Henk Lategan: "Beating the rally-raid masters on their home turf is great!"

Relieved of all pressure in terms of the World Championship rally-raid (W2RC) following the loss of an hour due to a broken rear differential during Stage 2, Henk Lategan (Toyota) rode with a free spirit this Wednesday. And it showed. The official Toyota Gazoo Racing driver, who started 20th, put in an excellent performance that allowed him to win this 3rd stage. 

"I only became aware of the reality of my situation last night when I went to bed., he tells us. It was a really sad day yesterday! To be able to attack the day after this disappointment and win my first stage victory in Morocco is gratifying."

The South African, who finished second in the 2025 Dakar Rally, is relishing this performance, achieved on terrain he was familiar with until the beginning of the week. Henk Lategan had never competed in a single Rally of Morocco before! "The stage passed through areas that my rivals have known for years. Beating the rally-raid masters on their home turf is fantastic! I'm taking the rest of the rally as an opportunity to improve my driving skills so I can perform better in the future."

“The Rally of Morocco is similar to the Dakar. In fact, it’s the rally closest to the Dakar in terms of terrain and route. I can use this event to test settings. (in view of the Dakar 2026). »

Practically out of the running for the title (for that to happen, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Lucas Moraes would have to abandon the race and Lategan would have to win stages), Henk Lategan will be aiming for stage wins until the final finish on Friday evening.

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Interview by Michaël Duforest in Erfoud (Morocco)