Two-time Dakar car category winner Nasser Al-Attiyah claimed his third consecutive Rallye du Maroc victory behind the wheel of a Toyota Hilux V8 4×4, while reigning Dakar bike race champion Toby Price won the two wheel contest in Morocco.
Qatar’s Al-Attiyah and his French co-driver Mathieu Baumel got things off to the perfect start on Morocco’s Atlantic coastline as they won the prologue and first two timed special stages. The duo used this position of strength to bring their Toyota Hilux home in first place against a field of world class opposition.
The next best car crew at the Rallye du Maroc turned out to be the all-Spanish pairing of Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz as they gave the Peugeot 3008 DKR its first competitive outing. A win on the rally’s third stage proved that Team Peugeot Total’s new machine has all the pace required to compete with its rivals in the desert, but eventually one too many navigational errors cost Sainz and Cruz the chance to catch Al-Attiyah and Baumel. The Spaniards eventually settled for a respectable runners-up finish.
Nasser Al-Attiyah: “It was a tough week of racing because so many times we had to open the road. We concentrated on finding a good speed each day and doing the best job we could to make time on our rivals wherever we could. There were some interesting navigation sections and Mathieu did a great job all week. This year we have won six races with our Toyota so I’m really happy with the performance and how our preparation for the next Dakar is going.”
Carlos Sainz: “We faced fierce competition here and it’s nice to have this sort of battle ahead of January’s Dakar. The Peugeot 3008 DKR is a well-sorted car. It is competitive and efficient. We have made progress in every domain. The team is working well and heading in the right direction.”
1 | Nasser Al-Attiyah | Toyota Hilux V8 | 12:28:28 |
2 | Carlos Sainz | Peugeot 3008 DKR | +12:08 |
3 | Vladimir Vasilyev | Mini All4 Racing | +36:09 |
Source: Red Bull Desert Wings