Maria Luís Gameiro climbs to fifth place overall (Auto)
What a fantastic performance by Maria Luís Gameiro in this Morocco Desert Challenge! The Team Motivo JCB driver has made a huge leap in the standings and is now in fifth place overall in the cars, after another top-level stage. With just one more day of racing to go and more than 30 minutes ahead of the sixth-placed driver, the Portuguese driver is practically guaranteed a top five finish.
It's been a wonderful Morocco Desert Challenge for Maria Luís Gameiro. The Cascais rider has outdone herself and shown all her grit, determination and talent, even with compromised preparation and a new navigator by her side. Since the start of this adventure, Maria Luís and Rosa Romero have been in the top 10 overall in the cars, but today they made a significant leap, climbing from ninth to fifth place.
The sixth place in today's stage, number 7, starting and finishing in Foum Zguid, for the Mini T1+ duo from Team Motivo JCB allowed this remarkable rise, in yet another excellent performance from the 100% female duo. In a stage where the dunes were the strong theme of the 290 km covered against the clock, Maria Luís managed to set a strong pace, with impeccable navigation from Rosa Romero. The duo have been getting along wonderfully, with the results proving the excellent chemistry between them.
With a lead of almost 36 minutes over the sixth-placed team and 33 minutes behind the fourth-fastest duo, it looks like their fate is sealed and fifth place should be their final overall position in this tough race. However, there are still 149 km to go and all caution is needed.
“What a fantastic day! This stage went very well for us and I couldn't be happier!” said Maria Luís at the end of the day. “The stage was challenging, with lots of dunes and we had to be clever in our approach. But the 'crash course' I took at the Dakar allowed me to face this day with confidence and the result is excellent. Rosa was perfect with the navigation and we managed to get the sixth fastest time. Even better, we managed to climb into the top five in the overall car standings. I'm so proud of what we've achieved in this Morocco Desert Challenge. But let's just think about the party tomorrow. Now it's time to rest up and prepare for the last 150 km of the race, because it's going to be a demanding day.”
The final stage, number 8, which runs from Foum Zguid to Ouarzazate, begins with a 188 km loop through the mountains. The first special (8A) features a mix of technical and fast sections over rough terrain and a high plateau. After another 82 km link-up, the last timed section (SS 8B) covers 52 km of fast and varied tracks towards Ait Ben Hadou, including a demanding descent. The stage ends with a festive finale at the bivouac, near the castle from the movie Kingdom of Heaven, where this great adventure will come to an end.
Artificial / Automatic translation
Source: Team Motivo JCB
Disclaimer:
As a service to the sport we all love and follow, Rally-Raid Network posts numerous media releases from a wide variety of sources on our website. Due to the large number, and some times short time available, it is nearly impossible to review each public release. These articles are written by reporters or press officers who work for various organizers, teams, drivers, riders, and other parties, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rally-Raid Network.