Just a few days ago, David Castera, head of the Rallye du Maroc organization presented this year's edition of the race. Here are is own words about it:
Hello everyone,
I hope you and your loved ones are well.
A month ago, we presented our thoughts to you and discussed what led us to think differently about this 2020 edition. The current health circumstances forced us to make choices to protect the Moroccan people and the competitors by limiting contact and taking special measures.
The Rallye du Maroc’s mission is being nomadic in order to allow you to discover the Kingdom. So our initial plan, as announced in February, was to leave from Agadir. This objective has been postponed.
This year, the Rallye will be organized around an XXL bivouac near M’Hamid, south of Zagora.
If the nomadic character is assessed under the current circumstances, the Rallye du Maroc remains faithful to its DNA:
Be the most accessible international Rally Raid with FIA and FIM labels and categories designed for new adventurers, allowing them to progress at their own pace and means, alongside the best pilot and co-pilots in the world.
Prepare effectively for the Dakar, whether it is a short-term project or a long-term goal. The Rallye du Maroc benefits from the “Road to Dakar” Label, thus meeting the demanding criteria in terms of safety and sports organization that this implies.
Allow factory teams to prepare effectively for the Dakar.
So many guarantees of quality for all participants, whatever their level, without sacrificing conviviality and shared experiences. We tend to repeat ourselves by quoting this sentence from Thierry Sabine, but it’s true: “The Rally is a race for amateurs where professionals have their place”.
At a time when many countries are in deconfinement mode or in the process of being deconfined, I invite you to take advantage of this rediscovered freedom while remaining cautious and attentive to your well-being and that of others.
Best regards,
David Castera
Rallye Program
September 27, 2020: Closing of registrations.
October 9, 2020: Administrative and technical checks.
From October 10 to 14, 2020: Stages 1 to 5 of the Rallye du Maroc.
October 14 evening:
Official Awards Ceremony.
Innovation and safety are at the heart of the Rallye
Our continuous concerns regarding safety are on the one hand that everyone should be concerned with safety, not only the organization but also the competitors and teams. On the other hand, sports, innovation and safety are complementary and not opposing principles, it is in this sense that we wish to move forward, as evidenced by the initiatives implemented in this 2020 edition.
In this context, bike competitors in the GP Rallye category will have a limited number of rear tires to complete the entire Rallye, mechanic intervention will be prohibited at the petrol refueling points, and finally, an audible alarm will announce all danger 2 and 3’s reported in the road book.
Bike/Quad air bag vest
ODC is currently in discussions with these companies so that they are present at the start of the Rallye. This will be an opportunity to test products and configure them for use in the Rallye du Maroc. For your information, the bike/quad air bag vest will be mandatory at Dakar.
We will set up a pre-booking system, with no obligation for purchase, in partnership with the players concerned in order to organize the right timing and quality service.
The color road book
It is confirmed, all participants will have a color road book, which will be handed out the morning of each stage before the start of the special.
We tested this principle during the 2019 edition; it will now be systematic with 2 major benefits for all competitors.
First of all, putting navigation and fairness in competition at the heart of Rally Raid, all participants thus start on an equal footing.
The other advantage is to encourage drivers to increase their safety margin with a more cautious reading of the terrain by sacrificing a little at top speed, a strategy that always pays off in the classifications.
Electronic version or paper version? After careful consideration, taking the advice of the various players and due to the current situation, which has slowed production, the electronic version will only be available in certain categories; the others will use the paper version.
Starting in 2021, the electronic version will be the standard in the Rallye du Maroc as the benefits are numerous, especially for bikes, with a significant weight gain in the front (about 3.5 kg): increased precision, less fatigue, more security.
Label Road to Dakar
As announced to you in our previous newsletter, the Rallye du Maroc will be the only Rally event of the re-entry to profit from this label, taking into account its level of organization in sports planning as well as safety planning.
The main advantages for participants in the Rallye du Maroc:
For bikes: participation in the Rallye du Maroc 2020 validates your registration request for the Dakar 2021 in the bike category.
For competitors in the Afriquia Enduro Cup and the Open SSV Maroc Telecom categories who have never participated in the Dakar, the rookies: A €1,000 discount on bike and a €1,500 discount on SSV registrations for the Dakar 2021, plus a free entry for the 1st rookie in each of these 2 categories.
More information about logistics, travelling and more can be found in Rallye du Maroc official site
Source: Rallye du Maroc official newsletter
