the Manche team, MD Rallye Sport, sets off on an adventure with 13 Optimus

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The Empty Quarter, its tracks, its immense dunes will once again be the playground of the 800 competitors of Dakar. As since 2020, it is theSaudi Arabia who receives the caravan from legendary rally-raid imagined by Thierry Sabine almost 40 years ago.

This year, the program seems copious with major stages in total or partial autonomy. In “Pekin Express” fashion, on the evening of the 2^e stage, once the beacon rings, the competitors will have to reach one of the six bivouac points where they will be cut off from the world, without assistance.

Two days later, marathon stageslightly less basic comfort, but once again in the absence of the mechanics.

Ce a thousand kilometers will come under a subtle balance between speed and hardware preservation. The tone will be set from the start for this edition which will bring the participants a little closer to the original version of the event.

The second week will not be easy either, with the emphasis on navigation and the giant dunes of the Rub al-Khali desert.

Manche buggies, world leader in their category

For many Manchois lovers of motor sports and adventure, the Dakar launches the sporting year, and has done so since the early 1980s. After having had their eyes on the red Nissans of Team Dessoude, enthusiasts of this event n We only have eyes for the “Optimus” buggies of the Morel family and the MD Rallye Sport.

This year, the manufacturer from Fleury, near Villedieu-les-Poêles (Manche), is arriving in Saudi Arabia with thirteen Optimus, including seven “Evolution 5”, the brand’s flagship. An evolution now proven, as explained by the team manager, Joan Morel.

This is the second season with this evolution of the Optimus, we have worked a lot on it, we now know it very well. We hope to play ahead of the category, the Top 10 can also be an objective, but with the field of factory cars that we find in this edition, achieving this ranking would be a small feat.

Experienced crews

The South Manche fleet will be led by several very experienced and fast crewsdriven by the desire to glean victory in the two-wheel drive category (T1.2). We will note in these advanced pilots Christian Lavieille (213) who, with 22 participations, should do well in this edition which promises to be a return to basics.

Winner in Morocco last October, the Italian Eugenio Amos (236), new MD driver, will undoubtedly be in the leaders' wagon. Very fast in 2024, he destroyed his Toyota at the end of the rally, so be wary. Jean-Luc Ceccaldi (207) will also be to be followed. Accustomed to good performances in the T3 category, he experienced T1.2 in 2024. He returns with experience in the category and indicates that he wants to play the leading roles.

Simon Vitse (233), who has experienced abandonment over the past two years, now feels ready to show his true worth and will seek to play spoilsport in the Optimus hierarchy.

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