THE BIVOUAC
An exceptional bivouac will host the Rallye du Maroc 2019 caravan during 4 nights:
An Assistance Park.
A dining area within a 1000 m² air-conditioned tent serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
A sleeping area with confortable tents. The tents contain real beds with mattresses, sheets and blankets. You will be able choose between a standard and luxury tent (there are showers and toilets inside the luxury tents).
A public area with showers (with hot water) and toilets.
A relaxation area of 600 m² furnished with a bar, carpets, coffee tables, ottomans, deck chairs, campfires and a physiotherapists tent. This space will be awaiting you every day after your specials to reflect on the day with friends in front of the giant screen, which will broadcast the days’ images.
 

ENDURO CUP CATEGORY
The Enduro Cup category is reserved for all Enduro enthusiasts who want to discover Rally Raid.
With or without assistance (we offer a motorcycle trunk service: we will transport your equipment, as well as your personal belongings and 2 wheels from Fes to the bivouac and back. The truck dedicated to the Enduro Cup will be equipped with classic tools so that you can conveniently work on your bike in the case of orgotten or misplaced equipment), come to discover or rediscover Rally Raid with your Enduro bike, in the company of professionals in the sport.
With a mandatory refuelling stop every 90 km, you can ride with an original tank and a light bike.
Thanks to the dedication to the tracks, you will safely experience the pleasures and joys of riding in Africa.
 

 
SSV CATEGORY
For those who do not participate in the FIA World Cup, the SSV category has evolved and is divided into 2 categories:
T3 Light Series: this category is made for almost standard SSVs. Only the security elements are mandatory (harness, bucket, fire extinguisher…). The security hoop can be bolted, but needs to be approved by an ASN (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal) and the tank can be original.
T3 Proto: this category welcomes all SSVs that have undergone chassis modifications. See the regulations here.
 
 
NEW REGULATIONS
The Rallye du Maroc will put in place a series of measures, which will also be found in Dakar 2020.
The Color Road Book: it has evolved with more colors than last year and above all, thanks to technical means, we can distribute it 10 minutes before the start of the special, for 2 to 3 stages of the rally.
The Super Bike Marathon: this replaces the Marathon stage. On arrival at the bivouac, riders can enter the closed park and will have 10 minutes to work on their bikes. The changing of tires is not allowed (in the event of tire changes, penalties will be imposed), the bike will then be closed up for the night without the possibility of further tuning.
A 15 minute stop for cars: On stages 2 and 4 (more than 400 km each), the cars in the FIA category, will adhere to a 15 minute stop at the same point as the bike refuelling. Work on the cars during this stop is not allowed.
A tailor made race for each category: The Enduro Cup, SSV, and Open categories will travel between 260 and 320 km per stage on tracks, off-road and in the Moroccan dunes. Distances and difficulties are studied in order to allow the discovery and understanding of rally raid safely, while enjoying the pleasure of driving without damaging your vehicle. Also, these categories will not cross the path of cars in the FIA category. Allowing enjoyment of the race without a lot of dust and stress.

 
All ON-LINE OFFERS
Your registration for the 2019 Rallye du Maroc is done on-line: https://registrorm.odcevents.com/Default.asp
You will be able to retrieve the information of your 2018 registration. Don’t forget that through June 30th, you can benefit from an exceptional discount of 10% on your registration. To receive this discount you must pay 50% of your registration by or before June 30th and you will have until July 30th to pay the remaining 50%.
On our website you will find: https://rallyemaroc.com/en/, logistical solutions to help you with the transport of vehicles and materials. https://rallyemaroc.com/en/transport-de-vehicules-et-materiels/
We offer different categories of hotel accommodations in Fes and also several tent categories in the bivouac via our accommodation platform: https://rallyemaroc.com/en/logements/
We also have 2 ‘Companion’ offers for your friends and family (a pack to follow the Rallye and a relaxation pack to enjoy the Moroccan spas): https://rallyemaroc.com/en/pack-accompagnant/
So, whether you want to discover the sport, have a good time, be in the company of professionals, finish the classification for the FIM World Championship or the FIA World Cup, or complete a final test before Dakar 2020, the Rallye du Maroc awaits you from the 3rd to the 9th of October in Fes.

Source Rallye du Maroc 2019 Newsletter

Adventure trio ready for Botswana

Red-Lined Motorsport heads to the third and fourth rounds of its 2019 South African Cross Country racing adventure with its three FIA Class Nissan Navara T1 race pickups focused on continuing with their unbroken run of race finishes at Botswana’s Toyota 1000 Desert Race 21-23 June. The team has had all its cars finish both opening races of the season and the aim is to continue that trend along an all new route for the first time this year.

