Team Nissan France Dessoude made a fine start on the first leg, which took the competitors from Agadir to Oued Chebika. Benoît Rousselot took the lead of the T2 category, setting the fastest time in both stages, while Isabelle Patissier is lying 14th in the overall classification.

The first leg of the ORPI Morocco Rally, between Agadir and Oued Chebika, consisted of two timed sectors. The first stage, 43 km long, allowed the teams to find the right pace before facing the 180 km, which would take them to Tan Tan.

After this first day, Isabelle Patissier appeared satisfied both with her time and her car : “The team has done an excellent job since Tunisia. The car is working superbly. The shock absorbers are very efficient and the Pathfinder is well balanced. The first special was an excellent way to get up to speed. Just enough time to get all the automatic reactions back. However, the second stage was quite rough, with a lot of stones in some areas. The tracks were quite fast but with some extremely rocky sections. The worst danger was a potential puncture. Luckily, we did not have to stop to change a wheel.”

Benoît Rousselot, extremely motivated, was quickly on the pace, setting the best T2 time in the first timed section, and repeated his feat on the second. He finished the stage in a fine 12th position overall. His closest rival in the Production category is nearly 13 minutes behind him. “The first special stage allowed me to get my bearings with Jacky. We drove carefully, and it was a nice surprise at the end to see we were the fastest in the category. We set agood pace on the second sector, without pushing. The stage was magnificent. The track went along the coast, on the cliffs. Some parts were extremely rough. We drove at our pace and overtook Chabot at the end. We did not get a puncture, but we’ll have to change the windscreen. While overtaking us, a buggy threw up some big rocks. Nothing too serious. I am very happy, but the rally is only just starting…

” For the first time, Jacky Dubois is alongside Benoît. The professional gave his impressions on the rookie : “Benoît drives very well. He applies himself, and takes great care of the car. I think that he has understood that in T2, that is one of the key factors for success. Even if he lacks experience over this sort of terrain, he is on the right path.”

As for André Dessoude, he is smiling again. His three cars (Isabelle, Benoît and Serguey Sukhovenko) are all there, in good positions.
" This evening, I am satisfied with this first day. The Benoît/Jacky ‘marriage’ is working very well at the start of this rally. Benoît is talented and an old fox like Jacky can bring him a lot, most particularly the rhythm of the race and precision in reading the road book. Our young recruit deserves a navigator of this calibre."

Tomorrow, the competitors continue to head south, for Laayoune. The leg will be 426km long, with a timed sector of 351 km. They will head first along the Chebika Oued for 60 km, over a technical route, smooth and great fun to drive, but with plenty of navigation. They will they follow an old Dakar route for 100 km, surrounded with cairns : a very fast part, where the drivers will be able to make the most of their vehicle’s speed. The track then becomes technical up to the village of Sidi Hamed Laroussi. From there, and up to the 272nd km, the track will continue in the Sequiet El Hamra Oued. To start with, it will be fast and sandy, and then more varied, going up and down on the shores of the Oued. The last section will be relatively fast up to the finish line. It should be a fine show…