The 27th edition of the OLA Energy Rally Morocco, the fourth round of the Championship, is set to take place between Agadir and Zagora from September 28 to October 3. This year, the FIM entry list features an impressive 131 competitors, including 8 in RallyGP, 110 in Rally2, 10 in Rally3, and 3 in Quads. Following the event in Argentina, the competition among the top three motorcycle riders has tightened significantly, setting the stage for an intense battle for the championship title as the final races approach.
In the RallyGP category, reigning World Champion Daniel Sanders has secured two consecutive victories and is currently in a fierce contest with Tosha Schareina, trailing by just three points. Not far behind is Luciano Benavides, the Dakar winner, who is only six points away from the leader. In Rally2, Martim Ventura holds a slight advantage over Toni Mulec with a four-point lead. The competition in Rally3 is equally close, with Murun Purevdorj and Alan Eduardo separated by a mere single point. In the Quads category, Antanas Kanopkinas, last year’s champion on his CF Moto, is leading the standings and is among the favorites to win again.
FIM: A Clash of Titans – Sanders vs. Schareina?
In the RallyGP division, all three manufacturers competing in the Championship are prepared to field their eligible riders in Agadir. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, currently leading the constructors' standings with 131 points, will be represented by Daniel Sanders, Luciano Benavides, and Edgar Canet. Monster Energy Honda HRC, close behind with 126 points, will feature Tosha Schareina, Ricky Brabec, and Adrien Van Beveren. Hero Motosports, with 52 points, will rely on Ignacio Cornejo to bring home points.
The top four riders in the Championship standings—Sanders, Schareina, Benavides, and Brabec—are also the same four competitors who have shone in the last two Moroccan editions. Sanders and Schareina have been fierce rivals, with Sanders winning in 2024 and Schareina taking the title last year. Benavides stood on the podium two years ago, while Brabec did so last year. This upcoming rally will mark a significant moment for Brabec, as he has declared that the Dakar 2027 will be his last motorcycle race.
Conversely, for Skyler Howes, the last American to win the event in 2022, the OLA Energy Rally Morocco represents a fresh start. This rally will also be a debut for ZX Moto, a Chinese manufacturer already known in the Supersport category, as they make their entrance into rally-raid competitions.
In the Rally2 category, several factory teams are participating, including Hero Motosports with Michael Docherty and Indian rider Shlok Ghorpade, Monster Energy Honda HRC with Martim Ventura and Preston Campbell, Sherco TVS with Harith Noah, and Kove with Sunier Sunier and Neels Theric. ZX Moto is also making its debut in this division with the return of Tobias Ebster.
Unfortunately, Michael Docherty, who crashed during his debut with Hero in Argentina, is no longer in contention for the title. The South African, who finished second in Rally2 last year behind Edgar Canet before moving up to RallyGP, aims to make a strong comeback. Similar aspirations are held by Duust rider Konrad Dabrowski, who finished third in 2025 and finds himself in a comparable situation. Tobias Ebster had finished fourth in that event. Meanwhile, official HRC riders Ventura, currently holding 69 points, and Campbell with 52 points, will be drawing from their valuable experience gained in Morocco to challenge Mulec, who leads Rally2 with 65 points after his victory at the Dakar.
As reported by fim-moto.com.
