Despite the mechanical trouble, the driver from Oliana and his co-driver Txema Villalobos managed to reach the finish line in 21st position in the Ultimate category.
Tuesday’s stage proved to be one of the toughest so far for both drivers and machines, featuring a demanding mix of rocky tracks, sand, and dunes. In these conditions, the Repsol Toyota Rally Team showed determination and managed to finish the 306 km special stage successfully despite the setbacks.
Esteve and Villalobos started the day at a strong pace, recording competitive split times aboard their Toyota Hilux T1+, confirming the positive feeling from the start of the rally. However, around kilometre 150 — halfway through the stage — one rear shock absorber failed. Thirty kilometres later, the second shock absorber on the same side also broke, forcing the team to reduce speed significantly.
Even so, Esteve refused to give up. He managed the remaining 150 kilometres intelligently, driving cautiously to avoid further damage, while maintaining a slightly higher pace through the dunes, where the terrain was more forgiving. Despite these problems, the Spanish duo reached the finish line 21st in the Ultimate category, a position they also hold in the provisional general standings. Overall, they sit 27th, after posting the 35th fastest time of the day.
“We started from a good position and were going really fast, but at kilometre 150 one rear shock absorber broke. We stopped, Txema checked the other one, and since it looked fine, we kept going. About 30 kilometres later, the second one on the same side also broke, so from then on we had to drive very slowly. Only in the dunes could we pick up some speed. It was a very slow 150 kilometres, but the important thing is that we made it to the finish. The car has a very good pace, the mechanics are already working on it, and tomorrow we’ll push again,” said Isidre Esteve.
The third stage of the 2025 Rallye du Maroc will be held this Wednesday — another loop around Erfoud, featuring a 323 km special. It promises to be another key day as Esteve and Villalobos aim to keep adding valuable kilometres in a race that once again highlights the harshness of the Moroccan desert, the perfect prelude to the 2026 Dakar Rally.
Source: Repsol Toyota Rally Team
Translation and adaptation Rally-Raid Network
