MOTOR SPORTS NEWS

Latest News

  • Hankook Marks 2026 WRC Season Finale at Rally Italia Sardegna
  • Multiple titles: Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews win World, European and national championships
  • Two Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale will star at the 2026 edition of Rallylegend, taking place in San Marino
  • David Kelly and co-driver Shane Buckley produced an flawless start-to-finish performance to win the An Grianán Hotel Donegal Harvest Stages Rally
  • Lancia Corse closes historic WRC2 season in Sardinia
  • Home
  • News
  • Dakar
    • DAKAR 2016
    • Dakar 2015
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • Motorbike
  • Touring Cars
  • Circuit Racing
  • Events
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Pinterest
    • RSS Feed
    • Linked
    • Youtube

Rallye du Maroc 2026 2026 World Rally Raid Championship – Round 4 Brabec storms to final stage victory

Oct 03, 2026


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Tweet
Monster Energy Honda HRC’s Ricky Brabec delivered when it mattered most on the final day of the 2026 Rallye du Maroc, powering to a superb stage victory and securing third place overall after a thrilling battle for the final podium position.

With everything still to play for, stage five promised one last test in the Moroccan desert.  After a 98 km road section, riders launched into a demanding 234 km special featuring the spectacular Chegaga dunes, before another liaison led to a final flat-out, timed 23 km dash back towards the Zagora bivouac.

Brabec started the day with just 1’44” in hand over Luciano Benavides in the fight for third overall, leaving no room for error and he wasted little time stamping his authority on the stage, setting the fastest pace by the 91 km checkpoint aboard his Honda CRF450 RALLY.  With small changes to the bike helping him attack the high-speed terrain with confidence, Brabec continued to turn up the pressure.  Kilometre by kilometre, the gap grew and by the end of the opening timed section he had put two minutes between himself and Benavides.  The last 23 km switched the rhythm completely, with a slower and rockier route standing between Brabec and the finish.  The two-time Dakar champion kept his cool, controlled the final kilometres and charged home to take his second stage victory of the week.  The result marked Brabec’s 15th World Rally-Raid Championship stage victory and crucially, secured third place overall at the Rallye du Maroc – his fifth podium at the event.

Tosha Schareina also finished the rally on a high.  Last year’s winner had endured a difficult opening to the week, but as the kilometres passed, the Spaniard rediscovered his rhythm and confidence aboard the Honda CRF450 RALLY.  His speed over the final three days underlined his determination to fight his way back towards the front and on the final stage he was once again right in the mix.  Staying within striking distance of Brabec’s pace, Schareina pushed hard to claim third on the stage, finishing just 3’03” behind his teammate.

Adrien Van Beveren’s Rallye du Maroc followed a similar pattern.  After a challenging start, the Frenchman steadily rebuilt his momentum, finding a strong rhythm and pushing his way back towards the leading group.  The final day, however, brought one more stern test.  An early navigation error combined with difficult, dusty conditions cost him valuable time and ultimately prevented him from climbing higher than sixth on the stage, 6’09” behind Brabec.

With his sights firmly set on his 12th Dakar Rally in January, Van Beveren nevertheless leaves Morocco with valuable kilometres under his belt and important lessons learned for both rider and machine ahead of rally-raid’s biggest challenge.

With round four of the World Rally-Raid Championship complete, the title fight remains finely poised.  Schareina is tied with Benavides, 13 points behind championship leader Daniel Sanders, while Brabec sits just four points further back.  Van Beveren is now sixth in the standings on 52 points.

After a demanding week in Morocco and a final day capped by Brabec’s stage victory and overall podium, the Monster Energy Honda HRC riders can now recover, regroup and turn their focus towards the challenges ahead.

Ruben Faria

Ricky had an amazing stage today. He pushed from the beginning, won the special and felt really good on the bike. We made some steps with the bike from yesterday to today and he could really feel the difference. We’re moving in the right direction towards Dakar. We still have Abu Dhabi before then, but seeing Ricky confident, enjoying the bike and happy with the team is the most important thing.
He had a few small problems during the rally and without those I believe he would have been right there fighting for the win. His performance today showed the speed is there and that he’s ready to fight.
Tosha had another strong stage today to finish in third. He showed really good pace and I’m very happy with how he has turned his rally around. He didn’t start the week in the best way and was struggling a little with his confidence, but over the last few days we’ve seen that confidence come back and his speed with it. He finished sixth overall, but what’s important for me is the progression he made during the rally. I believe he can arrive at Dakar really strong and that is our goal.
Adrien finished sixth on the stage today. It wasn’t the result he wanted, but I spoke with him afterwards and he understands where he needs to improve before Dakar. He is motivated to have a strong Abu Dhabi and after finishing fifth overall here, I know there is more to come from him.
Now we keep working hard and focus on the next races. The whole team has done a fantastic job throughout the rally and I’m really happy with everyone. The bike has worked well, the riders have shown strong pace and we’ve learned a lot that will help us continue moving forward towards Dakar.

