Fez: Nearly 250 Participants at the Start of the 2025 Rallye du Maroc

The opening day of this major sporting event, held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, featured the prologue of the fifth and final round of the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship, Ultimate T1+ category.

The 19-kilometer timed prologue took place in the outskirts of Fez and was designed to determine the starting order for Stage 1.

Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah finished first behind the wheel of a Dacia Sandriders, followed by Portuguese driver Joao Ferreira (Toyota Hilux), while French driver Sébastien Loeb (Dacia Sandriders) came in third.

In the motorcycle category, French rider Thomas Zoldos dominated the race, followed by his compatriot Noah Saint, while Moroccan rider Achraf Zoulati took seventh place.

The first stage of the rally will begin on Monday, connecting the cities of Fez and Erfoud over a total distance of 780 km. The overall distance of the rally is approximately 2,299 km.

In a statement to MAP, Chris Evans from the rally’s organizing committee emphasized “the great importance” of this international sporting event, second only to the Dakar Rally, noting that it will feature world rally champions.

For his part, Youssef Zahidi, President of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Motor Racing (FRMSA), highlighted that the Rallye du Maroc is a major round of the World Rally-Raid Championship given the difficulty of its terrain and the growing interest in motorsport across Morocco.

He also praised the attention that His Majesty King Mohammed VI gives to motorsport, noting that all conditions have been met to ensure the success and smooth running of this race, which will continue until October 17.

Mr. Zahidi also underlined the choice of Fez as the starting point of this race, citing its rich history and significant assets. He noted that the extensive media coverage of the rally is likely to help boost tourism in the host cities and promote Morocco’s vast potential in this field.

World rally champion and seven-time winner of the Rallye du Maroc, Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah, emphasized that the Rallye du Maroc is one of the most beautiful and demanding races due to the diversity of its terrains. He expressed hope to claim his eighth title this year and retain his world champion status.

Moroccan champion Omar Benhayoun, participating in the rally for the first time in the car category, expressed pride in taking part in this major event, hoping to represent Morocco honorably while gaining valuable experience in this type of competition.

For his part, rally legend Carlos Sainz confirmed that the Rallye du Maroc is a “very important” race in preparation for the Dakar, adding that it is an opportunity to “draw conclusions and gain a clear understanding of the competition and the evolution of the cars.”

Among the authorized motorcycle riders, 11 are RallyGP participants representing KTM, Honda, Hero, and Sherco, joined by Stefan Svitko (Cross Team). Behind this elite group, 90% of participants are amateurs.

Some are taking part to discover the desert, others to experience the standard of the world championship, while a few are aiming to prepare for the Dakar — with some holding the very real hope of qualifying for it.

The Rallye du Maroc, a flagship event of motorsport and Africa’s leading rally-raid featuring various categories (cars, trucks, motorcycles, quads, and SSV), stands as a high-level sporting and media showcase.

Editorial team/le7tv