Erfoud, Morocco – October 13, 2025 – The Rallye du Maroc got off to a demanding start, with a first stage far more complex than anticipated. The EBRO Audax Motorsport team, led by Laia Sanz, faced a challenging test that, after a promising start close to the top 10, forced them to overcome early difficulties to secure a very positive 18th place overall.
The longest stage of the rally began early in Fès, with competitors heading south to a special that started on the Rekkam plateau and, after 298 competitive kilometres out of a total of 779, finished in Erfoud. It was a classic African-style special — reminiscent of the old Dakar routes — run between 1,000 and 1,600 metres of altitude, with a slow and mountainous first section, rocky zones and even technical, trial-like areas, followed by faster tracks that demanded good navigation.
Adding to this mix of surfaces and conditions was a key factor that heavily influenced the Spanish team’s result: the starting order. Laia Sanz and Taye Perry started 30th, behind several SSVs and Challenger cars, slower vehicles in this type of stage. Their dust clouds reduced visibility, caused time loss, and even led them to stray briefly off the correct route, resulting in a hard front-end impact — fortunately, without major damage.
Despite these setbacks, Sanz was running as high as 13th within the first 50 kilometres and eventually finished 18th, 11 minutes and 42 seconds behind stage winner Sébastien Loeb. “We started by gaining confidence gradually with the car, without pushing too hard. I was actually surprised to be that far up the order. Then we caught the Challengers and SSVs ahead and had to drive in their dust for nearly a hundred kilometres before being able to pass them one by one,” she explained.
“After that, things got complicated. Within the dust, we took a wrong track without realising it and hit a big hole that wasn’t marked in the roadbook, giving the front of the car a strong hit. From then on, we slowed down as a precaution,” she added.
“I’m pleased because, despite everything that happened and the time we lost, we finished quite well and in a much better position than I imagined. That gives us confidence that, when we have a more favourable stage, we have the potential to achieve great results with the EBRO s800 XRR,” Sanz concluded.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, the second stage of the Rallye du Maroc will take place — a loop stage starting and finishing in Erfoud, with 306 km against the clock and 393 km in total including liaisons. The route will feature a mix of terrain: dirt tracks, rocky sections, and the first dunes of this edition.
Source: EBRO Audax Motorsport
Translation and adaptation: Rally-Raid Network
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