Ruben Faria

Ricky Brabec  9

STAGE: 1ST  OVERALL: 3RD

The week was cool, but it was definitely demanding. We had a couple of roadbook and navigation mistakes and some really broken ground, so it’s good to come away from here healthy and in one piece. I’m happy with the bike and with the changes we made for the final day. I think we’re heading in a good direction and now we can go home and focus on preparing for the Dakar.
Overall, I’m happy. Today’s stage was quite short, so we didn’t have much opportunity to make a bigger push and the times were really tight. It’s always cool to battle with these guys, but the most important thing is that we’re going home healthy. We know the areas where we were lacking here in Morocco, so now we can work on those and make sure we’re ready for the Dakar.

Ricky Brabec

Adrien Van Beveren  42

STAGE: 6TH  OVERALL: 5TH

It’s been a tough stage. I got a little confused with the navigation before the dunes and then Ricky caught up with me. I tried to push through the dunes and find a good rhythm, but once we reached the chott the navigation became really tricky. I tried to give my best and I let Ricky go because I didn’t want to bother him while he was fighting for the overall podium. After that, I was in the dust for a while and the conditions were really tricky, even a little dangerous in places, so the priority was to stay upright and keep focused. Towards the end I made a small navigation mistake, but that’s part of rally-raid and we keep learning. The main goal here was to prepare for the Dakar and we’ve gathered a lot of useful information about the bike, my physical preparation and the areas where I can improve my riding. Now I want to keep pushing and working really hard until the Dakar and then go for it.

Adrien Van Beveren

Tosha Schareina  68

STAGE: 3RD  OVERALL: 6TH

It’s not the Rallye du Maroc we expected or wanted, but that’s part of the game. We’ve learned so much this week and everything we’ve experienced here will be really valuable as we prepare for the Dakar.
It’s the first time in two years that I haven’t finished on the podium, so of course I’m a little disappointed about that. But I’m really happy with how the last couple of days went and with the progress we’ve made throughout the rally. We’ve learned a lot, we know what we need to work on and now I’m ready to focus on the Dakar.

Tosha Schareina

Rally GP Result – Stage 5

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Time/Gap
1 BRABEC Ricky 9 USA Monster Energy Honda HRC 01:52:15
2 BENAVIDES Luciano 77 ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team + 02:36
3 SCHAREINA Tosha 68 SPA Monster Energy Honda HRC + 03:03
4 CANET Edgar 73 SPA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team + 03:11
5 SANDERS Daniel 1 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team + 05:39
6 VAN BEVEREN Adrien 42 FRA Monster Energy Honda HRC + 06:09
7 CORNEJO FLORIMO José Ignacio 11 CHI Hero Motorsports Team Rally + 06:41
8 HOWES Skyler 10 USA ZXMOTO Joyride Factory Rally Team + 13:02
9 SANTOLINO Lorenzo 15 SPA Sherco TVS Rally Factory + 21:55

Rider Standings

PROVISIONAL RALLY GP STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 5

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Time/Gap
1 CANET Edgar 73 SPA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 15:41:55
2 SANDERS Daniel 1 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team + 01:02
3 BRABEC Ricky 9 USA Monster Energy Honda HRC + 03:32
4 BENAVIDES Luciano 77 ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team + 07:52
5 VAN BEVEREN Adrien 42 FRA Monster Energy Honda HRC + 23:08
6 SCHAREINA Tosha 68 SPA Monster Energy Honda HRC + 25:08
7 CORNEJO FLORIMO José Ignacio 11 CHI Hero Motorsports Team Rally + 34:08
8 SANTOLINO Lorenzo 15 SPA Sherco TVS Rally Factory + 01:21:28
9 HOWES Skyler 10 USA ZXMOTO Joyride Factory Rally Team + 02:05:34

  • tweet
Related articles
  • Hankook Marks 2026 WRC Season Finale at Rally Italia Sardegna
    Hankook Marks 2026 WRC Season Finale at...

    Oct 11, 2026 Comments Off on Hankook Marks 2026 WRC Season Finale at Rally Italia Sardegna

  • Multiple titles: Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews win World, European and national championships
    Multiple titles: Škoda Fabia RS Rally2...

    Oct 11, 2026 Comments Off on Multiple titles: Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews win World, European and national championships

  • Two Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale will star at the 2026 edition of Rallylegend, taking place in San Marino
    Two Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale...

