Morocco Rally Wraps Up W2RC Championship with Intense Competition
The Morocco Rally, marking the penultimate chapter of the World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC) valid for both FIA and FIM, concluded in the rugged terrains of Zagora. This thrilling event spanned over five stages and covered a total distance of 2,700 kilometers, commencing with an exciting Prologue in Agadir. The competition saw fierce rivalry among top riders, culminating in a dramatic final day. Luciano Benavides, riding for KTM, fought valiantly to secure a podium finish but ultimately fell short in the 259-kilometer timed stage, unable to bridge the gap to Ricky Brabec of Honda, who claimed victory in the segment. With this performance, Brabec solidified his position, trailing only behind his KTM teammates, Edgar Canet and Daniel Sanders, who achieved a remarkable 1-2 finish for the Austrian brand.
Benavides, who was joined by his brother Kevin—who unfortunately had to withdraw from the Auto category—managed to tie with Tosha Schareina from Honda for the second position in the championship standings with 74 points. Both riders are now closely pursuing Sanders, who leads by 13 points. The upcoming title showdown for the RallyGP motorcycles promises to be riveting, as it will take place during the final event scheduled in Abu Dhabi from November 22 to 27.
Standout Performances and Future Aspirations
In the Rally2 category, Martim Ventura from Honda showcased a dominant performance, finishing ahead of Michael Dochery from Hero by a substantial margin of 30 minutes and 45 seconds, while Preston Campbell, also from Honda, crossed the line 38 minutes and 39 seconds behind. Notably, Argentine competitor Baltazar Frezze Pissoni, riding for RVM, made a commendable showing by finishing 22nd, with fellow countryman Santiago Rostan on a KTM concluding the general classification in 25th place. In the Moto3 division, Albert Martin from Triumph claimed victory, followed closely by Mongolian rider Murun Purevdorj on a KTM and French competitor Julien Faravel, also on a KTM, with Eduardo Alan completing the race in sixth position.
Manuel Andújar, piloting the Taurus Evo Max for the 7240 Rally Team, made an impressive debut in the Challenger UTV T3 category alongside co-driver Andrés Frini. They celebrated their first podium finish in this division after a smooth race, arriving in Zagora just 57 minutes and 16 seconds behind Portuguese driver Alexandre Pinto, who dominated by winning four out of five stages, finishing ahead of Rui Carneiro. Andújar's vast experience across various terrains, coupled with Frini's meticulous navigation, sets the stage for their continued progression in this international rally landscape, particularly as they aim for the Dakar 2027, scheduled from January 1 to 15, 2027.
In the SSV T4 category, a setback of 1 hour and 35 minutes on the final day prevented Jeremías González Ferioli and Gonzalo Rinaldi from claiming victory. Instead, the win went to Matthias Walkner from Austria, driving a CanAm. Despite the challenges, the Argentine duo secured a third-place finish, maintaining their lead in the championship standings with 131 points, eight points clear of Portuguese rival Joao Monteiro. Meanwhile, in the Ultimate category, American Seth Quintero exhibited remarkable prowess driving the Toyota Hilux alongside Andrew Short, finishing 4 minutes and 23 seconds ahead of Joao Ferreira and 4 minutes and 42 seconds ahead of Henk Lategan, thus completing a clean sweep for the Japanese brand in the top three positions. Following them were Ford drivers Nani Roma, Mitchel Gouthrie, and Carlos Sainz, rounding out the top six.
Argentinian racers Sebastián Halpern and Edu Pulenta reached the final checkpoint in their Mini from XRaid, finishing in 27th place. Additionally, the duo of Nicolás Cavigliasso and Valentina Pertegarini faced and overcame several issues with their Toyota during their first experience in the Ultimate division, ultimately finishing 34th but gaining invaluable experience ahead of Dakar 2027. The championship will come to a thrilling conclusion at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, where Quintero will arrive with 134 points, holding a 14-point advantage over Sébastien Loeb and a 19-point lead over Nasser Al-Attiyah, both of whom faced challenges during this rally.
Stéphane Peterhansel, a legendary figure with 14 Dakar victories to his name in both motorcycles and cars, continues to invest in the Production Vehicle category introduced this year in Saudi Arabia. Partnering with Michael Metge, he clinched victory in the Defender D7X-R, flanked by Saudi driver Yasir Seaidan in a Toyota, while other Defender drivers Rokas Basciukas from Lithuania and American Sara Price successfully completed the race.
In the truck category, victory was claimed by the Iveco team from De Rooy, featuring Dutch drivers Mtichel Van den Brink, Bart Van Heun, and Jarno Van de Pol, followed closely by Czech competitors Martin Macik, Frantisek Tomasek, and David Svanda in the MMT Evo 5, along with Martin Soltys, Vlastimil Miksch, and Tomas Sikola in the Buggyra Invictus. The Morocco Rally has undoubtedly set the stage for an exhilarating finale in Abu Dhabi.
As reported by campeones.com.ar.
