Morocco: Peterhansel is the big favorite

The withdrawal of the two Mitsubishi Lancers from Team JMB Stradale, following the destruction of a car in testing last week, frees the X-Raid team from any opposition. Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret line up at the start with a completely new BMW

« The bodywork is still “prototype”, particularly in terms of the cooling scoops. During tests in Morocco a few weeks ago, we mainly adjusted the suspensions and mechanical differentials, in order to have a car to our liking. What I like about this team is that all the modifications we requested were quickly made “, explains Peterhansel. A second BMW rally from Tunisia last May.

If the Schlesser team is there with its traditional blue buggy, the “boss” Jean-Louis will not be at the wheel. He actually rented it to a young Frenchman living in Morocco, François Lethier, whose competition experience is quite minimal. The Belgian Overdrive team, led by Grégoire de Mévius, is fielding two Nissan Pickups for the Belgian Van Cauwenberge and the Russian Mironenko, fast drivers who can reach the podium. In total, around forty cars are at the start of this Morocco rally, contested over six days and in the form of “loop” specials around Zagora.