The Merzouga 1000 Classic rally is back in Morocco for its second edition.
Today is Friday, March 28, and this day is dedicated to the administrative and technical checks of the vehicles.
The various teams have arrived safely at their destination in Foum Zguid, a small town located between Ouarzazate and Zagora in southern Morocco. The drivers and co-drivers begin the verification process after completing the necessary paperwork, meeting the medical team, obtaining their racing license, and validating their registrations. Then, it’s the turn of the cars to be inspected by the technical controller, who is responsible for ensuring that the vehicles comply with the race regulations. The inspector will check everything related to safety (roll cage, bucket seats, fuel tanks, etc.) and a whole range of other points required to validate the car.
We are at the Fab Rimal Hotel, where the drivers and co-drivers are enjoying their last moments of calm before setting off tomorrow for the first special stage, a 320 km loop from Foum Zguid to Foum Zguid.
Meanwhile, the mechanics are finishing the final preparations, making sure the cars are ready or fixing any last-minute issues.
Before the start, Philippe Rey shares his thoughts on this edition :
“It’s incredible, a year after the first edition, to be here again with fabulous and iconic cars that made me dream more than thirty years ago. I am also very pleased with the feedback from the course openers, who found the route very beautiful. I’d like to remind everyone that this race is 100% Cross Country Chrono Classic.
It’s fantastic to be back at Bab Rimal in Foum Zguid and to reunite with the whole team. Welcome to the new faces: Kettel and Corentin in communication, Anne-Laure and Bruno with the medical team, Pascal at the starts, Stéphane on the track, and all the others who are seasoned professionals in desert racing. A warm welcome also to the drivers, who are friends rather than clients. The entire team is ready to do their best to support them in this adventure.
I keep being amazed—I’ll say it again—by the enthusiasm surrounding this second edition of the Merzouga 1000 Classic. And of course, we will be thinking of all the teams who didn’t have time to prepare their cars after returning from major end-of-year events like the Dakar or the Africa Eco Race.
We have an exceptional lineup this year, featuring a Range Halt’Up, Cotel buggies, Bat Racing, Fast & Speed, a Peugeot 504, a Volkswagen Transporter Combi T3, two stunning Porsches, Mc Kenzies’s Buggy and many more.”
