The second leg of the event at Nampo Park, round five of the SA Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) that took place on Saturday, 1 October a day after the fourth round the previous day, proved to be yet another challenging event for teams competing in the Production and Special Vehicle Categories who had to tackle another 350 kilometre race for the second consecutive day.

Round five of the Free State double-header on Saturday got underway with a short 10 kilometre Pirelli Qualifying Race that determined the starting order for the first of the two 172 kilometre loops, with the fastest 10 teams choosing their grid positions.
The NWM Ford Castrol T1+ Ranger of Lance Woolridge/Elvéne Vonk posted the fastest time albeit only a second faster than three teams with the exact same time. These teams included team-mates, Gareth Woolridge/Boyd Dreyer and two Toyota Gazoo Racing SA teams – the defending champions and winners of round four, Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings and Giniel de Villiers/Duncan Murphy with their DKR Hilux T1+ vehicles.

Lategan/Cummings elected to go first with Woolridge/Vonk in third place and Woolridge/Dreyer, who opened the road the previous day, off in fourth place. Woolridge/Dreyer were however quickest after the first of the two loops although only four seconds separated them from Lategan/Cummings with mere seconds separating the rest of the teams.

In the end it was Lategan/Cummings who claimed their second victory in as many days, after a clean but tricky run with the TGRSA team again owning the overall Production Vehicle Category and FIA T1+ podiums. Lategan/Cumming (04:10:02) lead their team-mates, De Villiers/Murphy by a minute and 40 seconds with Shameer Variawa/Danie Stassen finishing third (04:12:34), making up for a disappointing fourth round. Gareth Woolridge/Dreyer were fifth (04:15:04) after they lost time due to a mechanical issue. A cracked oil pipe on the turbo forced Lance Woolridge/Vonk into retirement.

Behind the T1+ battles, the nail-biting duel between the FIA T1 winners of the past two rounds, Eben Basson/Leander Pienaar (#TeamHilux Rally-Raid Toyota Hilux) and Chris Visser/Albertus Venter (Red-Lined Motorsport REVO) continued in the Free State dust. This time it was Visser/Venter who were victorious (04:17:40), a margin of only 17 seconds separating the two teams who finished fifth and sixth respectively in the overall standings.

Visser/Venter are not title contenders, but Daniel Schröder/Ryan Bland (Nissan Navara) are, with the team finishing third in FIA T1 after losing time with a flat tyre. Schröder/Bland (04:24:01) finished eighth overall, just under two minutes behind the winners of FIA T1.2, Lance Trethewey/Leonard Cremer (King Price Xtreme CR6) who hit a fence and lost time with a flat tyre.

The top 10 overall were rounded off by the Horn brothers, Johan and Werner (#TeamHilux Rally-Raid Toyota Hilux DKR T1+) - 04:24:29 – who finished fifth in FIA T1+ and Gary Bertholdt/Juan Möhr (Toyota Hilux) – 04:25:37 – who were fourth in FIA T1. They lost time when they went into a ditch in the second loop of the day.

After an FIA T1.2 victory the previous day, Malcolm and Frans Kock (JCP Steel Supplies CR6) went on to finish second in the class (04:26:52) with their team-mates, Ernest Roberts/Henry Köhne (04:30:00) also on the podium despite a flat tyre and a faulty on-board jack. Simon Murray/Achim Bergmann (WCT HT2 Toyota Hilux Turbo) were fourth in FIA T1.2.

The Class T victory again went to Jayden Els/Armand du Toit (King Price Xtreme Renault Duster) despite the team finding the thick sand and dust quite challenging. They had a gap of just under four and a half minutes to Class T runners-up, Johan and Sean van Staden (KEC Racing Renault Duster) who were initially leading the class, but experienced gearbox problems. The Class T podium was rounded off by another father and son team, Hendrik and Heinrich du Plessis (Ford) with Christo Rose/Arno Olivier (Neil Woolridge Motorsport Ford Ranger) fourth.

As with the fourth round the previous day, the rest of the Red-Lined Motorsport vehicles again received the chequered flag with the VK50 of Nicolas Pienaar/Carl Swanepoel (Super Energi Race Fuels) finishing fifth in FIA T1 after a ‘clean and most enjoyable’ day. They were only 52 seconds ahead of Johan de Bruyn/Gerhard Schutte (Red-Lined VK56) who were sixth in T1 while Philip Botha/Roelof Janse van Vuren (VK56) were seventh in the class and Thomas Bell/Wade Harris (REVO) eighth.
Richard Leeke/Zaheer Bodhanya (Leeke Motorsport) finished ninth in T1.

After a spectacular podium the previous day, there was disaster for Guy Botterill/Simon Vacy-Lyle (TGRSA DKR Hilux T1+) who were forced to retire after they hit the stranded Can-Am Maverick of Special Vehicle competitors, Geoff Minnitt/Gerhard Snyman. Both teams were uninjured.

Minnitt/Snyman, who won Class G in the Special Vehicle Category the day before, had a good first loop, but went head-over-heels 65 kilometres into the second loop, and were forced to retire. The class was won by title rivals, the Mostert father and son team of Werner and Ian (Moto-Netix Racing Can-Am) who finished third overall in the category.

The Special Vehicle Category was won for the first time this season by Lood du Preez/Chris Visser Jnr (Farmers Meat Stryker) – 04:42:50 – who also posted the fastest time after the Pirelli Qualifying Race. They were followed by Tim Howes/Gary Campbell (BAT Spec 4) who were the only other Class A team to finish (04:48:15). Howes/Campbell started the first of the two 172 kilometre loops from seventh place in the category but struggled with power problems.

Three more Class G teams completed a sweltering and tough day in the Free State with Francois de Wit/Ewald van Rensburg improving on their third place at the fourth round to finish second (4:58:56) with the defending champions, Cecil and Elardus Larney (05:11:25) rounding off the Class G podium. Glen Theron/Craig Galvin (Moto-Netix Racing Can-Am) made up for not being able to complete round four and were fourth in Class G.

