It is often said that the only thing stopping certain events from happening is the end of the world. For the Rallye du Maroc, that might actually be the case.
Following severe floods in Morocco that have killed at least even people, the race will proceed to the best of its ability. Rally director David Castéra gave his reassurances in the wake of the natural disaster, stressing that his team will work to analyse the route for damage and make the necessary adjustments during the two weeks before it begins.
Castéra also highlighted the 2021 and 2023 editions. The former was overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic that had forced the 2020 race to be cancelled; besides masking and other commonly accepted procedures, the bivouac was turned into a bubble for competitors and they were barred from interacting with the public. In 2023, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake resulted in nearly three thousand deaths, prompting organisers to collect and donate clothing and other supplies. Otherwise, the earthquake did not affect the route itself and the rally proceeded as planned.
“We will face challenges as heavy rain has recently fallen in Morocco, but we’re going to do what we always do: find solutions,” said Castéra. “Every time it’s been complicated, we’ve managed to hold the race. Faced with COVID, we confined ourselves to a bivouac, and after the earthquake last year, we moved the race. The floods will inevitably have an impact on the race, but the teams who are already on the ground will spend a fortnight correcting and adjusting things so that the event can run as smoothly as possible.”
Brought upon by unusually heavy rainfall, the flooding is among the worst in Morocco’s history, so substantial that it has also caused deaths in neighbouring Algeria. The Moroccan government announced Friday that it had earmarked 2.5 billion dirhams (€232 million) for medical assistance.
The Baja Morocco, an unrelated cross-country rally that took place this week, had to tweak its route to accommodate the changing environment. Its bivouac was located in Merzouga, where the floods turned much of it into an oasis-like landscape. In spite of this, the race ran without further issue.
Zagora, one of the three stops for the Rallye du Maroc, was also impacted by the floods, though the other two in Marrakesh and Mengoub were not.
The final round of the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship, the Rallye du Maroc will begin on 6 October and run through 11 October. 271 teams are entered.
“With as many cars as bikes this year, it’s an extraordinary line-up that will be coming to Marrakesh,” Castéra continued. “I’m delighted so many competitors have signed up, because it means that what we’re offering matches their expectations. Beyond the fact that the numbers are up every year, it’s recognition of all the work we’ve put in over the last six years, and something to be proud of. I think I’ve put a lot of heart, time and investment into it, and today the whole rally caravan has responded positively.”
