Rally Dakhla-Guerguerat celebrates the 49th anniversary of the Green March
- Classic cars adorning the streets of Dakhla
- A race for the Grand Prix Historique de Dakhla
- The Dakhla Guerguerat route: a green march of the new generation
Supported by the Tangier Med Port and the Renault Group, the prestigious Rally event put the spotlight on the most historic and emblematic moment in Morocco's history; celebrating the 49th anniversary of the Green March.
The president of the RACM, Mohammed Bachiri, thanked at the presentation of the competition awards of the event, the participation of the drivers who came from all regions of Morocco; being proud to co-organize the Rally classic cars with the FMVA.
Bachriri made a special emphasis on the three important themes in the framework of the activity of the Royal Moroccan Automobile Club, the oldest club in Morocco founded in 1913: motor sport or motoring, sustainable mobility and road safety as axes of possible collaborations in future events.
Classic cars adorning the streets of Dakhla
The Historic Rally in its third edition has the participation of almost 80 classic cars registered this year; with more than 160 participants who came from different cities of Morocco from Rabat, Casablanca, Fez, Tangier, Agadir, Taza and Nador.
The parade of the participating cars started from the fishing port of Dakhla where the Historic Rally 2024 was inaugurated in the presence of Mohamed Bachiri, the director of the Renault Maroc Group and the president of the Moroccan Federation of Classic Cars Khalid Kabbaj.
The southern Moroccan city welcomes the classic car drivers over three days; contributing to the dynamism of the city. Objective that the event aims to achieve through the organization of the Rally giving more visibility both nationally and internationally to the city.
Kabbaj pointed out that “this year we see is highlighted by the massive participation of pilots from all over Morocco, people who have not participated last year, and is a sign of success of the event; giving figures Records: 80 vehicles and 157 participants.
A race for the Grand Prix Historique de Dakhla
The classic cars took part in a race in the 1.5 km closed frame, specially designed for classic cars. The cars started one after the other from a starting point to a finishing point.
The race circuit was attended by cars of different world brands: BMW, Peugeot, R12, Mercedes, Rolls-Royce, among others. They are generally vintage cars that are more than 30 years old.
This competition is a regularity test that focuses on precision, maneuverability and the ability of drivers to maintain a constant speed while mastering their vehicle.
To increase the difficulty and test the participants' driving skills, especially in direction changes, the organizing committee placed straw balls and technical obstacles, such as slingshots and tight curves along the circuit.
Riders must respect a speed imposed and known in advance (40km/h). A pace control was installed on the course to establish the final ranking of the competitors, according to their ability to respect the requested regularity.
The third edition dedicated a Women's trophy which was won by Karima Lahraj. As for the three winners of the race are: Youssef Hajoui in third position, Zouhair Bennani in second position and Najib Berrada in first position.
The Dakhla Guerguerat route: a green march of the new generation
On the second day of the Classic Car Rally, the participants have to make a 367 km circuit, starting at dawn in Dakhla and ending in Guerguerat. It is an occasion to test the drivers' skills in terms of driving and control of their vehicles. It is also an opportunity to test the cars' capabilities.
The objective is also to consolidate the spirit of solidarity and help among the participants throughout the expedition, as an inseparable character of the Moroccan identity. The journey from Dakhla to Guerguerat represents a modern and contemporary symbol of the message that the Green March conveys to all Moroccans.
The vice-president of the Moroccan Federation of Classic Cars (FMVA) Rafik Lahlou, expressed his great satisfaction and happiness for the organization of the third edition of the historic Rally; clarifying that “ the Dakhla-Guerguerat route is an opportunity for young people who have not attended the Green March to live what Moroccan grandparents and parents have felt peacefully claiming the recovery of the Sahara.
Throughout the route, and for safety reasons, the participants are faced with three speed options to choose the one that best suits the capabilities of their vehicle and that is compatible with its performance:
- Medium/low (60 km/h) for slow vehicles and small engines.
- Medium/intermediate (70 km/h) : for mid-range vehicles.
- Medium/high (80 km/h): for low speed vehicles.
Upon arrival in Guerguerat, participants will have a 2-hour stopover, during which a vehicle exhibition will take place in the parking lot at the Mauritanian border.
Yassine Hadouchi, participant in the Rally classic cars with the British car MGF model 1996 who came from Rabat said that “it is his first experience” and the Rally allowed him to discover the wonderful city of Dakhla. “The event is well organized and the idea of the Dakhla Guerguerat route seems very interesting to me and it would surely be a fun and unforgettable adventure,” he added.
