Lucas Moraes Claims Victory in the First Stage of the 2026 Morocco Rally
In an exhilarating start to the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship, Brazilian driver Lucas Moraes, alongside his new Spanish co-driver Pablo Moreno, secured a remarkable victory in the opening stage of the Morocco Rally. Competing in a Dacia vehicle, Moraes outperformed competitors such as Mathieu Serradori and Mitch Guthrie Jr., making a significant mark in this high-profile event.
The rally kicked off with a challenging 268-kilometer special stage linking Agadir to Zagora, where numerous surprises awaited the participants. Early on, David Gay Botterill surged to the top of the standings, edging out Saood Variawa for a Toyota double, with only a half-minute gap separating the top ten drivers. Among them, renowned racer Carlos Sainz held a commendable fifth position in his Ford.
However, as the race progressed to the 64-kilometer checkpoint, the South African competitor maintained the lead with a nearly twenty seconds advantage over Moraes, who was still in contention. The competition intensified at kilometer 97, where the Spaniard briefly took the lead, closely followed by Joao Ferreira, with five drivers remaining within a mere ten seconds of each other.
The competition was so tight that by the 166-kilometer mark, Nasser Al Attiyah managed to climb back into sixth place, while Seth Quintero and Henk Lategan fell out of the top ten. Carlos Sainz still held an eight-second buffer over Guillaume de Mevius, who was eager to challenge for a top position as the special stage neared its conclusion.
As the race reached the 201-kilometer checkpoint, Guillaume de Mevius took the lead, boasting a half-minute advantage over Serradori, which pushed Sainz down to third place. It was at the penultimate checkpoint, however, that the favorites for victory began to emerge clearly. Lucas Moraes made significant gains, moving up to second place and closing the gap on the French competitor who had been surprising everyone aboard his Century vehicle.
The climax of the stage occurred at the finish line, where Moraes's impressive performance secured him the victory in his debut rally alongside co-driver Pablo Moreno. The duo's outstanding accomplishment placed them at the forefront of the competition, finishing thirteen seconds ahead of Mathieu Serradori. The podium was completed by Mitch Guthrie Jr., with Mattias Ekstrom claiming fourth place, followed by Saood Variawa and Seth Quintero.
Nasser Al Attiyah finished in seventh, ready to contend for the championship against Sébastien Loeb, who faced mechanical issues during the race but managed to resume driving shortly after. The first Spanish driver to cross the line was Nani Roma, securing eighth place overall, while Carlos Sainz suffered a five-minute penalty for speeding, dropping him from fourth to outside the top ten.
Notably, Cristina Gutiérrez made her world rally debut with Santana, finishing among the top twenty, while Laia Sanz followed closely behind. Participants now look forward to the next challenge, a 300-kilometer timed stage around the Zagora loop, accompanied by an additional 123 kilometers of liaison.
Stage 1 Results of the Morocco Rally in the W2RC 2026
- Lucas Moraes (Dacia): 2:38:21
- Mathieu Serradori (Century): +00:13
- Mitch Guthrie Jr. (Ford): +01:04
- Mattias Ekstrom (Ford): +02:11
- Saood Variawa (Toyota): +02:30
- Seth Quintero (Toyota): +03:25
- Nasser Al Attiyah (Dacia): +03:48
- Nani Roma (Ford): +04:13
- Henk Lategan (Toyota): +05:14
- Yazeed Al Rajhi (Toyota): +05:39
- Carlos Sainz (Ford): +06:17
- Cristina Gutiérrez (Santana): +14:38
- Laia Sanz (Ebro): +16:52
- Isidre Esteve (Toyota): +26:37
As reported by coches.net.