“We are looking to continue our great adventure and to cover every kilometre we sign up for,” team principal Terence Marsh explained. "The Desert Race will be the toughest nut for us to crack to achieve that though, so we head to Selebi-Phikwe in a confident, but realistic mood. We also have all three cars entered in the Road to Dakar — a race-within-a-race that offers privateer crews the opportunity to win a free entry to the Dakar, which is one prize any of our guys would dearly love to win."

Cross Country racing rookie Ernest Roberts has proven find of the SA Cross Country season so far, driving alongside experienced notes man Riaan Greyling in the JCP Roofing Red-Lined Navara, achieving best of the rest results behind the mighty Dakar Toyotas in both opening races. “The Desert Race is our biggest test yet, but we are ready for the adventure,” Ernest admitted. “Let’s do this!” 

Namibian former rally duo Jaco van Dyk and Michel Rust are likewise looking for another strong result as they continue to find their way in Cross Country aboard their 24-7 Race Fuels Red-Lined Navara. “I have driven this race before but in another era!” Jaco smiled. “We are steep learning curve and this is the biggest challenge yet so we will be delighted to bring it home on all three days — we are ready.” 

Like their Namibian teammates, former SA champion rally driver and navigator Schalk Burger and Elvine Vonk are also fast learning about the rather different demands of Cross Country car racing. “We've been learning every kilometre,” Schalk confirmed. “The plan this weekend is very much to make it to the finish once again as we build up to our Dakar dream — and who knows, there is a prize on the line this weekend that will make that goal so much easier to attain…”

Source Red-Lined Motoring Adventures official press release

Toyota SA Motors will again be supporting the Road to Dakar initiative at this year’s Toyota Botswana 1000 Desert Race. This race-within-a-race was previously known as the Dakar Challenge, and offers privateer crews the opportunity to win a free entry to the world’s toughest automotive race, the Dakar Rally.

“We believe the Road to Dakar is an incredible opportunity for crews to make the most of the Desert Race,” says Toyota SA Motors Vice-President for Marketing, Glenn Crompton. “As it is, the Desert Race is undoubtedly the toughest automotive race on the African continent, and as such it is a perfect fit for the Road to Dakar.”

This year’s Toyota 1000 Desert Race (TDR 1000) will take place on 21-23 June, in a new location around the town of Selebi-Phikwe in eastern Botswana. Despite the move to a new area, the race will retain its key characteristics as the only marathon event on the South African Cross-Country calendar: The race distance remains set at 1,000 km; and the race will again take place over a total of three days.

“The Desert Race is the only marathon event on the SACCS calendar, and as such it offers us an unparalleled opportunity to test our Toyota Hilux in conditions that resemble those found on many Dakar stages,” says Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Team Principal, Glyn Hall.
But while the factory team will be in the hunt for overall victory and honing the Toyota Hilux in preparation for Dakar 2020, the Road to Dakar brings a challenge to those crews hoping to bag an entry to the iconic race.

In 2017 it was Treasury One’s Hennie de Klerk who won a free entry to the Dakar Rally, when he was the first of the registered Dakar Challengers to cross the line in Botswana. The Pretoria-based businessman did South Africa proud when he and navigator Gerhard Schutte not only completed the Dakar, but also won the Rookie of the Year Award in their SA-built Volkswagen Amarok.

The 2018 winners, Red-Lined Motorsport’s Terence Marsh and navigator Riaan Greyling, will be entering the 2020 race in Saudi Arabia.

Crews hoping to follow in the footsteps of De Klerk and Schutte need to register for the Road to Dakar before tackling the Toyota Botswana 1,000 Desert Race. The competition is only open to crews who haven’t competed in the Dakar Rally before, and with a value of nearly R450,000, the Road to Dakar may just enable a crew to make it to the start line of the Dakar come January 2020.

This year, the Road to Dakar is open to all privateers, who haven’t previously taken part in the Dakar Rally. The winning competitor can choose to enter the next Dakar or the following one, effectively giving the team a maximum of 18 months to prepare for the race. This means that crews who have previously won the Dakar Challenge or Road to Dakar, but haven’t been able to take up their prize, are eligible to win again in 2019.

