Day 1
HINWEIS: Das Video ist noch deaktiviert, damit keine unerwünschte Datenübertragung zu Youtube stattfindet. Zur Aktivierung bitte auf das Vorschaubild/Video-Link klicken. Damit werden Daten übermittelt, zu deren Art, Umfang und Verwendungszweck wir keineAuskünfte geben können.
NOTE: The video is still deactivated so that no unwanted data transfer to YouTube takes place. To activate, please click on the preview image / video link. This transmits data about the type, extent and purpose of which we cannot provide any information.
QUOTES
Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
„Yeah very fast stage – I think the average was about 100 kph – just full gas all the day. We knew it was going to be pretty straight line to get here. I saw at the refuelling that we were all very close together and that it wasn’t worth taking any big risks. Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit more technical with some more navigation. Finished second today a few seconds behind Ricky and then my teammates behind so that’s all good.“
Edgar Canet (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
„4th but really close to the other guys is a good result – a solid stage. I finish 1 minute 40 from Ricky which means I will start 9 minutes behind him tomorrow so in terms of strategy it worked out well. Not that I really calculated. To be honest the more I calculate the less well it goes. Just getting on the gas works for me!“
Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda HRC), winner in the bikes.
„Stage was good, a fast day. Spent a lot of it in the dust, but a good mixture of terrain, rocks, sand, river bed. It is only day one so lets keep pushing.“
Martim Ventura (Monster Energy Honda HRC), Rally2 winner.
„Good feeling at the beginning, taking no risks, just a nice flow. Then after refuelling I made some navigation mistakes. Overall happy with the day and we will build on that for the rest of the race.“
Matthieu Serradori (Century Racing Factory)
„We’ve had a brilliant day. We had an excellent starting position, but even so we had to give it our all because it was fast-paced and there were opportunities to make mistakes all over the place. We really pushed hard in the dunes, where we went on the attack. I overtook Variawa, Goczal and Al Rajhi. I really picked up the pace! Tomorrow we’ll dig deep and get the job done. Nasser, who started at the front today, only gained four minutes. That’s a small price to pay for starting in a very good position tomorrow. It’s up to us to do the same. We’re here to improve and test the relevant upgrades on the car. We’re faster than we were at the Dakar, that’s for sure.“
RADIO BIVOUAC : THE BIRTH OF THE „BABY ULTIMATES“
South Racing is making a triumphant return to the Challenger category at the Rallye OLA Energy du Maroc. Four new Maverick R Challengers with enclosed cockpits, just like proper cars, have been entered, split between the South Racing and QMMF. Scott Abraham compares them to „Baby Ultimates“. BBR, the outfit leading the Challenger class this season, hasn’t been caught off guard. Loïc Bonnevie has teamed up with Century Racing to create the Odyssey CRX, another Challenger with a closed cockpit making its debut this week.
Scott Abraham (South Racing Manager) :
„After winning the Challenger World Championship four times and three Dakars, we focused on the SSV category for the past 18 months. It’s been very successful on one side and there was a lot of demand from our customer base for us to come back into the Challenger category. So we’ve come out with a full carbon fibre bodied car, closed cabin, focusing a lot on driver comfort, ergonomics, especially the new 2027 seats. We’ve got four cars here and we have 15 cars in build at the moment. The Maverick R reminds you of the old T1 vehicles before the Ultimate category. I think this gives it a clear definition of positioning away from SSVs. But at the same time it still keeps the Can-Am DNA. One of the biggest selling points on this is the cost of running the vehicles. Except the carbon fibre body, it will be the same as the SSV category, substantially less compared to normal prototype vehicles. And also the good thing for every customer is that no matter where in the world they can go to BRP dealership network and buy the spare parts. So that’s given us a global reach.“
Loïc Bonnevie (Odyssey Academy by BBR Manager) :
„We have been working on the project to integrate the Can-Am Maverick R’s mechanical components into a genuine Challenger chassis for a year and a half. At the same time, we’ve been in discussions with Century Racing for three years to establish a partnership with an Ultimate team. We already had the bodywork design, but it was Century who handled all the technical layout and manufacturing. Together, we also revised the geometry, suspension and ergonomics of the car, drawing on their experience with the enclosed cockpit of the T1+. We designed it as a ‚mini Ultimate‘, easy to maintain in order to reduce running costs compared to the previous car. We wanted it to be appealing and accessible gentleman drivers. The major new feature is the steering wheel paddles combined with an electric gear lever, in the style of the T1+. So we have two ways of changing gears simultaneously – a first. We’ve recreated the T1+ driving environment, and I think it offers an affordable alternative for those starting out with a proper car. This week marks the final phase of development; we’re putting the car through its paces to prepare for the Dakar, with the aim of taking six cars to the event. One of the two vehicles has been entrusted to Daniel Schroder, an experienced T1+ driver, and the other to Rodriguo Varela, who’s been performing strongly in a Maverick R in Brazil.“