Some of the major casualties included Trace Price Moor/Shaun Braithwaite (BAT Venom) who retired with a broken side shaft as well as the Class P entry of Quentin Lessing/Noel Acton (CR-T).

The double-header at Nampo Park was tough and challenging, but it was also most enjoyable as competitors complimented the testing route while the event and routes suited the high level of fierce competition.

The final rounds of the SA Rally-Raid Championship takes place at the Parys Airfield on Friday and Saturday 11 & 12 November.

Source SARRC
Images: Andre Schoeman

Maiden win and an incredible record as all cars finish

Red-Lined Motorsport together with the Penta Motor Group enjoyed a dream weekend of racing at the South African Rally-Raid championship’s double-header fourth and fifth round Nampo 800 over the weekend. Not only did the team’s Red-Lined REVO T1 score a welcome maiden victory in Dragon Energy team Chris Visser and Albertus Venter’s third podium on the trot, but Penta duo, Philip Botha and Roelof Janse van Vuren extended their impeccable finish record to fifty straight races since their debut two years ago.

“We had so much to celebrate this weekend that I don’t quite know where to start!” Red-Lined Racing team principal Terence Marsh admitted. “I’m not sure which is more important between Philip and Roelof extending their incredible one hundred percent finishing record in rally raid to fifty races in a row, or whether Chris and Albertus’ maiden win in the Red-Lined REVO is the big ticket, but we will happily take both of those! “On top of that, all five Red-Lined Racing Adventures entries finished both legs in Bothaville to crown an incredible weekend of Red-Lined racing”

Chris Visser and Albertus Venter were over the moon to finally bring their Dragon Energy powered Red-Lined REVO home to a fine Saturday FIA T1 victory after an ultra-close second place on Friday. “All the hard work so far this season has paid off with a well-deserved victory for the team in the hotly contested T1 class, and this one is for all of you,” Chris Visser pointed out. “We also brought a few upgrades to Bothaville and it seems they worked very well and we gathered some great data in advance of us switching up to the all-new REVO T1+, which we now cannot wait for and fully expect to be a game changer!”

“What can I say?” Philip Botha asked. “We are actually lost for words. “Finishing every single one of our first fifty stages and 25 races on the trot is not just a great achievement, but it’s also great treatment to Red-Lined Motorsport Adventures’ meticulous preparation, race weekend management and execution. “Roelof and I are eternally indebted to Terence and every man and woman in this wonderful family team. “It’s been an amazing adventure and we’ve enjoyed every second and every kilometre of the ride.”

“Today was a great day for Red-Lined Motorsport Adventures,” Terence March concluded. “Not only did Chris and Albertus win, and Philip and Roelof set what will likely be an unbeatable record, but all five cars finished both race days too. FIA T1 do Nicolas Pienaar and Carl Swanepoel’s Super Energi Race Fuels Red-Lined VK50 finished eighth on Friday and fifth on Saturday, while rookie Johan de Bruyn and Gerhard Schutte ‘s VK56 were ninth and sixth in T1 on the two days. Dubai racer Thomas Bell and Wade Harris’ REVO ended 11th and eighth in the respective races.

“As both Johan and Philip have already mentioned, none of this great results would ever be possible without our incredible technical and support team. “All I can do is reiterate that, time and again and thank every one of you personally for a great effort. “It’s five weeks until the final round Parys and we will be working flat out on all fronts to keep this ball rolling – bring it on!”

Source Red-Lined Motorsport

Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer scored fourth-place finishes in the double header NAMPO event in the Free State after leading most of the Saturday race
Lance Woolridge and Elvéne Vonk were second-quickest in Friday qualifying and fastest on Saturday, but technical issues saw them end seventh in the first race
NWM Ford Ranger V8 Class T privateers Hendrik and Heinrich du Plessis made impressive SARRC debut with two podium finishes, ahead of Christo Rose/Arno Olivier

The NWM Ford Castrol Team has made significant strides in the development of its mighty Class FIA T1+ Ranger since it debuted at the start of the 2022 season, and its race-winning potential was clearly shown at the action-packed fourth and fifth rounds of the South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) Series on 30 September and 1 October 2022, respectively.
The double-header event was held at NAMPO Park near Bothaville in the Free State in extremely hot and dusty conditions – an ideal proving ground for the Dakar Rally-specification Rangers which are designed and manufactured by Neil Woolridge Motorsport in Pietermaritzburg, and are powered by Ford’s EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 engine.
Lance Woolridge and Elvéne Vonk (234) were among the top competitors during the short 8.9km qualifying races for both days. In round four on Friday, they were tied for second place with Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy (Toyota), just 7.1 sec off the leading Toyota of Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings.
The second NWM Ford Castrol crew of Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer (277) were also right in the mix, but they overshot a corner near the end and stalled the car, losing about 16 seconds which dropped them down to fifth in T1+ and eighth overall. The top 10 qualifiers draw their starting positions in reverse order, which saw Gareth and Boyd starting first, with Lance and Elvéne second on the road.
In the main race, which comprised two loops of 171km each, Lance and Elvéne were unfortunately hampered 15km into the opening stint by a hole that developed in a turbocharger actuator pipe, and they lost significant time to the front-runners due to the lack of boost. The pipe was replaced during the mandatory 30-minute service stop, and they fought back tenaciously on the second loop to finish seventh in T1+ after posting some of the fastest times of the section.
Opening the road cost Gareth and Boyd significant time, and they had to contend with intermittent power loss issues during the opening loop, but this was remedied for the second stint, and they had a clean run to finish fourth overall.
The NWM Ford Castrol Team headed into round five on Saturday with determination and confidence, and it certainly paid off as Lance and Elvéne set the fastest qualifying time, with Gareth and Boyd finishing second, just 1.2 seconds off their team-mates.

However, the saying “If you didn’t have bad luck, you wouldn’t have any luck” certainly rung true for Lance and Elvéne yet again, as the team found a small crack in a turbocharger oil cooler pipe after qualifying. Without a replacement item on hand emergency repairs were made, and the team went out on the first loop. Sadly it all came to nothing as the leak re-emerged 20km into the stage, and they were ultimately forced to retire.

