motoring on a drive of around 2,100km, first heading along the coast and then inland, with an average of 300km covered each day. Despite the distance and age of the cars, breakdowns are rare, according to the organisers, although technical support teams are on hand should the inevitable happen – it’s all covered in the entrance fees, which include meals and accommodation, with the transporting of the cars to and from Morocco also available. “We use a company called Autotrans, and will bring the cars in from select European towns,” says Jean Noël Lanctuit, “so owners just get their vehicle to either Dover, Calais, Brussels, Paris, Lyon, Geneva or others from our list. This is one of the most popular aspects of the Maroc Classic, and is used by almost every participant. Loading, unloading, insurance, customs and transit are all managed by us. Participants just turn up, then collect their cars from the starting area in Rabat, where they have been washed, stickered and are sat under a protective cover.” With the transportation of the cars taken care of, it means drivers can simply concentrate on the adventure that lies ahead. Luckily, the organisers cite the assistance of the Moroccan police and authorities as one of the reasons the event runs so smoothly, and why it is so anticipated by towns and villages across the country. All vehicles are required to have at least one co-driver, and some roads need abiding by certain speed limits, which means strategic planning for the race. But it is planning that pays off, as the winner of the Classic category will receive free entry the following year, while Prestige winners receive a discount of 50 per cent. An appropriate prize, seeing as the rally features many of the same drivers every time. “I started in 2000 and have not missed a year,” says Rafael Cerezo, who competes with his son as co-pilot. “It is an event where you build friendships, and learn so much about this wonderful country.”
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