MOROCCO RACING
Ibrahim Abbad Andaloussi is a very busy man. The 37 year old resident of Fez is a father of 3 children, ranging in age from 5 to 15. He also has his own business consulting for call centres and in computing. And if that wasn’t enough he recently decided to branch out into milk production and currently has 12 milkers to look after. Yet incredibly he still finds time for his big passion in life – off road motorcycle racing. A keen amateur moto-x rider, who for 5 years rode in the Moroccan national championship, he current dedicates considerable time and energy advancing the cause of rally raid via the Moroccan national federation. A member of the FIM Jury here on the Rallye OLA Energie du Maroc, he reckons there is currently an active pool of around 50 riders competing in national events. „Obviously it is big step, both financially and in terms of ability, to go from there to competing in international events but both the organisers and the Moroccan federation president Said El Mejjad are doing their best to help.“ The organisers Pro Dunes with advantageous entry fees, the federation, in conjunction with Pro Dunes, with free navigation and riding courses. And Ibrahim and the federation’s efforts appear to be bearing fruit. „Two years ago we had just one Moroccan rider on the Rallye du Maroc. This year we have two. Next year, thanks to the courses and Pro Dunes, our goal is to enter a total of 6 riders, including 2 lady competitors (one on a bike one on a quad) for the first time in Morocco.“ Doesn’t look like Ibrahim is going to have much spare time in the immediate future!
A CLASSIC STORY ?
Although no strangers to desert racing, Helen Tait-Wright and Marcella Kirk got their first taste of regularity on this year’s Dakar Classic. And aboard their trusty Land Rover they became the first ever all female British crew to enter and finish the mythic desert rally. To say they we’re smitten by the experience would be an understatement, but unable to free up enough time to race the 2027 edition and with a deep love of Morocco they instead opted for a more concentrated 6 day’s racing on the Rallye OLA Energy du Maroc Classic. Except they very nearly didn’t make it to the start line…
„On the shakedown we noticed that our clutch was on its way out, so Felix our mechanic decided to take it out to have a look. What he discovered wasn’t encouraging and the race was on to find a replacement and get it fitted in time to race the prologue. By luck we managed to track one down at Ali Nasser’s garage in Zagora and it was duly dispatch to Agadir by taxi, making it possibly the most expensive clutch in the entire kingdom. Over night Felix and the rest of our team worked flat out to fit the new one and we finally made it to the start line with literally minutes to spare. The only problem is that normally our car should run a single mass flywheel and the one we fitted, due to a lack of choice, is dual mass. It makes the clutch action a bit jerky but the important thing is that it gets us to the finish. So far so good, as we got through the first stage. Our performance was slightly marred by us achieving the dubious distinction of getting the first puncture of the rally but we really liked the terrain. Morocco is my happy place and I just love being here.“
THE RALLYE OLA ENERGY DU MAROC AND ME
Cristina Gutiérrez
Top-10 last year with Dacia, Cristina Gutiérrez is competing for the Spanish brand Santana alongside Marc Sola, once again in the Ultimate class. This is their first appearance in the World Championship, and Cristina’s sixth time at the Rallye OLA Energy du Maroc.
Your first time here…
„I raced here for the first time in 2021 with the OT3 in T3 after the Andalucía Rally. It was also here that I made my debut with Dacia, and it’s a great memory because I discovered that I could be competitive in the Ultimate class.“
Your latest entry…
„This year is another first, as I’ll be making my World Championship debut with Santana, a new team and a new co-driver. I’m realistic – it’s a new project, so we need to get everything together. We know the car – which is based on the Century – is competitive, having seen it finish well several times with Serradori. But for us, it’ll be like a test, and this race is the best possible opportunity for that ahead of the Dakar.“
TOMORROW’S STAGE AS SEEN BY MARC COMA: ONE OF THE TOUGHEST STAGES IN THE HISTORY OF THE RALLYE DU MAROC“
„Stage 2 is set to be one of the toughest stages in the history of the Rallye du Maroc. In terms of distance, it’s around 300 kilometres, which isn’t exceptional. However, there are technical sections with trial-style terrain, loose stones, a good stretch of dunes, off-road sections, and it finishes once again with loose stones and trial-style sections. The rookies really need to get through the first stage unscathed to be ready to tackle this stage .“
Source / Pictures: Rally du Maroc, DPPI, EDO PHOTO, ILLYASS ACHAQUI
