Morocco Rally: Moraes secures top finish as Sainz faces penalty

The opening stage of the 2026 Morocco Rally, a 600-kilometer journey from Agadir to Zagora, saw significant shifts in the leaderboard due to desert terrain and mechanical issues.

Lucas Moraes and co-driver Pablo Moreno, driving for Dacia, secured a top finish in their debut partnership. While some reports initially credited Moraes with the stage victory, time adjustments placed him in second, just 0.3 seconds behind the leader.

Carlos Sainz, driving a Ford Raptor, showed strong pace and led for over 100 kilometers. However, a five-minute speeding penalty relegated him to 12th place. Sainz noted that his primary goal for this Dakar Rally rehearsal is to maintain a clean race and build reliability with co-driver Dani Oliveras.

Sébastien Loeb faced significant setbacks after an electrical failure in the dunes. The issue resulted in a loss of power steering and engine cooling, causing him to lose substantial time and dropping him to 52nd in unofficial standings.