rally raid paddock for her steady improvement and her ability to perform under extreme pressure. Competing in the World Rally-Raid Championship requires not just technical navigation skills but also mental toughness, physical endurance, and the ability to stay calm when everything is going sideways—literally. Her navigation skills have been noted as improving “tremendously,” and the Baud team has fine-tuned their MINI JCW Rally 3.0d to their specific needs, a process that speaks to both Lionel’s engineering mindset and Lucie’s ability to communicate what she needs from the car and the roadbook. The duo is known for their consistency and their heart—racing with passion, fighting spirit, and a refusal to back down even when the stages get brutal. Their strong results in Morocco, Portugal, and at Dakar have positioned them as a team to watch, and Lucie’s presence as a female co-driver in a heavily male-dominated field adds another layer to her growing reputation.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Lucie and Lionel are confirmed for the 2026 Dakar Rally, continuing their partnership with X-raid and the MINI JCW Rally 3.0d. Ahead of Dakar 2026, they’re slated to compete in the Qatar International Baja as part of their preparation. The X-raid team has emphasized their commitment to getting back to the top of the world’s toughest rally, and the Bauds are a key part of that lineup. With multiple strong finishes under their belt and a stated goal of tackling the most difficult rally raid race in the world, Lucie is focused on continued improvement, more podiums, and proving she belongs at the sharp end of the field.

REFERENCES

Lucie Baud – X-raid Team
I Want to Know I Can Do the Most Difficult Rally-Raid Race – Paddock Sorority
Rallye du Maroc: Strong final rehearsal for Lionel and Lucie Baud – X-raid Team
Rally Raid Portugal: Baud Family with top result – X-raid Team
Victory and position five at the Morocco Desert Challenge – X-raid Team
Yacopini and Oliveras storm through final stage to earn maiden victory – FIA
X-raid Dakar Line-up 2026: “No Limits” – Back to the top of the world’s toughest rally – X-raid Team
BAUD Industries – Société de décolletage et usinage de précision
BAUD INDUSTRIES – La French Fab
2025 Dakar Rally – Wikipedia