“We did a lot of work on the car after the last event, and all of the changes made have really shown that we are now capable of running at the front of the field,” Lance said. “Our good qualifying performance on both days and the pace we have shown during the race is fantastic and very encouraging for the team. Our final results are disappointing, but we will regroup and focus on the small things that have let us down this weekend, and I’m sure we’ll have a good race next time.”

With their team-mates out of action Gareth and Boyd soon took over the lead, and a thrilling tussle ensued between the NWM Ford Ranger crew and the Toyota of Lategan/Cummings. Just four seconds separated the teams after 168km of racing as they headed into the pits, and an all-out battle was expected for the top step of the podium on loop two.

Ultimately it was not to be, as an electronic gremlin linked to the power distribution module caused the car to cut out several times. As a result, they lost around five minutes to the leaders but fought on to cross the finish line in fourth place overall once again.

“This certainly wasn’t the result we were hoping for this weekend, especially today after a great prologue and leading at the end of the first loop,” Gareth said. “It is very frustrating, but at the same time it’s rewarding to know that we’ve made a big leap forward with our cars from the last event, and can now fight with the Toyota teams for victory.”

Team principal Neil Woolridge echoed the sentiment. “We came to this event with really high hopes, and it’s fantastic to see that our hard work has paid off. Both cars were competitive yesterday and we led the race this morning, so it looked like we had a chance for the win.

“The issues we had with both cars were very minor, but were enough to drop Lance and Gareth out of contention. However, I think we can be very proud of ourselves in how far we have come with our car after all the testing and development,” Neil added. “We’ve proven this weekend that our T1+ Ranger is really quick and capable of winning, and our drivers and co-drivers have shown that they can go out there and fight for the victory. That is very gratifying, and hopefully, our hard work mixed with a bit of good luck will come our way at the next event.”

Class T

The NWM Ford Ranger V8 scored a pair of podium finishes in Class T. Regional competitors Hendrik and Heinrich du Plessis (T16) made their national championship debut at the NAMPO event, and finished an impressive third in both races, ahead of Christo Rose and Arno Olivier (T58) in fourth.

The final event of the season will be another double-header in Parys, on 11 and 12 November 2022.

Source NWM Ford Castrol Team

The second half of the 2022 World Rally Raid Championship kicks off with the Rallye du Maroc this week as the Bahrain Raid Xtreme team head the title chase with Sebastien Loeb/Fabian Lurquin with their Prodrive Hunter. Making a three car assault, BRX will also run 4th place man from Dakar 2022 Orly Terranova/Alex Haro and Guerlain Chicherit/Alex Winocq who will be running in his GCK Motorsport colours.

Rallye du Maroc (October 1st - 6th) will make a break from the eastern deserts used in the past, this time returning to the western coast. Starting from Agadir the route will take in six stages covering 1575 kms of stages across more sand than seen in previous years. Bivouacs at Tan-Tan and Laayoune will spark memories of Dakar Rallies from the 2000s but the stages will be similar to those seen in Saudi Arabia for the current Dakar.

BRX continues to head the tables using sustainable Eco-Power fuel thus reducing CO2 emissions by 80%, something that the team have been using all season but the push for speed never stops. The entire team has been working hard since the last round in Abu Dhabi, recently covering 2500kms of testing with three cars around Zagora and Erfoud (Morocco) in preparation for not only Rallye du Maroc but Dakar 2023 too. Updates to drivetrain, suspension and navigational procedures with the Prodrive Hunter went well in the searing near 50 degree conditions that were a real-life test so the team are happy to go straight into the two back-to-back rallies with Andalucia Rally only days after Rallye du Maroc.

Nani Roma has recently returned to the seat of one of our BRX Prodrive Hunters during the test in Morocco in which he got back up to full speed again in a car he has been so instrumental in developing. The Spaniard was diagnosed with cancer in March of this year but has fought hard through treatment to be able to return to test the car in a rally raid scenario months ahead of what was previously expected.

Following this successful test in Morocco and his driving at the Salon Privé event in the UK with the Hunter Hypercar, the two-time Dakar winner will continue to work with the Bahrain Raid Xtreme team in developing the cars as both programmes grow. However, it is unfortunately too late in the schedule for Nani to compete with the team in Morocco and Spain next month, and Dakar in January 2023.

Gus Beteli, Team Principal BRX - " Following a very positive test in Morocco we’re very much looking forward to being back rallying against the competition, the clock and the desert. Seb, Orly and Guerlain have further improved the package we have through not leaving any angle unexplored for this World Championship push in the next weeks in Morocco and Spain. These are busy but exciting times at BRX. Nani’s next duties for us will be demonstrating and testing the Hunter Hypercar in Dubai during November but most importantly, we at BRX and Prodrive have all been hugely heartened with the speed of Nani’s progress to be able to get back into the driving seat and see the smile back on his face after some difficult times"

Sebastien Loeb. #200 - "We won the Extreme E race in Chile for X44 so the goal will be to continue in the same way for Morocco! The test with the Prodrive Hunter has been good; we had a good feeling with the car and it was reliable too so everything is working well at the moment. We know that Nasser will be fast in Morocco and Audi also even if the fight is with Nasser for the championship. At the moment Fabian and I are leading and that’s good, but the gap is very small so we have to fight hard to get some more good points for the title. That’s the target for Morocco."

Orly Terranova #203 - "I am happy to be back again rallying. The test was a great experience, like a warm up, with the car very strong but also I started well with Alex (Haro, co-driver). My personal target is to do a good rally and get quicker as the rally progresses. This is a big test for the Dakar as Morocco is a tough rally but one that I enjoy too."

Guerlain Chicherit #208 - "I discovered the Prodrive Hunter in mid-September during two days of private testing in Morocco. I was very surprised to see how the car is easy to drive and I felt comfortable enough to exploit it quite quickly. I really tried to push it as much as I could because that's what testing is for but I must admit that the car is very, very strong! Rallye du Maroc is very hard for the cars and for the crews; in short, one kilometre in Morocco counts double or triple in normal conditions. I will do everything I can and if we are in the game, it will give us confidence for the Dakar."