    Oct 11, 2026 Comments Off on Two Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale will star at the 2026 edition of Rallylegend, taking place in San Marino

  • David Kelly and co-driver Shane Buckley produced an flawless start-to-finish performance to win the An Grianán Hotel Donegal Harvest Stages Rally
    David Kelly and co-driver Shane Buckley...

    Oct 11, 2026 Comments Off on David Kelly and co-driver Shane Buckley produced an flawless start-to-finish performance to win the An Grianán Hotel Donegal Harvest Stages Rally

More in this category
  • Hankook Marks 2026 WRC Season Finale at Rally Italia Sardegna
    Hankook Marks 2026 WRC Season Finale at...

    Comments Off on Hankook Marks 2026 WRC Season Finale at Rally Italia Sardegna

  • Multiple titles: Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews win World, European and national championships
    Multiple titles: Škoda Fabia RS Rally2...

    Comments Off on Multiple titles: Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews win World, European and national championships

  • Two Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale will star at the 2026 edition of Rallylegend, taking place in San Marino
    Two Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale...

    Comments Off on Two Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale will star at the 2026 edition of Rallylegend, taking place in San Marino

  • David Kelly and co-driver Shane Buckley produced an flawless start-to-finish performance to win the An Grianán Hotel Donegal Harvest Stages Rally
    David Kelly and co-driver Shane Buckley...

    Comments Off on David Kelly and co-driver Shane Buckley produced an flawless start-to-finish performance to win the An Grianán Hotel Donegal Harvest Stages Rally


Fleet Car Magazine

Notice Board

  • Huge Galway Motor Club contingent entered for Summer Rally
    Huge Galway Motor Club contingent entered for Summer Rally

    Aug 13, 2026

    Tweet Galway Motor Club members are turning out in force...
  • Baja Aragón cancelled! Buggyra ZM Racing swaps prestigious event for testing
    Baja Aragón cancelled! Buggyra ZM Racing swaps prestigious...

    Jul 23, 2026

    TweetBaja Aragón was set to provide a gruelling test for...
  • Triton Showers National Rally Championship round four preview and Kevin Barrett tribute
    Triton Showers National Rally Championship round four...

    May 24, 2026

    TweetBoyle heads star-studded field into Circuit of Munster...
  • X-raid looking forward to Dakar 2027 – route announced
    X-raid looking forward to Dakar 2027 – route announced

    May 08, 2026

    Tweet A.S.O. presents 2027 route in Paris 5,320 kilometers...
  • Jordan Motorsport is putting the finishing touches to the 2026 edition of the iconic Jordan Rally
    Jordan Motorsport is putting the finishing touches to the...

    Apr 20, 2026

    Tweet JORDAN RALLY May 14th-16th, 2026   FIA Middle East...

Categories

  • Africa Eco-Race
  • Baja
  • BRC
  • Circuit Racing
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Dakar
  • Dakar 2015
  • DAKAR 2016
  • DAKAR 2017
  • DAKAR 2019 PERU
  • DAKAR RALLY 2018
  • EV Motorsport
  • Events
  • EverGreeens: Irish Abroad
  • Extreme E
  • Forestry Rally
  • Formula 1
  • Hillclimb
  • IndyCar Series
  • Interview
  • Middle East Rally Championship
  • Morocco Rally
  • Motorbike
  • News
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • RallyX
  • Related products
  • Review
  • Sportscars
  • Touring Cars
  • Tribute
  • Truck Racing
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • WRC
Tweets by @IrMotSportNews

Recent Posts

Mitchel Van den Brink secures Rallye du Maroc victory for Team de Rooy FPT

Mitchel Van den Brink secures Rallye du Maroc victory for Team de...

Oct 04, 2026

Tweet Team de Rooy FPT has won the truck category of the Rallye du Maroc. Mitchel van den Brink held off Czech driver Martin Macík in the final stage. It was his first appearance at the Rallye du...
Read More
Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC’s Seth Quintero and Andrew Short claimed an emphatic win at the Ola Energy Rally of Morocco

Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC’s Seth Quintero and...

Oct 04, 2026

Rallye du Maroc: Strong performance goes unrewarded for X-Raid

Rallye du Maroc: Strong performance goes...

Oct 04, 2026

Rallye OLA Energy du Maroc – Canet and Quintero tap the power of youth

Rallye OLA Energy du Maroc – Canet and...

Oct 03, 2026

De Rooy FPT Mitchel van den Brink keeps lead in Rallye du Maroc despite puncture

De Rooy FPT Mitchel van den Brink keeps lead in...

Oct 03, 2026

Copyright 2016 / All rights reserved