TOYOTA GAZOO Racing continues to push the limits on Rally of Morocco
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s tenacity was on full display during Stage 4 of the 2024 Rallye du Maroc. Both Lucas Moraes and Seth Quintero battled through challenges, with Moraes securing a 5th place finish despite a puncture near the end of the stage. Quintero, after overcoming early difficulties, managed to finish 9th on the day. With only one stage remaining, the team is poised to fight hard in the final leg of this gruelling rally.
Stage 4 covered a 315 km timed special, looping around Mengoub and pushing competitors to the limit with a difficult mix of gravel tracks, sand, and a small section of dunes. Navigation challenges were particularly tough, as crews had to face multiple tricky sections where precision was crucial to maintain speed.
Despite suffering a puncture late in the stage, Lucas Moraes and his co-driver Armand Monleon delivered an impressive performance, finishing the day in 5th place. The pair showed great pace and tenacity throughout the day, managing to stay in contention for a strong overall finish despite the setback.
On the other hand, Seth Quintero and his co-driver Dennis Zenz encountered a rear differential issue and a mistake early in the stage that cost them some time. Nevertheless, Quintero showed maturity and team spirit by pulling over to let a fellow competitor pass cleanly, ensuring that the dust wouldn’t affect their rival’s stage result. Quintero finished in 9th place, and his efforts keep him solidly in the fight for a strong overall position in the rally.
With just one stage left to run, Lucas Moraes remains in 3rd place overall in the FIA’s World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) rankings, trailing the leader by 62 points. Moraes has consistently demonstrated the tenacity and skill that have kept him competitive throughout the season, and he will aim to finish strong in the final stage to secure his place on the podium.
Seth Quintero, who currently sits in 8th place overall, continues to fight hard in his quest to finish in the top five of the season standings. His resilience throughout the Rallye du Maroc has shown that he remains a competitor to watch as the season draws to a close.
In the Manufacturer standings, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing continues to lead the way. However, the final allocation of points from the Rallye du Maroc will only be confirmed after the completion of tomorrow’s stage, making the final day of racing a crucial one for the entire team.
Stage 5, the final stage of the 2024 Rallye du Maroc, will cover 376 km, including 273 km of timed special. The route, comprising 80% gravel tracks and 20% sand, will be the last chance for the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews to secure crucial points in the W2RC standings. Competitors will need to be sharp as they navigate through wadi crossings, off-piste sections, and fast, rocky terrain.
The stage will also present a unique mix of challenges, with fast gravel sections contrasting with tricky, slower sections that demand precise navigation. The final push to the finish in Mengoub will be the ultimate test of both endurance and strategy, as teams fight for every second on the clock.
Quotes
Lucas Moraes:
“We had a great stage today. Armand did an amazing job with the navigation, especially in two critical sections. We only had one puncture near the end, and without that, I think we could’ve finished in the top three. Still, we’re happy with another top five finish and earning more World Championship points.”
Seth Quintero:
“It was a decent day overall. We made a mistake early on and lost some time, but managed to stay in the fight. We had a little bit of a rear diff issue that slowed us down. We also pulled over to let a competitor pass because we saw they were probably fighting for the stage win and didn’t want to slow them down. We’ve still got a good shot in the overall standings, so we’ll push hard in the final stage.”
RALLYE DU MAROC – STAGE 4 RESULTS
| 1 | #203 | C. Sainz / L. Cruz | (Ford M-Sport) | |
| 2 | #201 | Y. Al Rajhi / T. Gottschalk | (Overdrive Racing) | |
| 3 | #205 | G. Chicherit / A. Winocq | (X-Raid Mini John Cooper Works Team) | |
| 4 | #200 | N. Al-Attiyah / E. Boulanger | (Dacia Sandriders) | |
| 5 | #202 | L. Moraes / A. Monleon | (Toyota GAZOO Racing) | |
| 6 | #219 | S. Loeb / F. Lurquin | (Dacia Sandriders) | |
| 7 | #210 | J. Ferreira / F. Palmeiro | (X-Raid Mini John Cooper Works Team) | |
| 8 | #206 | G. de Mevius / M. Baumel | (X-Raid Mini John Cooper Works Team) | |
| 9 | #207 | S. Quintero / D. Zenz | (Toyota GAZOO Racing) | |
| 10 | #209 | M. Prokop | (Orlen Jipocar Team) |
RALLYE DU MAROC – STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 4
| 1 | #200 | N. Al-Attiyah / E. Boulanger | Dacia Sandriders) | 11h 47min 01sec |
| 2 | #206 | G. de Mevius / M. Baumel | (X-Raid Mini John Cooper Works Team) | +09:12 |
| 3 | #205 | G. Chicherit / A. Winocq | (X-Raid Mini John Cooper Works Team) | +11:40 |
| 4 | #219 | S. Loeb / F. Lurquin | Dacia Sandriders) | +13:21 |
| 5 | #201 | Y. Al Rajhi / T. Gottschalk | (Overdrive Racing) | +20:21 |
| 6 | #207 | . Quintero / D. Zenz | (Toyota GAZOO Racing) | +35:22 |
| 7 | #220 | M. Ekström / Bergkvist | (Ford M-Sport) | +43:53 |
| 8 | #209 | M. Prokop | (Orlen Jipocar Team) | +45:25 |
| 9 | #307 | E. Goczal / A. Haro | (Energylandia Taurus Factory Team) | +48:07 |
| 10 | #210 | J. Ferreira / F. Palmeiro | (X-Raid Mini John Cooper Works Team) | +51:03 |
| 19 | #202 | L. Moraes / A. Monleon | (Toyota GAZOO Racing) | +01:25:28 |
Partners
Red Bull has established itself as the premiere supporter of extreme sports and athletes, and as such fits perfectly with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's Dakar and W2RC efforts. The Austrian energy drink manufacturer has partnered with TGR over numerous years, and the involvement bore fruit when the team won a second Dakar title in January 2022, and a third in 2023.