Source BRX / Prodrive

The return to the track of the Audi factory team with their new generation ‘Dakar ready’ RS Q e-tron is already turning heads in Agadir and all eyes will be on them at the qualifying stage tomorrow. Alongside them and the other factory teams for five stages, more than two hundred amateurs will be racing from bivouac to bivouac, in the grand tradition of rally-raid.

ON TRACK : All eyes on Audi

Since Dakar last January Audi has only entered one race with their ground-breaking RS Q e-tron, back in March at the second round of the W2RC on the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. With ‘Mister Dakar’ behind the wheel the car chalked up its first victory, second time out. Since then the German team has been working behind the scenes on the development of a second generation car for the next Dakar: the RS Q e-tron Evo2 will make its first race appearance tomorrow in the hands of its three official crews. Rally raid fans around the world are keenly awaiting their confrontation with their T1+ rivals Nasser Al Attiyah (Toyota Gazoo Racing) and Sébastien Loeb (Barhain Raid Xtreme), the two leaders of the last Dakar and the current leaders of the world championship, who have been engaged in a Titanesque duel since the beginning of the season. However, with the three Audis competing in a different category on the Rallye du Maroc, due to the Evo2's avant-garde configuration, Peterhansel cautions against jumping to too many conclusions…

"Before this rally we spent ten days testing in Morocco and for us this race is a continuation of that test session. We have done 4000 km, we will do another 1500 km here, a total of 5500 km, that’s not bad. We have a car that is ready for the 2023 Dakar, which will be subject to new regulations. We can't play with our friends from the world championship because our car doesn't fit into the 2022 regulations. It's not a question of performance, it's just that we have a tank that is twenty litres bigger. So, we are in a category called Open. We will start behind the others and we will not be classified. It's a bit strange to start a race knowing that you are not going to be classified, I think it's the first time, but the priority remains the Dakar. There will be a real fight at the front because the world championship is between Loeb and Al Attiyah. We can always make comparisons, but we must know that we will never be in a position to win, so theoretically we should be well behind them. In addition to having a different fuel tank, we are already driving in 2023 configuration with less power than cars like Nasser Al Attiyah's and Sebastien Loeb's. So theoretically, on paper at least, we are less efficient. We want to validate our car right away in its true Dakar 2023 configuration with effectively less power."

Morocco, a land of discovery for rally-raid

The 22nd edition of the Rallye du Maroc exceeds last year's record number of entries and the amateurs are a big part of it. Among the 235 vehicles and 342 competitors in the race, 36 nations will be represented. In FIA, 23 T1s and as many T4s are expected, including the stars of the W2RC. The T3s will be the biggest category with 27 Light Prototypes. 2 T2 will be present. Outside the FIA ranking, 4 Open cars will be competing, including the three official Audis. 12 Open SSV Maroc Telecom will complete this list and once again shows that the T3, T4 and Open SSV categories are attracting ever more participants to rally-raid. In total, 62 of these new generation four-wheelers will start tomorrow. In T5, after the two trucks of 2021, they will be 9 tomorrow leaving on the big southern loop as preparation of the next Dakar.

The FIM motorcycles and quads will represent more than half of the vehicles entered in the race. 13 quads will be at the start, including the winners of the last two Dakars. Behind the 14 factory riders present, 109 bikes will be at the start. Among them, the Rally 2 entries, but also, for the first time this season on the W2RC the new Rally 3 category will make an appearance. The Enduro Cup Afriquia, (called from now Rally 3 Enduro Cup Afriquia )which has been a feature of the Rally of Morocco for a few years now, has been so popular that the FIM has decided to dedicate a category to it, which will be contested over the last two rounds of the world championship. These enduro bikes equipped with rally-raid instrumentation are the gateway to the Rally 2 category. But already the attraction of a title recognized at world level by the FIM is attracting new competitors to the discipline (see quote).

RADIO BIVOUAC

Supported by the three major national partners of the Rallye du Maroc, OCP, Maroc Telecom and Afriquia, a group of specially selected Moroccan competitors will be racing here under the ART banner. For some, it will be their very first experience. Others have considerably more experience, like Amine Echiguer, the winner of the Enduro Cup Afriquia category for his first participation in 2021, or Ali Oukerbouch and Souad Mouktadiri who will discover the Open SSV Maroc Telecom category. Harite Gabari, the godfather of the rally-raid scene in the Kingdom will also make his four-wheel debut. The Agadir based competitor was for ten years the only ‘local’ rider entered on the Rally du Maroc, chalking up a total 11 participations. Things started to change last year. In Morocco, but also on the Dakar on which he has raced 4 times and where for the first time this year two other Moroccan competitors who’d raced on the Rally of Morocco in 2021 entered: "The ART program set up is exceptional. I wish I’d had this when I started out! Too many Moroccans have a block when it comes to rally-raid. In Erfoud, some candidates had never seen a road book, it was a total discovery. Without this help, they would never have tried the discipline. In addition to the psychological brake, there is also the financial aspect. By offering the entry fee and the rental of the safety equipment, this initiative has opened up the sport completely". This summer, after an identification phase carried out by the Moroccan federations, 16 pilots were invited to Erfoud for an unprecedented trial. David Castera himself, along with Isabelle Patissier and a doctor were waiting for them with road books, safety and navigation equipment for a real ‘master class’ in the dunes of Merzouga. At the end of these three days, 5 bikers and 2 SSV crews were selected to be part of the Africa Rally Team. In the end, only 4 bikers will be at the start.

Ali Oukerbouch in Rally 2 and the Enduro Cup Afriquia title holder Amine Echiguer in Rally3 accompanied by ‘rookies’ Hamza El Ouahal and Moad Sahli, an injury having ruled out the fifth selected candidate. After Cyril Despres last year, it is Nani Roma who will be at their side this week to support them with his experience. Straight after the next Dakar the 2023 ART selection process will begin.

