FEZ, MOROCO: Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi is set to conclude his 2025 season with his ongoing participation in the Rallye du Maroc, the fifth and final round of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, or W2RC.
The event runs from Oct. 10-17, featuring some of the world’s top drivers and manufacturers in a challenging desert showdown.
As one of the most significant rounds of the W2RC calendar, the Rallye du Maroc serves as the ultimate pre-Dakar test, offering terrains and weather conditions that closely resemble those of the legendary Dakar Rally. It serves as an ideal opportunity for teams and drivers to evaluate their physical, mental, and technical readiness ahead of the 2026 season.
Al-Rajhi entered the Moroccan round alongside his German co-driver Timo Gottschalk, with whom he recently competed in two preparatory events — Baja Sharish and Baja Portugal — as part of a structured recovery and conditioning plan following his crash at Baja Jordan on April 25. Those rallies marked key steps in his gradual return to top-level competition and endurance form.
“I feel in excellent condition, Alhamdulillah,” said Al-Rajhi. “The Rallye du Maroc is a crucial step for us — it’s where we test everything: my fitness, the car’s setup, and the overall team coordination. The goal is to start Dakar 2026 at 100 percent readiness.”
This year’s Rallye du Maroc covers a total distance of 2,299 km, including 1,478 km of timed special stages spread across five loop stages, all starting and finishing in the same region.
Four stages will be based around Erfoud, known for its demanding dunes and navigation challenges, with an opening ceremonial stage in Fez.
The Moroccan desert’s combination of sand, rocky tracks, and variable terrain makes it one of the toughest events on the calendar, a true endurance benchmark ahead of Dakar 2026.
