Rallye du Maroc – Stage 4: Carlos Sainz on course for victory, Dacias behind

Provisional classification after km 183 out of 315:

• Will we see a fourth different stage winner in as many days on the Rally of Morocco 2024? This Thursday, October 10, Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz (Ford) are making waves, discovering the new Ford Ranger in competition.
• The Spanish duo indeed posted the best time at km 183 of the special stage around Mengoub near the Algerian border. They beat Yazeed Al Rajhi (Overdrive Racing) by 1'37", or 36" better than the time at km 148. Guerlain Chicherit placed his Mini at 2'15", Nasser Al Attiyah his Dacia at 3'17". The gaps remain tight behind "El Matador", whose last victory in a championship race dates back to stage 9 of the Dakar 2024.
• The official Dacias are further behind than in previous days. The leader of the Rally of Morocco, Nasser Al-Attiyah, should not be fighting for the stage victory because the Qatari is thinking about the W2RC championship, where he could become the title holder again tomorrow evening. However, he has gained 1'30" on his closest rival in the event standings, Guillaume de Mévius (Mini).
• Winner on Wednesday, Sébastien Loeb (Dacia) must open the special. The Alsatian is less comfortable in this role and this is felt in the intermediate times: he loses 2 minutes on Al-Attiyah and would find himself 12 minutes behind him in the general classification.
• More information to come in the afternoon.