STAT OF THE DAY: 40
In 1982, three years after the first Paris-Dakar the Paris-Agadir saw the light of day. The first rally raid held in Morocco was the next year renamed the Rally de l’Atlas and would run until the end of the 1990s. In its wake appeared in 2000 the Rallye du Maroc. 40 years later the international rally caravan is once again back in Agadir. The last time was in 2016 with the finish in Erfoud. Sunday the rally will be heading to Tan Tan where the last African Dakar night-stopped 15 years ago. Since 2018 the Rallye du Maroc has adopted the Southern Cross as its symbol with the slogan: the essence of rally raid. The 22nd edition has taken inspiration from the four decades shared with the Kingdom of Morocco.

QUOTES
Stéphane Peterhansel: "We’re 90kg less than last year’s car but on the other hand we have lost the equivalent of 30 horsepower, so in terms of performance it should be more or less the same. While working on the weight we changed the bodywork which made it more aerodynamic. There's a little less air resistance from 100 km/h, the car feels lighter and this helps us gain small tenths every time we accelerate between 100 and 170 km/h. Those are the main changes made for the Evo2."

Amine Echiguer (OCP Group): "This year the Rally 3 Enduro Cup Afriquia category is part of the W2RC and I intend to seize the opportunity to participate in this championship. So ideally I will also be at the start of the Andalucía Rally. But I have seen the list of participants, including an Indian Sherco rider, and I know that I am not the only one who has this in mind. The goal is then to participate in 2023 in Rally 2 races before entering the 2024 Dakar."

TOMORROW’S PROGRAMME
Saturday 1 October: Leg 1A - Agadir – Agadir (liaison: 49 km / SS: 9 km / total: 58 km)
· 07.00 – 10.30: administrative checks (Agadir Stadium)
· 08.30 – 12.00: technical scrutineering (Agadir Stadium)
· 13.45/15.55: 1st Rally 3/RallyGP competitor on Qualifying Stage
· 16.54: 1st FIA competitor on Qualifying Stage
· 19.00: first 15 FIM competitors of the Qualifying Stage choose their start position for SS1B (Agadir Stadium)
· 19.30: first 10 FIA competitors of the Qualifying Stage choose their start position for SS1B (Agadir Stadium)
· 20.00: publication of the start order for SS1B

Source W2RC / ASO
Photo:  DPPI Production

Key points:
Along an unprecedented route between Agadir and southern Morocco, the two leaders of the FIA and FIM world championship, Sébastien Loeb (Bahrain Raid Xtreme) and Sam Sunderland (GasGas Factory Racing), will come together tomorrow to be pursued by their closest rivals Nasser Al Attiyah (Toyota Gazoo Racing) and Pablo Quintanilla (Monster Energy Honda).
The Qatari and the Argentinean will have two things in common this week: they are both second in the provisional W2RC rankings as well as winners of the last edition of the Rallye du Maroc. The challengers in the race for the world titles will therefore take starter’s orders with the psychological advantage of being the title holders.
For all the pretenders for the supreme titles, the Rallye du Maroc will be a decisive turning point in this first season of the W2RC, which promises high calibre contests in all the categories.

T1: LOEB vs. AL ATTIYAH: THE CLASH OF THE DESERT KINGS
The suspense is at its peak in W2RC. Before the wheels hit the sand in the Moroccan desert, there is only one point between the leading two drivers in the W2RC rankings: 112 points for Sébastien Loeb and 111 points for Nasser Al Attiyah. Who will be the first man in history to win the title of FIA World Champion? Only two legs are left before we find out, in Morocco as from tomorrow and on the Andalucía Rally, from 18th to 23rd October.
The Qatari and the Frenchman, who monopolised the stage victories on the last Dakar, finishing respectively 1st and 2nd overall, both performed below par on the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (finishing 6th and 11th) for the second leg of the W2RC. Before the final battle, which will loom into view at the end of the month, Nasser Al Attiyah finds himself on an advantageous terrain in Morocco, having already won the race 6 times as well as being the event’s record holder. As for Sébastien Loeb, the man from Alsace is less familiar with this Moroccan rally, having only featured twice in its final rankings (2nd in 2017 and 14th in 2015). However, Nasser knows that the nine times winner of the WRC will be on much more comfortable ground in Andalusia, on closed tracks not dissimilar to those found on the Baja races. In short, the intensity of this duel will be higher than ever on the long road down to the south of Morocco.

MOTO RALLY GP: SUNDERLAND – QUINTANILLA: SPARKS ARE SET TO FLY
As in the car category, a similar situation is emerging in the RallyGP bike race, with a duel between Sam Sunderland (GasGas Factory Racing), leader of the overall rankings, and Pablo Quintanilla, the title holder. Following his triumph on the Dakar, the British rider was victorious on the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, extending his lead at the top of the world championship rankings. However, he arrives in Morocco, where he prematurely exited the race on his two previous appearances, without a team-mate, since Daniel Sanders is still on the road to recovery. His closest pursuer, Pablo Quintanilla (Monster Energy Honda), 2nd on the last Dakar and winner of the previous Rallye du Maroc, trails him by 17 points. In his last six participations, the Chilean has finished on the podium three times (3rd in 2017, 2nd in 2019 and 1st in 2021), meaning he will start with a psychological edge. Behind the leading two riders, the competition is no less ferocious. Although 3rd placed Matthias Walkner (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is absent due to a recent operation on his shoulder, only 18 points separate the 4th placed rider, Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda), from the 11th, Lorenzo Santolino (Team Sherco Rallye)! The Rallye du Maroc should logically lead to a shake-up in the positions with 14 official team riders on the starting line. What’s more, the Hero Motosports, Sherco and Husqvarna teams will all have a full squad for the first time this season. It should also be noted that Adrien Van Beveren, runner-up in the world championship last year, will be making his comeback. After his absence on the second leg of the championship, he will be making his debut behind the handlebars of his Honda and his motivation is clear for all to see.

