Four Ford Raptor T1+ crews are headed to Morocco for five days of racing across mountains, rocky tracks and dunes. Rallye du Maroc is the fourth round of the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship and an important test for Ford Racing ahead of Dakar 2027.
Who is racing?
Carlos Sainz and Dani Oliveras, Mattias Ekström and Emil Bergkvist, Nani Roma and Alex Haro, and Mitch Guthrie Jr. and Kellon Walch will compete in four Ford Raptor T1+ trucks. Ford Racing returns to Morocco after finishing second and third overall at Dakar 2026 and taking six stage wins there.
How does the route work?
The car crews are scheduled to cover 2,524 kilometers, with 1,575 kilometers of special stages. Special stages are the timed sections that determine the result. The remaining distance consists of liaisons: the routes crews take between special stages and the bivouac. Liaison kilometers still add to a long day, even though they do not count toward a crew’s stage time.
The FIA cars have a shakedown near Agadir on September 28. Racing begins the following day, when the field leaves the Atlantic coast for Zagora. The rally then runs four loop stages from a bivouac near Zagora before finishing on October 3.
What will each stage bring?
Stage 1, September 29: Agadir to Zagora — 636 km total, 268 km timed. This is the longest day by total distance. A substantial liaison takes crews toward the Tata region before they begin the special and meet the dunes for the first time. It is an early test of how the crews and the wider team handle a full rally day.
Stage 2, September 30: Zagora loop — 423 km total, 300 km timed. Organizers expect this to be the toughest stage. A new section in the Atlas Mountains leads into rocky terrain and then sand. Car crews will also have a pit stop where they can change tires, practicing a procedure that will return at Dakar.
Stage 3, October 1: Zagora loop — 592 km total, 364 km timed. The route is expected to produce the highest average speeds of the week before crews reach the dunes near Merzouga. Navigation through Erg Chebbi will demand attention from the co-drivers, particularly because cars and motorcycles follow separate routes and the leading cars will not have bike tracks to follow.
Stage 4, October 2: Zagora loop — 516 km total, 384 km timed. This is the longest special stage for the cars. Canyon sections, new tracks and sustained navigation make it one of the clearest tests of the distances Ford Racing is preparing to face at Dakar 2027. www.worldrallyraidchampionship.com
Stage 5, October 3: Zagora loop — 357 km total, 259 km timed. The final stage is shorter, but crews still need to complete its timed section and reach the finish to secure their result.
Why does Morocco matter?
Ford Racing first raced the Raptor T1+ at Rallye du Maroc in 2024 while preparing for the truck’s Dakar debut. It returns with two Dakar podium finishes in 2026 and a chance to pursue its first overall rally-raid victory. The five stages will also give the team information about pace, navigation, tires and reliability before its next Dakar campaign.
How can I follow along?
For live timing, tracking and stage rankings, visit the World Rally-Raid Championship Race Center. Look under the Ultimate category to follow the Ford Raptor T1+ crews as they move through each timed special.
Be sure to follow Ford Racing’s social channels for team updates, photos and coverage from the bivouac, as well as our drivers, co-drivers and W2RC partner M-Sport. The Rallye du Maroc website also has event news, results and video.
