W2RC: A Dramatic Finish at the Morocco Rally 2026

The Morocco Rally 2026 did not unfold as anticipated for the Dacia drivers, culminating in a dramatic and heart-wrenching finale. Sébastien Loeb, competing fiercely against Eryk Goczal from Ford, faced a catastrophic setback when he lost a wheel just under a kilometer from the finish line. This unfortunate incident allowed Goczal to claim victory in the final stage of the rally, while Seth Quintero from Toyota celebrated his overall triumph in the event. This remarkable performance by Toyota marked an impressive podium sweep, solidifying their dominance in what is expected to be the penultimate event of the W2RC season.

Today, Loeb's objective was clear: he aimed to secure the stage win and gain five bonus points. For the first 250 kilometers, he engaged in a nail-biting battle with Goczal, with both drivers neck-and-neck as they approached the finish line. However, disaster struck for the nine-time World Rally Champion when his Dacia Sandrider suffered a mechanical failure, losing a wheel just 700 meters from the finish. Fortunately, Martin Macik, the second-place driver in the truck category, came to Loeb's aid, allowing him to finish the stage over an hour late.

In the end, Eryk Goczal, who had previously made headlines during the last Dakar rally, clinched victory in the final stage of the Morocco Rally 2026, finishing ahead of Joao Ferreira from Toyota and Lucas Moraes driving a Dacia. Mathieu Serradori of Century Racing managed to secure fourth place, just ahead of Nasser Al-Attiyah in another Dacia. Seth Quintero crossed the finish line in sixth, tying in time with Al-Attiyah, thus ensuring his overall victory. The top ten was rounded out by notable drivers including Nani Roma, Mitch Guthrie, and Carlos Sainz, while Henk Lategan from Toyota struggled to contend for the stage win.

Quintero's Championship Surge

In the overall standings, Seth Quintero emerged victorious, surpassing Joao Ferreira, who managed to outpace Henk Lategan in this final stage. This achievement marks a historic moment as it is the first time an American driver has won in Morocco. Following the three Toyota Hilux T1+ vehicles at the top, three official Ford Raptor T1+ drivers—Nani Roma, Mitch Guthrie, and Carlos Sainz—formed a competitive cluster. The top six drivers finished within a ten-minute window, underscoring the competitive evolution of the sport. Following a disheartening day for Guillaume De Mévius, the subsequent top ten positions shifted, allowing Cristina Gutierrez to finish ninth in her debut race with her new team, Santana, matching her performance from the previous year at this Moroccan event. Here is the final top ten of the Morocco Rally 2026:

1. S. Quintero (Toyota)
2. J. Ferreira (Toyota) +4mins23s
3. H. Lategan (Toyota) +4mins42s
4. N. Roma (Ford) +7mins01s
5. M. Guthrie (Ford) +8mins23s
6. C. Sainz (Ford) +9mins25s
7. M. Serradori (Century) +13mins53s
8. E. Goczal (Ford) +18mins53s
9. C. Gutierrez (Santana) +38mins14s
10. M. Prokop (Ford) +44mins23s

As a result of this victory, Seth Quintero reignited his championship ambitions, marking his second win of the season after his triumph at the Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina. He leaves Morocco with a 14-point lead over Sébastien Loeb and a 19-point advantage over Nasser Al-Attiyah. If the final event of the season remains scheduled in Abu Dhabi, it appears that the championship title is set to go to the American driver and his navigator Andrew Short.

As reported by lemagsportauto.ouest-france.fr.