FIERCE BATTLES AHEAD AMONG THE CONSTRUCTORS
In tandem with the riders’ and drivers’ championships, everyone’s eyes will also be on the constructors’ rankings, in which the suspense also could not be higher. On four wheels, Toyota Gazoo Racing are calling the tune with 103 points, ahead of X-Raid Mini JCW on 70 points and Bahrain Raid Xtreme (65 points). Although the Hilux cars boast a significant lead, the battle behind them promises to be intense. The BRX team will be competing with Sébastien Loeb and Orlando Terranova, who finished 4th on the last Dakar. The X-Raid Mini JCW clan will also be able to count on two especially experienced drivers, Jakub Przygoński and Sebastian Halpern.
As regards the FIM rankings, three constructors are battling for the podium places: Monster Energy Honda (83 points), GasGas Factory Racing (63 points) and Red Bull KTM Factory (60 points). Behind them, the struggle between their pursuers is just as exciting, between Hero Motosports (in 4th on 31 points), Husqvarna Factory Racing (in 5th on 22 points) and Team Sherco Rallye (6th on 19 points). In short, the battle will be taking place at all levels on the sands of Morocco.

AN EQUALLY FEROCIOUS TUSSLE IN T3, T4 AND T5
In the other categories, the Rallye du Maroc will also be providing a superb setting for confrontations between experienced drivers who will be doing their utmost to snatch victory and take an option on triumph in the world championship. Like Sam Sunderland in the bike category, in the T3 class, Francisco López (Can-Am Factory South Racing) has built up a significant lead over Cristina Gutiérrez (Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team) thanks to his consecutive wins on the Dakar and then the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Is it to give the Spaniard a free rein to attempt a show of force against “Chaleco” that her OT3 team have not included her among its three crews able to score points in the constructors’ rankings? The answer to that question will soon be evident when the race gets going, because Cristina has 116 points against 141 points for the Chilean and will have to make up this gap if she wants to hold on to her crown in Andalusia. In the T4 category, a trio of competitors lead the rankings. American Austin Jones (Can-Am Factory South Racing, on 122 points), Poland’s Marek Goczał (Cobant – Energylandia Rally Team, on 118 points) and Lithuanian Rokas Baciuška (South Racing Can-Am, on 107 points) have stolen a march on the rest of the field but are only within a whisker of each other. In the T5 category, Martin Macík (MM Technology, on 108 points), who was unable to score the slightest point on the last leg of the championship due to his withdrawal, will be determined to beat Kees Koolen (Project 2030, on 140 points). However, as Tomáš Vrátný makes his comeback, he could be set to make their life difficult and is aming for the podium.
All that remains is for the competitors to battle for the win on the sand of Morocco to see who will take the advantage before the last leg in Andalusia, where they can lay claim to becoming world champion!

THE PROGRAMME
Administrative and technical scrutineering commenced on Friday 30th September in the Agadir Stadium. They will continue tomorrow morning before the start of the qualification special (stage 1A) in the afternoon. The W2RC caravan will set forth on Sunday 2nd October on a loop out from Agadir and back, made up of five stages punctuated by four bivouacs. A 2 316-km route awaits the competitors, including 1 575 km of specials.

Source W2RC / ASO
Photo: A.S.O/H.Cabilla

Saudi world champion Yazeed bin Mohammed Al Rajhi is preparing to participate in the 22nd edition of the Rally Morocco, which is the third round of the World Rally Raid Championship. (officially abbreviated as W2RC).

The pride of Saudi Arabia in Motorsport, Yazeed Al Rajhi, will be accompanied by German navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz, replacing Michael Orr, injured in a car accident in Baja Poland three weeks ago.

However, it will be a new challenge to cross the desert from Agadir, in the southwest of the Kingdom of Morocco, to Tan Tan and Al Ayoun on the Atlantic coast.

On the first day of the race, there will be a qualifying stage. The race will last six days in five stages from 1 to 6 October, as there will be fierce competition among competitors across 2 319 kilometers of stages, including 1,583 kilometers of special stages on the sand, gravel tracks, and golden dunes.

During a busy schedule for the Yazeed Racing team until the end of the year, Yazeed Al Rajhi will participate this season in three different championships, one of which is local: Saudi Toyota Desert Rally Championship, and the others are international events, FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Baja and FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). In the W2RC, Al Rajhi is ranked third and hopes to advance further.

The pair tested the new Toyota Hilux over two days in the Moroccan city of Erfoud, which is known for its huge sand dunes and geographic diversity. The Belgian team "Overdrive" prepared a new car that is similar to the one that burned in Baja Poland and is equipped with a V6 engine and twin turbocharger, unlike the one I raced in Aseer Rally few days ago.

In a statement, Saudi motorsport icon, Al-Rajhi said, "I'm looking forward to the Morocco Rally a lot! We have set up some settings for the engine and suspension before the car's launch on Saturday.
I thank my team is doing an amazing job as usual. We are looking forward to winning this rally and there is nothing stopping us from doing so, so we need to focus and develop appropriate strategies to advance in collecting points. Our challenge in the Morocco Rally requires endurance and effort for man and machine alike. We have a long race ahead of us in the Moroccan deserts, and we hope that God will guide us on our way.

In his own words, Dirk von Zitzewitz said Rally Morocco would be challenging due to the Moroccan deserts. "Yazeed and I in the cabin along with the Overdrive team believe we have what it takes to win the Rally. We have all the factors to win, and I pray that God will be on our side. The world of motorsport is unpredictable."

