STAGE 6 (FINAL): BIN EL OUIDANE – MARRAKESH / FRIDAY 16 MARCH 2018

Final in style for the 25th Rally Morocco Classic and arrival at La Mamounia. The week will have very quickly hit the roads of this 25th edition, the 18 specials stages played so far have established a hierarchy that seems complicated to upset, but this last morning leading from BIN EL OUIDANE to MARRAKECH could still create surprises. Right after breakfast, the competitors were extended to start the first test of regularity of the day, a route all in uphill and in long hairpins with a sight with each lace more and more beautiful on the covered lake morning rays of the sun. Classic side, the ERR 19 was played in the fight between the 2nd and 3rd in the provisional general classification. It is the crew C.GHISTELINCK – L.DAVID (MERCEDES 280 SE) that prevails. For the Prestige category, B. OUVIER / J. OUVIER (Dodge Viper) consolidate their lead by taking first place. The road then escaped to AZILAL then DEMNATE to join the counter forts of the Atlas, however without crossing it this year. However, the organization had made an appointment with the participants on a road still unpublished, between Demnate and the AIT ADDEL lake dam with Jbel Toubkal in focus. The start of the last special stage of the rally was given. Simple in the first part, a change of direction to the right, just before the end, was likely to lose any chance of appearing in the final rankings competitors too sure of them. The ERR 20, the last special stage of the rally, was also the last chance for the competitors to reshuffle the cards of a podium. In Classic catégory, the JM crew. ARLAUD / MF. ARLAUD (Citroën DS 21), ahead of C.GHISTELINCK – L.DAVID during the previous race, ensures a good first place, followed by the Porsche 911 Targa of R. MEZIANE / Z. CHEMAO. Category Prestige, the crew B. OUVIER / J. OUVIER (Dodge Viper) concludes this rally with brilliance and winning, once again, in the first place. The connection then to MARRAKECH resumed the national road to Sidi Rahal where the caravan of the rally encountered a little traffic at the beginning of the red city. The official arrival of this 25th Rally Morocco Classic was organized in LA MAMOUNIA, where the cars and the participants will stay this night for a well deserved rest after having traveled more than 2000 km, 20 regularity tests and crossed a good part of the Sherifian Kingdom. . Lunch was held at the edge of the pool of the Palace and the afternoon was left free for everyone to take the time to enjoy MARRAKECH, go PLACE JEMA AL FNA or in the gardens of MENARA. Despite the festive and friendly atmosphere that prevailed during this rally was the scene of a tight fight between the competitors for the victory. The 20 ERRs rendered their verdicts in both categories today. In Classic, the podium is without appeal and devotes R. MEZIANE – Z. CHEMAO in PORSCHE 911 TARGA. Winner of 4 (??? 5 ???) of the 6 stages of the rally, the Moroccan crew will not leave room for doubt for JM. ARLAUD & MF. ARLAUD (Citroën DS 21), already in second place at the 2017 edition, and who reiterate the performance this year. The crew C. GHISTELINCK – L. DAVID (MERCEDEZ 280 SE), winner of the Morocco Classic 2017, takes the 3rd step of the podium. Prestige side, the domination of the Dodge Viper led by B. OUVIER – J. OUVIER has been flawless, or almost! From the first stage, the French crew took the lead and, despite some lapse of time and the pressure exerted by other participants in the category, it is no surprise that he won the 2018 edition. LUCCHITTI / A. FORTE (MERCEDES AMG Coupé) and M. COVAREL / C. MORARD (Mercedes SL55 AMG) completed the podium, respectively in second and third place. The awards ceremony is organized this evening, the excitement of the city will be the scene of festivities where we celebrate the great winners of this edition full of history. Download the Final Classic Ranking Download the Final Prestige Ranking