Rallye du Maroc – What if de Mévius or Chicherit (Mini) won the 2024 edition?

With their zebra look, they are easily recognized in the bivouac of Rally of Morocco 2024. As a nod to Guerlain Chicherit's last outing with the X-Raid team on the Dakar in 2016 (with a buggy nicknamed the Zebra because of a black and white decoration), the Mini JCWs assigned to Chicherit and Guillaume de Mévius wear this original livery. But for the rest, the two drivers do not amuse the gallery.

On the eve of the final finish scheduled for Friday 12 October, the Frenchman and his Belgian team-mate are on the provisional podium. Chicherit is 11'40'' behind the leader Nasser Al-Attiyah (Dacia), while de Mévius is 9'12'' behind the Qatari. Enough to give hope for a turnaround in the situation during the last special (275 km announced as a challenge for navigation)?

 

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In any case, this is what is in the back of Sébastien Lesonneur's mind, the Norman engineer who has been involved in all of Guerlain Chicherit's adventures for several years, including this one with the German team. "In 2022, Guerlain won the Rallye du Maroc without winning a single stage, and by playing the grocers. This is the route we have taken again this year. Things can still happen tomorrow (Friday) », he laughs.

Guerlain Chicherit, navigated by Alex Winocq, is driving a new version of the Mini JCW Rally in Morocco, the 3.0i. The diesel engine has been replaced by a 6-litre naturally aspirated 3.0-cylinder petrol engine, the same one found under the bonnet of the current BMW M3 and M4. And it works rather well, judging by the results in Morocco!

The other German zebra, still equipped with the old turbo diesel engine, is entrusted to Guillaume de Mévius and Mathieu Baumel. For them too, the week is going well, and the atmosphere is excellent between the two men, whose association began in the summer of 2024.

"We were able to compare the data between petrol and diesel, and on this 4th stage, the diesel is a little less efficient on the long straights at full speed. We lost a little time on this terrain, but we kept 2nd place overall. We will try to do the same thing tomorrow for the finish! The podium was not my goal when I arrived here, but it became one when I saw the great level of performance with this Mini, and with Mathieu."

As to whether the two crews are in competition for a potential victory in the Rally du Maroc, Mathieu Baumel calms things down. "We almost don't care about the result. The most important thing is to see that everything works properly between Guillaume and me, and that the level of performance is satisfactory. That's the case, and there's no reason for that to change between now and the Dakar. (departure January 3, 2025) ! "