Source Yazeed Racing

After three tests in Poland, it is now time for the real thing: the Rallye du Maroc. Although the plan was to drive the Baja Hail in Saudi Arabia later this year, in the end the choice fell on Morocco.
Currently, the race truck is on its way to Agadir, where the technical inspection will take place on Friday. Gert Huzink has been present in the Rallye du Maroc since 2012, back then with a car. For years, the Rallye du Maroc has counted as the most important test for teams who want to prepare seriously for the Dakar. In motorcycles and cars, all major (factory) teams are present. In the truck category there are 8 teams entered.
Gert: "The Rallye du Maroc is always a serious competition and a good test. Although I would like to see more sand in the rallies in Morocco, we drive a lot over stones and hard surfaces. That's a good test for the chassis, to see if it's strong enough.''
The organization of the Rallye du Maroc is in the hands of David Castera, who is also director of the Dakar. Castera says that this edition of the Rally du Maroc can be seen as a small Dakar.
"In terms of engines, we have pushed the limits a little bit and therefore it is good to see what the truck does with the hot conditions in Morocco. So far we have been able to work through that well in the tests in Poland. Sand, of course, we're also going to get a lot in Saudi Arabia, in Morocco we can get the feeling again and see if the truck gets the most out of it. I like driving through dunes, it remains a challenge to drive through them as fast as possible'' Gert says.
From Friday we will report daily from the Rallye du Maroc and follow the team's progress closely.

Automatic translation
Source Riwald Dakar Team

Key points:

• Seven months after the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (ADDC), the second round of the FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, the W2RC caravan will be back in Africa from October 1st to 6th for the Rallye du Maroc.
• Almost immediately afterwards, from October 18th to 23rd, just across the Straits of Gibraltar, the final round will take place on the Andalucía Rally. A second part of the championship straddling two continents that will be fought out at full speed.
• The Rallye du Maroc will be a decisive turning point for this first W2RC World Rally-Raid Championship in each category where nothing has yet been decided. The tightest and most closely watched duel will be in the cars. Loeb (Bahrain Raid Xtreme) and Al Attiyah (Toyota Gazoo Racing) are only separated by just one point, in favour of the Frenchman!

SAND, NAVIGATION AND BIVOUACS
Due to the heat wave that hit Europe this summer, the Andalucía Rally was postponed until the autumn. The Rallye du Maroc, initially scheduled as the final round, has given up this place but has not lost its status as the dress rehearsal for the Dakar. All the W2RC contenders and rally-raid stars will be present next week at the start of the third round of the W2RC in Agadir. The Audi team will be out in full force, with Peterhansel, Sainz and Ekström. A first since the last Dakar, a full-scale test for the second generation RS Q e-tron. Martin Prokop (Benzina Orlen) will also be back with his Ford Raptor RS Cross Country.
For its 22nd edition, the Rallye du Maroc has unveiled a route that is very different from previous editions. It is towards the less touristy territories of the south of the Kingdom, around Tan Tan and Laâyoune, that the race will take place along the Atlantic coast. On less marked tracks and with a higher proportion of sand, not dissimilar to the kind of terrain found in Saudi Arabia, the five stages will be punctuated with four bivouacs. A stage profile similar to the upcoming 2023 W2RC Dakar that reshuffles the deck for all the Rallye du Maroc regulars, including title holders Nasser Al Attiyah in cars and Pablo Quintanilla (Monster Energy Honda) in the RallyGP bikes.

T1: THE CATEGORY GETS STRONGER
The battle between the leaders Sébastien Loeb and Nasser Al Attiyah, separated by a single point, is expected to start right from the off in Agadir. But they will have to keep an eye on other contenders... and get used to it! In the Overdrive Racing clan, there will be four crews equipped with the Hilux T1+: Yazeed Al Rajhi, Erik Van Loon, Lionel Baud and Jan Cruz Yacopini. To support Loeb at BRX, "Orly" Terranova, 4th on the last Dakar, will be back in action. At the wheel of their X-Raid Mini JCW buggies, there will be another two challengers: Jakub Przygonski and Sebastian Halpern. And then there’s the return of Guerlain Chicherit (CGK Motorsport). The Frenchman recently announced that he was entering the 2023 W2RC and that he would be joining it in Morocco. And not just in any old car… the Savoyard will be equipped with the same Prodrive Hunter as Loeb.

T3: CHALECO VS CRISTINA
Winner of the Dakar in his first season in the category, then of the second round, "Chaleco" Lopez (Can-Am Factory South Racing) is challenging the reigning queen Cristina Gutierrez (Red Bull Off-Road Junior). She is the fastest behind the Chilean with two second places since the beginning of the championship and can count on her three teammates who will again be present on the Rallye du Maroc. Annett Fisher and Jean-Luc Pisson (JLT Racing) in a PH-Sport Zephyr will complete the line-up of regulars since the beginning of the season. But we will also have to watch out for the return of the FN Speed team. They have entered no less than four crews: Pau Navarro, 3rd T3 of the Dakar, Sebastian Guayasamin, Jordi Segura Vidiella and Merce Marti.

T4: VERY CLOSE
Five T4s will be fighting for the championship in Agadir, with the leading trio extremely close on points. Dakar winner Austin Jones (Can-Am Factory South Racing) leads the standings, challenged in Abu Dhabi by Marek Goczal (Cobant-Energylandia Rally) who is now just 4 points behind. Second on the Dakar and the ADDC, the young Lithuanian Rokas Baciuska (South Racing Can-Am) is closing in. Rodrigo Luppi, second in T4 on the Rallye du Maroc 2021, and Lucas Del Rio (South Racing Can-Am) may be teammates, but they are still rivals on the track and have been making progress since the beginning of the season, hoping to quickly match the pace of the leaders.

T5: A REFEREE IS COMING
In the truck category, Martin Macik (MM Technology) and Kees Koolen (Project 2030) were engaged in a duel at the wheel of their Iveco Powerstars. In Morocco, it will be different because another Czech will make his return to the championship. Present at the Dakar last January after five years of absence, Tomas Vratny (Fesh-Fesh R Sixteam) has decided to come and try and get in among them!

MOTO RALLYGP: SUNDERLAND SOLO
All the factory riders will be there, with the exception of the reigning world champion and third in the provisional championship, Matthias Walkner (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Daniel Sanders (Gas Gas Factory Racing), still recovering from injury, will also stay at home. Sunderland, winner of the first two rounds, will not be able to count on his record of achievements in Morocco, which is less impressive than that of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, nor on a GasGas teammate. That will not be the case for Quintanilla. The Rallye du Maroc title holder will be able to enjoy the support of no less than three teammates. For one of them, Adrien Van Beveren, the current vice-world champion, it will be the occasion to test his Honda under race conditions for the first time. Among the 14 factory riders in the race will be representatives from Hero Motosports, Sherco and Husqvarna. These three teams will be out in full force for the first time this season!

