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 | OiLibya Rally of Morocco: 5 X-Raid´s, Bowler Wildcat Trophy and the Trucks.
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After a week of intensive testing in the Erfoud region, the BMW X-Raid team have landed in force on the Oilibya Moroccan Rally, ready for a dress rehearsal for the Dakar. Lining no fewer than five cars at the start, it is clear that the German team make a formidable figure in this final African visit this year.
Winners last year, the French duo comprised of Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Pol Cottret are high in the prognostics, even if they should be wary of the other four BMW X3 entrusted to the capable hands of their countrymen Guerlain Chicheritt and Michel Perin, the Russian Novitsky accompanied by the German Schulz, the Polish Holowczyc and Belgian Fortin, and the Portuguese Leal Dos Santos and Fuiza.
Behind this armada, some amateurs will still have a nice card to play, like the MD Rally Sport Team buggies driven by Pascal Thomasse, accompanied by Alex Winocq whose usual teammate is the famous Eric Vigouroux, but also the yellow buggy of Jean-Luc Blanchemain, assisted by Jean Brucy.
Also in line is the Chevrolet V8 Buggy of Jean-Marie and Alain Davoy Guéhennec. Not forgetting the Springbok Pickup driven by Philippe Porcheron and Cédric Rivet. You soon understand that the youngsters have not really come to Morocco to just make up the numbers. Driving a Nissan Navara from Team Overdrive, the Chilean Boris Garafulic could, too, play spoilsport.
But if, perchance, the race was to get tougher in the extreme, don’t forget the Bowler Wildcats, again descended "en masse" in the deep south of Morocco on the occasion of the final round of the QT Bowler Trophy. Four 'protos' Made in Britain, with pros like Jerome Pélichet Decré and Eugenie, as well as Patrick Sireyjol, accompanied this time by the Belgian Beghin and the duo Rainer Wissmann and Sebastian Delaunoy of Cummins France.
Regarding the T2 category, reserved for series vehicles, the competition will be tough between the Lardeau Competition Toyota Team entrusted to Jean-François Perez and Mitsubishi with the Russian Kuznetsov and also the Ukrainian Nesterchuk. on Nissan Another remarkable fact in this year’s car category, is the incredible participation of 9 teams from Russia and the Ukraine, of the ReAutoklub, discovering the African Desert, we wish them good luck!
Victorious in May in the "Rally de Tunisie", Elisabete Jacinto would love to be successfully twice in Africa at the wheel of her MAN. Eternal rivals on African soil, the charming Portuguese will find on and in her way on the spirited Hungarian Miklos Kovacs (Scania).
But if the colossus of the Danube has in mind to succeed the Czech Tomecek het should also be wary of Russian Dimitry Pavlov (Mercedes Benz), who is known for his legendary agility and reflexes.
Alain Coquellet and his Renault Truck will also compete, for a place on the podium in the heavyweight category. And as if to give a little more elegance and femininity to all of these desert giants, the 100% female team composed of -Toffanello Mazzuchini Myriam, Valerie and Françoise Pasqualini Mercadier (Mercedes), will certainly ask the gentlemen for some common courtesy.
2010/10/17 | 21:49 CET | EDITOR: MR/HS/NPO
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