Morocco Rally, Stage 3 – Ekström-Bergkvist’s burst of pride, Al-Attiyah-Baumel still leaders

Mattias Ekström brings the German electrified 4x4 its first stage victory in W2RC since the 2023 Dakar. Sébastien Loeb moves up to 2nd place in the general classification behind Nasser Al-Attiyah.

Rally of Morocco 2023 – Ranking Stage 3:

General classification :

• Mattias Ekström and Emil Bergkvist (Audi) are experiencing a roller coaster ride on the 2023 Morocco Rally. Authors of the best times on the Prologue, then victims of several mechanical problems from the first stage (more than 1h30 lost), the Swedes left from forward this Monday around Zagora to win the third stage.
• The former champion's hybrid Audi RS Q e-tron DTM and World Rallycross was more lively than the other 4×4 reserved for the Spanish Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz. “El Matador” stopped for several hours to resolve an oil leak and lost any chance of a Moroccan victory.
• Crowned rally-raid world champion (W2RC) the day before, Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota) is not resting on its laurels, however. The Qatari almost gleaned a third successive stage victory in the company of his French navigator Mathieu Baumel. They finished just 6 seconds behind Ekström-Bergkvist!

ALSO READ > Nasser Al-Attiyah, a W2RC title… without the brakes!

• The gaps are once again minimal in the leading group, because Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin (Bahrain Raid Xtreme) finished 3rd at 14 seconds.
• In the general classification, Al-Attiyah-Baumel remain leaders but are now followed by Loeb-Lurquin, at 6'16”. Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk (Toyota) drop to 3rd place at 7′. Behind, the pursuers are starting to suffer, led by Stéphane Peterhansel and Édouard Boulanger (Audi, 4th at 19′).