MOTO RALLY 2: A STRONG NEW GENERATION
Seven male and one female rider have entered the Rally 2 class. The hierarchy at the top has already been established with the young Californian Mason Klein (BAS World KTM Racing) in the lead, followed by the 30-year-old Romain Dumontier (Dumontier Racing) and Konrad Dabrowski (Duust Rally). But the young Bradley Cox (BAS World KTM Racing) and the experienced Mario Patrao, a former factory rider who returned to the Dakar via the Original by Motul last January, have the speed to get in among the front runners. Franco Picco (Fantic Rally), the veteran of the motorcycle category and all-round Dakar legend will continue to develop the Italian brand’s customer model.

QUAD: ANDUJAR RETURNS!
Winner of the Dakar 2021, forced to abandon last January, Manuel Andujar has decided to return to the race next week. The confrontation with the Frenchman Alexandre Giroud, title holder of the last Dakar and current leader of the championship, promises to be intense. Especially since they will be teammates in the French team Dragon. Jurav Varga, 5th in the provisional ranking, should be back on the podium in the absence of his rivals.

THE PROGRAMME
This Friday, September 30 will begin the administrative and technical checks in the Agadir Stadium. It will continue on Saturday morning, October 1st before the start of the qualifying stage (stage 1A) in the afternoon. The W2RC caravan will set off on Sunday, October 2nd for an Agadir-Agadir loop consisting of five stages punctuated by four bivouacs. 2316 km await the competitors, including 1575 km of special stage.

Source ASO / W2RC
Photo: A.S.O/H.Cabilla

   South African Rally Raid Championship Rounds 4 & 5   

Four-car Red-Lined team ready for NAMPO 800

Red-Lined Motorsport together with the Penta Motor Group heads to mielie and beef country for a double-header’s worth of the Nampo 800, the 5th and penultimate round of the South African Rally-Raid championship on the 30 September and 1 October. It is another big one for the team with, an incredible record in the offering and some exciting new upgrades on our Red-Lined REVO T1.

“We head to the Free State for another exciting weekend of South African Rally-Raid adventure around the cornfields of Bothaville,” Red-Lined team principal Terence Marsh confirmed. “It’s an especially big weekend for the Penta pairing of Philip Botha and Roelof Janse van Vuren, who stare a really special achievement in their face aboard their Red-Lined VK56, while our two REVO’S will be running some new bits that we expect will bring a little more pace, too.”

Botha and van Vuren and their Penta branded VK56 have already made history by finishing every single stage, day, and event they have started since making their Rally-Raid debut back in 2020. Should they finish both events at this weekend’s Nampo event, they will have successfully completed 50 consecutive racing stages since their debut, to set an incredible new benchmark for fellow businessmen racers. “Our Penta Red-Lined VK56 is primed and ready to race,” Philip Botha confirmed. “We are looking forward to another amazing adventure in the Free State!”

It is also an exciting weekend ahead for Chris Visser and Albertus Venter and their Dragon Energy powered Red-Lined REVO, which will arrive in the Free State carrying new upgrades as the Red-Lined team continues to develop this race car ahead of the exciting launch of their REVO T1+ later in the year. “We are taking a few Upgrades to the Nampo race that should make us a little more competitive. “The plan is to go one place up on our second overall last time out! “The REVO is fast becoming a major force to be reckoned with the hotly contested T1 class and we look forward to taking everything to the next level in the Free State.”

Red-Lined Motorsport is taking a four-car team to the Nampo 800 Rally-Raid. Dubai-based Brit Thomas Edward Bell and Wade Harris are looking to build on their solid start to the season aboard their Red-Lined REVO. Former track racer and Rally-Raid rookie Johan de Bruyn meanwhile continues to impress and raise his game each time out alongside experienced notes man Gerhard Schutte in their PentaSure branded VK56.

“Our dedicated technical team has our four Red-Lined T1 race cars prepared and ready, our racing crews are all set and we look forward another great Rally Raid adventure in the Free State,” Terence Marsh concluded. “Just a couple more sleeps!”

Source: Red-Lined Motorsport via Motorsport Media

The Rallye du Maroc is traditionally one of the most important rallies in preparation for the Dakar Rally. This edition takes place around Agadir and will be very different from previous rallies in Morocco. Erik van Loon has planned two test days prior to the rally, which starts next Saturday. Van Loon will start with the Toyota Hilux and will be navigated by Sébastien Delaunay. Anja van Loon will go to Morocco later and, together with Lisette Bakker in the Can-Am X3 Maverick, will continue her preparation for her first Dakar Rally.

"I am very curious about the Rallye du Maroc," says Erik van Loon. "Ever since David Castera has been involved in the Dakar and the rally in Morocco, there has been more and more testing of what will happen during the Dakar. During this edition the route will be more similar to what we will encounter in Saudi Arabia. In addition, almost the entire world's top teams will be at the start, so it will be a fun and sporting challenge, like a mini-Dakar."

It will be the same for Anja van Loon. "It will be my first rally in Morocco and I am really looking forward to it! Also at the baby carriages all the top drivers will be at the start, I want to learn as much as possible and prepare for the Dakar Rally together with Lisette. We still have a short test in Agadir before the rally starts."

The two-day test for Erik will take place on the other side of Morocco, around Erfoud and Merzouga. "There's a lot of testing there and a lot of decisions were made in those dunes during the previous editions of the rally. The car is much improved from the previous version and we are going to test and tune the Hilux in the Sahara. After that, we will definitely do our best to show our potential."

The Rallye du Maroc starts on Saturday, Oct. 1, with a 9-kilometer prologue around Agadir. The finish is on Thursday, October 6, after more than 1,500 kilometers of competitive mileage and bivouacs in Agadir, Tan Tan and Laayoune on the Moroccan coast.

Source Van Loon Racing