Victorious Mercedes-Benz Stars at Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles 2016
The Challenge: successfully navigate 2500 kilometres off-road through Morocco. The objective: Win!
Last month, four teams from Mercedes-Benz Vans started at the women’s Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles in Erfoud. Mission achieved as the teams crossed the finishing line in their all-wheel-drive Vito and Sprinter BlueTEC vans. In the port city of Essaouira, they celebrated their leading positions in the ‘Crossover’ category.
The winners were Viola Hermann and Vanessa Wagner who outperformed the competing teams. It was not speed that counted, but completing the rally with as few kilometres as possible on the clock – only using a map and compass for navigation.
The other placings for the Mercedes-Benz ‘Star’ team are as follows: Third for Bianca Manz
and Alexandra Jansen. Position 4 for Dr. Eva Holzhäuser and Nicole Marquardt, with Madeleine Oster and Catrin Peest, sixth.
This year Mercedes-Benz Vans competed for the eighth time in the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, celebrating its fifth victory in the ‘Crossover’ category. In 2009, Mercedes-Benz Vans recorded its first triumph with a Viano 4MATIC. The second victory, in 2011, was with a Vito 4×4. In 2014 and 2015, the triumphant drivers crossed the finishing line in a Sprinter 4×4.
There was no prize money for the winner. The proceeds from the rally were donated to charity.
