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.
Rallye du Maroc 2023: W2RC title for Nasser - TGR records a clean sweep
• Stage 2 victory for Nasser and Mathieu
• Nasser secures second consecutive driver's title
• Clean sweep of titles for TGR
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's (TGR) Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver, Mathieu Baumel, set the fastest time over the second stage of this year's Rally of Morocco. The pair had to open the route after winning Stage 1 of the event, but despite the lack of a defined track, the GR DKR Hilux T1+ crew managed to win Stage 2, not only building on their lead, but also sealing the 2023 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) Driver's Title for Nasser in the process.
Stage 2 was a looped stage, starting and ending near the bivouac at the Moroccan town of Zagora. At 296 km in length, the stage was a tough one, yet the TGR crew prevailed to take the win. As a result, Nasser has now moved beyond the reach of Yazeed Al Rahji in the W2RC standings, which means that the Qatari driver secured his second consecutive W2RC title, adding to the Co-Drivers' and Manufacturers' titles that the team had already secured earlier in the season.
Nasser and Mathieu completed the second stage in a time of 2h 52min 29sec, putting them 2min 11sec ahead of their nearest competitors. As with Stage 1, half of the Top 10 crews on the day were behind the wheels of Toyota Hilux T1+ race cars, again proving the toughness and reliability of the car. And, as in Stage 1, the Dakar-winnig GR DKR Hilux T1+ of Nasser and Mathieu ran without any technical difficulties.
Next up is Stage 3 of the 2023 Rally of Morocco, which will take place from the bivouac at Zagora, coming back to the same bivouac in the evening. Covering 336km of racing distance, with liaisons of 108km, the third stage promises to be yet another stern test, with more sandy terrain on the menu. It also marks the mid-point of the rally, with two more stages to follow. The event is scheduled to finish in the city of Merzouga, on October 18th, 2023.
QUOTES
Alain Dujardyn, TGR W2RC Team Principal: “What a moment for TGR! In 2022, we won all the titles in the inaugural W2RC, and this year we managed to repeat that feat. Driver, co-driver and manufacturer titles, all sealed for the second consecutive season. We are overjoyed, and now we can focus on the remainder of the 2023 Rally of Morocco."
Nasser Al-Attiyah: “Winning a second W2RC title with Toyota is amazing. The GR DKR Hilux T1+ has been a fantastic car to drive, and I am very happy to have won the title again. Now, we have all the titles in the bag, and we will push towards victory here in Morocco."
Mathieu Baumel: “Opening the stage today was a challenge, yet we managed to not only maintain our lead, but build on it. Any day that you lead a race is a good day, and we are proud of what we achieved here today, sealing the third W2RC title in the process. Three more stages to go, and we will open again tomorrow."
Rally of Morocco Stage 2 Results:
1., N. Al-Attiyah (QAT) / M. Baumel (FRA), TOYOTA GAZOO RACING, 2:52:29
2. C. Sainz (ESP) / L. Cruz (ESP), TEAM AUDI SPORT, +2:11
3. S. Loeb (FRA) / F. Lurquin (BEL), BAHRAIN RAID XTREME, +2:30
4. Y. Al Rajhi (SAU) / T. Gottschalk (DEU), OVERDRIVE RACING, +3:12
5. S. Peterhansel (FRA) / E. Boulanger (FRA), TEAM AUDI SPORT, +3:55
Rally of Morocco Standings after Stage 2:
1., N. Al-Attiyah (QAT) / M. Baumel (FRA), TOYOTA GAZOO RACING, 6:08:01
2. Y. Al Rajhi (SAU) / T. Gottschalk (DEU), OVERDRIVE RACING, +5:31
3. C. Sainz (ESP) / L. Cruz (ESP), TEAM AUDI SPORT, +6:00
4. S. Loeb (FRA) / F. Lurquin (BEL), BAHRAIN RAID XTREME, +6:08
5. S. Peterhansel (FRA) / E. Boulanger (FRA), TEAM AUDI SPORT, +13:14
Source: Toyota
Helder