The Road to Dakar consists of six global races-within-races, though not all of them are open to cars. As a matter of fact, the Toyota Botswana 1,000 Desert race is only open to cars, making it especially enticing for SACCS crews harbouring Dakar aspirations.
“We’re excited to see who emerges as the winner of the 2020 Road to Dakar at our Desert Race,” concludes Crompton. “But at the same time, we are equally excited to see our own Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Hilux crews in action on the new route at Selebi-Phikwe.”

Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa Acknowledges Its Sponsors and Specialist Official Suppliers and Technical Partners 
Toyota enjoys a mutually beneficial relationship with Total, Toyota Financial Services and the Innovation Group. Also Hallspeed, Imperial Toyota, SKF, Spanjaard, OMP, NGK, Donaldson, Mastercraft, Edgecam, 3M, Bandit Signs, Shatterprufe, Supreme Springs, Smith’s Manufacturing, TRD, Peritus Forex, 4x4 Mega World, First National Battery, Duxbury Netgear and Plan-C Productions.

 

Source Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa official press release

The South African National Cross Country Series (SACCS) will reach the halfway mark of the 2019 season with the annual Toyota 1000 Desert Race (TDR 1000) in Botswana and this year another angle will be added to the challenge when this marathon event relocates to Eastern Botswana. The TDR 1000, round three of the SACCS Production and Special Vehicle and Side x Side National Championships, will take place in the Selebi-Phikwe area on 21, 22 and 23 June.

The TDR 1000 is the only three-day marathon event on the SACCS calendar and the largest Cross Country event in Southern Africa. The event, with sponsorship from Toyota, has been run in Botswana since 1991 traversing thousands of kilometres in several regions including Gaborone, Mantshwabisi, Lentsweletau, Hatsalatladi and Kumakwane with the last stop being the small mining town of Jwaneng.

The TDR 1000 will also form rounds four and five of the BMS National Quad and Bike Championship while the TDR 1000 Desert Adventure for motorcycle and quad competitors will be a non-scoring event.

A fresh challenge awaits competitors when they tackle the gruelling thousand kilometres of the 2019 TDR 1000 in Phikwe and with double points up for grabs, as well as personal challenges and the aim to beat the desert, it will be a weekend where teams as well as service crews and supporters will be challenged to the limit.

The event for SACCS and SxS competitors will comprise two heats. Heat One includes a 60km Qualifying Race on Friday, 21 June and the 220km Eastern loop to be repeated twice on Saturday, 22 June. On Sunday, 23 June competitors will face Heat Two and the last 400 odd kilometres of this testing event totalling just short of 1000 daunting desert kilometres.

Motorcycle and Quad competitors will start their challenge with a 45km Time Trail on Friday, 21 June followed by the 210km Western loop to be repeated twice on Saturday. On Sunday the final 440km Eastern loop will be their battlefield.

Race headquarters as well as the Start/Finish and the Designated Service Point (DSP) will be at the Selebi-Phikwe Sam Sono Stadium. After documentation, scrutineering and the compulsory riders briefing on Friday, the action will get underway at 11:30 for quad and motorcycle competitors and at 13:00 for SACCS and SxS competitors.

The 60km Qualifying Race will take SACCS and SxS competitors from the Sam Sono Stadium towards Tobani in the east before heading back to Phikwe, with the results determining the starting order for Saturday and Heat One of the TDR 1000.

The leading team will be out of the starting blocks at 08:15 to tackle the first of the day’s two loops. Production and Special Vehicle teams as well as SxS teams will again head east around Phikwe towards Tobani before veering off south to Sephophe where they cross the A15 and continue south to Mogapi. From there they will turn north and return to the stadium at Phikwe.

The results of Heat One will determine the starting order for Heat Two on Sunday when the TDR 1000 will again get underway at 08:15. Teams will leave the stadium for the two loops of the final heat and will head south towards Mogapinyana before returning in a northerly direction towards Mmadinare. From there they will head back to the finish at the Sam Sono Stadium in Phikwe.

After the first of the two loops on Saturday and Sunday, teams return to DSP for a compulsory 30-minute service break before taking on the final stretch of the day to the finish at the Sam Sono Stadium.

Teams who manage to complete all three days successfully will proudly be able to tick off almost a thousand kilometres in Botswana’s harsh terrain and the points scored, will be the reward for this epic challenge.

The TDR 1000 is regarded as the most testing event on the calendar and for many, participating in this event, means even more than the points scored. To be able to complete as many TDR 1000 kilometres as possible, competitors who failed to complete Heat One, will be allowed to start Heat Two on Sunday.

