Yannick Panagiotis & Valérie Panagiotis – HDJ 100 rally
The crew shares their adventure and today’s stage Merzouga 1000.
I’m 48 years old, and Valérie is 47. We’re married with three kids and live in Vaucluse, Luberon, in Gordes. I’m an automotive preparer, specializing in vintage and racing cars, both asphalt and off-road. I’ve been involved in all sorts of automotive disciplines, and eventually, I found my way into 4x4s.
There used to be 4×4 trials in Lacoste, so naturally, we started trying them out with an old, beat-up Lada Niva that someone gave us about 15 years ago. It was in stock condition, a convertible, and you could even feel the road under your feet—it was pretty much destined for the scrapyard. I told my wife, “This thing is going to break,” but in the end, we not only finished—we won.
Later, I started riding in a Nissan Patrol GR Y60 on raids in Morocco. One night, I had a dream of watching a Patrol driving through the desert. I saw myself standing outside, watching it go by, and I decided I wanted to experience that for real. So, I set out with a friend. At one point, I told him, “Take the 4×4, drive off, and come back.” In the end, I lived my dream exactly as I had envisioned it.
For me, it’s always been about cars, competition, and four wheels. Rally raids bring me adventure, landscapes, and the vast open spaces. Coming from rallying, where you have precise pace notes, corner by corner, here, you get a road book, but it’s still very visual—you need to stay sharp. The terrain can be tricky, and your focus has to be both near and far at the same time. It’s long, it’s endurance, and you have to stay fully concentrated the whole time. If you lose focus, you’re going off-track for sure.
We’ve competed in:
- Dakar Classic in a Protruck
- Modern Dakar in a Century CR6
Now, I’ve ordered the Apache, a hybrid SSV with a 200 hp Peugeot 3-cylinder engine, built in France. It has a Sadev sequential gearbox, with rear-wheel drive for the combustion engine and electric power for the front wheels. Up to 60 km/h, it’s all-wheel drive, and beyond that, it’s rear-wheel drive.
For the Dakar Classic, we had never done regularity racing before. We also came to scout and prepare for the modern Dakar. We were leading for a long time, but then we got disqualified due to COVID. Everything was going great, and suddenly, bam, we caught COVID. I was devastated—I cried like a baby.
I had an amazing experience with the CR6, but we had a lot of mechanical issues, and in the end, I fractured three vertebrae.
We live close to Philippe, and he convinced me to join this rally. The Dakar is just too long for me now, and with my back injuries, I decided to focus on shorter rallies—a week max, instead of spending 10 hours a day in the cockpit. This format suits me perfectly, and the atmosphere is fantastic.
The HDJ 100 is a recent purchase—I traded it for a Porsche. Since Panasport is moving more into rallying, I thought, “This is a great opportunity.” We’d love to build a team with the HDJ 100, an old Toyota, and the Protruck.
Today’s stage
The scenery is insane—it’s just breathtaking. You get overwhelmed by emotions as you transition from one landscape to another. There are arid zones, then suddenly lush green areas, then you find yourself driving among camels, with incredible horizons stretching before you. It’s spectacular—I’m absolutely in love with it.
On the navigation side, my wife is amazing. Everything went super smoothly. We’ve been riding side by side for 15 years, and it’s something we love to share together. This is like our vacation, an opportunity to escape together as a couple. But in competition, you go through a rollercoaster of emotions—joy, disappointment—it’s an emotional elevator that strengthens our bond. It’s an experience that very few couples get to live daily.
For me, today’s stage was perfect because it had everything. It was diverse—some parts felt like 4×4 trials, where you lose the trail completely, drop into first gear, and navigate over huge rocks. Then, you had fast sections, sandy tracks, and every type of terrain imaginable—high-speed, slow technical sections—it had it all.
I think what I love the most is that the pace keeps changing. You never get bored—you slow down, speed up, the 4×4 slides, sometimes you’re squeezing through narrow gaps, hoping you don’t get stuck in deep sand. It’s an adrenaline rush—it’s incredible.
I expected this rally to be easier, more relaxed, but I’m pleasantly surprised. Even though we’ve done Dakar, this rally is nothing to scoff at. You get 300 km special stages with constantly changing terrain—it’s amazing. But the big difference is that after those 300 km, your afternoon is more relaxed. You get all the best parts of the Dakar without the worst ones. Plus, you just have to cross the Mediterranean sea—way cheaper than Dakar.
This event has a great family vibe. I think Philippe does a fantastic job bringing together good people—everyone is smiling, happy to be here. The atmosphere is amazing, without the heavy pressure of competition. Even among drivers, there’s friendly banter, but it’s all in good fun—it’s not an ultra-competitive environment. We’re all competitors, but at the same time, people are genuinely nice.
The Vehicle – HDJ 100
This truck is incredible. You can feel the weight—it takes time to maneuver, and when you hit the brakes, you really feel the mass. Laterally, it tends to widen the turns, but vertically, in fast sections, I was blown away.
It jumps flat every time—the suspension is insane, it’s like a sofa. Sometimes, you see ruts, and you expect a hard hit, but it just glides over them effortlessly. I’m shocked at how capable this almost stock vehicle is—I wasn’t expecting this level of performance.
We’ll definitely be back—no doubt about it.
