Teamed up with Fabian Lurquin in his BRX Prodrive Hunter, Loeb achieved a victory by 2 minutes and 45 seconds on the 162-km second stage, overtaking overnight leader Nasser Al Attiyah to gain a narrow three-second lead overall in the World Rally-Raid Championship.
This win ensures that the nine-time World Rally Champion remains in control of the WRRC title race, maintaining his 16-point lead over Al Attiyah as they head into the third round in Mexico.
It was a remarkable day for the Prodrive Hunters, which clocked four of the five fastest times on a stage lined with giant cacti, though it could have been even better.
Guerlain Chicherit and Alex Winocq, last year’s Rallye du Maroc champions, ended the day in third place overall in their Hunter, despite losing front-wheel drive in the last 45 kilometers, placing fifth in the stage.
Brazilian brothers Marcos and Cristian Baumgart drove the other two Hunters to the third and fourth fastest times, achieving top ten overall positions in only their second complete competitive stage with the car.
Loeb’s careful strategy in passing through the cacti initially paid off, as the spikes from the cacti caused issues with the spare tires on the Hunter, requiring BRX technicians to handle them cautiously at the bivouac.