Due to the exceptionally good late season rains, the vegetation is lush and overgrown. Teams and their vehicles will have to be prepared for many dry riverbed crossings as well as streams and the route will be spectacularly scenic. Some of the most beautiful trees in Africa, including the Baobab, can be found in this part of Botswana. The terrain will vary all the time and will include hard pack soil as well as soft sand and verdant bush.

The TDR 1000 is always a tough event and it will again be a challenge that must be treated with respect. As a new event for all, the playing field will be level and the pressure to have their names at the top of the TDR 1000 Phikwe list will be high.

Spectators will be in for a treat and good spectating can be expected from various vantage points. Spectator points will be easily assessible from all the major centres. The route map will be published on www.sacrosscocuntryracing.co.za on Monday, 17 June.

Enthusiasts as well as spectators will also be able to follow the TDR 1000 action on the RallySafe App, sponsored by Toyota, which can be downloaded free of charge for Android and iOS devices. The standings during the course of the day as well as relevant information will be available on the App.

 

Source SACCS official press release

If the first two events of the 2019 South African National Cross Country (SACCS) season are anything to go by, hectic battles can be expected in the Production Vehicle Championship during the second half of the season. The season reaches the halfway mark at the upcoming Toyota 1000 Desert Race (TDR 1000) on 21, 22 and 23 June in Botswana where the intense rivalry will continue over a thousand kilometres in the desert.

In the Production Vehicle Championship, teams are not only aiming for the titles in the FIA Class, Class T and Class S, but they are also giving it their all for the best overall results. With so much to play for, emotions in the cabins, with service crews and supporters will mostly be serious.  Only when the silverware and points are dished out after the event will this tension be replaced by sighs of relief.

With a victory and a runner-up result for both Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy and their Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Hilux team-mates, Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings after the first two events, they are on equal points in the overall standings and the FIA Class Championship. This predicts an epic battle at the TDR 1000 as neither can afford to put a wheel wrong.

In the overall Production Vehicle standings, reigning Class T champions, Lance Woolridge/Ward Huxtable (Ford Castrol Cross Country Ranger) currently fill the third place on the podium. They trail the Toyota Hilux teams by 20 points and are only 10 points ahead of former Class T champions, Johan and Werner Horn (Malalane Toyota Hilux) who are in fourth place.

The third Toyota Gazoo Racing SA team of Shameer Variawa/Juan Möhr, jumped to fifth in the overall standings after finishing third in the Production Vehicle category at the recent Berg 400. They trail the Horn brothers by a mere four points in the overall standings.

In the FIA Class, new-comer Ernst Roberts and Riaan Greyling (Red-Lined Motorsport Nissan Navara) have scored consistently to round of the class podium. They trail the two Toyota Gazoo Racing teams by 20 points with Jaco van Dyk (Red-Lined Motorsport Nissan) only six points behind in fourth place in the FIA Class Driver’s Championship followed by Schalk Burger (Nissan Navara) a further eight points behind.

In the FIA Class Navigator’s Championship, Burger’s navigator, Elvene (Coetzee) Vonk fills fourth place due to Van Dyk’s navigator, Michel Rust, not eligible to score points in the SACCS. The gap between Vonk and Greyling is 14 points, but Möhr trails her by a single point which will add to the pressure.

The season did not start too well for Variawa/Möhr who could not see out the distance at the season opener while there were no points for Chris Visser/Philip Herselman (Atlas Copco Toyota Hilux) at the recent Berg 400. These two teams, in the second half of the FIA Class standings, will hope for a healthy haul of points to move them up the leader board and a better position to aim for the podium.

The situation in the Class T championship is by no means any more relaxed. Although Woolridge/Huxtable have a healthy 22 point buffer over the Horn brothers in second place, a blanket of only 14 points cover the three teams in second, third and fourth. The Horns lead Jacques van Tonder/Sammy Redelinghuys (Ford Ranger) by eight points while Gary Bertholdt/Geoff Minnitt (Atlas Copco Toyota Hilux) are only six points adrift.  With double points on offer at the TDR 1000 the standings can quite suddenly have a very different look.

The rest of the FIA and Class T teams have their work cut out for them for the rest of the season and it will start with the challenging thousand kilometres in Botswana. The game is never over until the lady has uttered her final song and teams that have some catching up to do, will do their utmost before it is too late while those who have gathered good points so far, will feel the pressure.

The defending Class S champions, David Huddy and Gerhard Schutte (Nissan Navara) lead the class going into the TDR 1000.

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Source SACCS official press release