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Rally Morocco 2026: standings and participation of the Repsol Toyota Rally Team

07 October 2026

The Rally Morocco, also known internationally as Rallye du Maroc, once again became one of the major events on the international rally raid calendar in 2026. From September 29 to October 3, drivers and teams faced five days of competition between Agadir and Zagora, on a route characterised by varied terrain and the demanding conditions of desert driving.

For the Repsol Toyota Rally Team, the event also had a very specific objective: continuing to prepare for the Dakar 2027. Behind the wheel of the Toyota DKR GR Hilux, Isidre Esteve and his co-driver Txema Villalobos approached the race as an opportunity to accumulate kilometres, test solutions and continue developing the vehicle.

Repsol's presence in the event extended further. Repsol also supported other leading Toyota crews in the rally, including Seth Quintero and Andrew Short, João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro, and Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings, who finished in the top three positions in the car classification.

And in rally raid, every kilometre is an opportunity to learn. Heat, dust, sand, rocks and long days of competition turn these events into a real testing ground for drivers, vehicles and technologies.

What is the Rally Morocco?

The Rally Morocco is one of the most important events in the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). Its route combines fast tracks, rocky sections, sand and dunes, requiring drivers and co-drivers to remain focused for hundreds of kilometres.

The competition shares many of the characteristics that make the Dakar one of the world's most demanding races. This is why Morocco plays such an important role in the preparation of teams heading to the Saudi Arabian rally.

For the Repsol Toyota Rally Team, the 2026 event was particularly relevant as it provided another opportunity to put the Toyota DKR GR Hilux to the test following Dakar 2026 and continue fine-tuning it ahead of the next edition of the Dakar.

Isidre Esteve and the Repsol Toyota Rally Team in Morocco

The 2026 Rally Morocco was another opportunity for Isidre Esteve and Txema Villalobos to continue developing their Toyota DKR GR Hilux.

The team finished 19th in the Ultimate category and 22nd overall, after completing more than 2,500 kilometres of competition. Beyond the final result, the event allowed the team to continue working on the car and gather information ahead of its next major objective: Dakar 2027.

One of the highlights of the rally was the opportunity to test a new electronic configuration for the vehicle. As Esteve explained after the race, the feedback was positive and the team was able to continue working right through to the final kilometre.

This learning philosophy is precisely one of the key aspects of the collaboration between Repsol and Toyota. Competition allows technologies developed by Repsol to be taken into particularly demanding conditions and generates information that helps continue evolving its products.

Repsol and Toyota: technology put to the test in the desert

Repsol's presence at the Rally Morocco goes beyond sponsorship. The company maintains a technological collaboration with Toyota in the development of solutions for competition, with the Repsol Technology Lab serving as one of the centres where these technologies are developed and analysed.

This relationship was particularly visible in the 2026 edition, with three Toyotas taking the top three positions in the car classification: Seth Quintero and Andrew Short took the victory, followed by João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro and Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings.

The Toyota DKR GR Hilux of the Repsol Toyota Rally Team also uses 70% renewable fuel and Repsol's latest-generation lubricants, as part of a development process in which competition acts as a laboratory in real-world conditions.

And the work goes beyond engine lubrication. In a rally raid vehicle, numerous systems require specific products to operate correctly: from the transmission and cooling system to the brakes, moving parts and components responsible for maintaining good visibility.

That is why different Repsol solutions are used during vehicle preparation and maintenance, including Master Racing 0W-40, used for engine lubrication, and AUTOMATOR ATF DIAFLUID, intended for transmission applications.

The mechanics' work also requires specific products to keep the vehicle in optimum condition between stages. Guard Grease Spray, for lubricating and protecting different components, and QUALI BRAKE & PARTS C. CLEAN, designed for cleaning brakes and components, are among the products used for these maintenance tasks.

But if there is one essential product in the extreme conditions of the desert, it is Guard Organic Coolant 100%, which is part of the solutions used in cooling systems.

Other products such as AUTOMATOR ATF DIAFLUID, WIZARD WINDSCREEN WASH and other solutions also form part of this maintenance ecosystem, helping to maintain different vehicle systems and components during an event where dust, sand, high temperatures and long distances are a constant.

In this way, each product fulfils its role within a much larger system: ensuring that vehicles can tackle hundreds of kilometres in extreme conditions and that teams can continue working on them stage after stage.

Morocco as a testing ground for Dakar

The value of the Rally Morocco for Repsol and Toyota does not end when the vehicles cross the finish line.

Each stage generates information about the behaviour of the car, its components and the solutions used during the competition. The data obtained helps identify potential improvements and continue developing technologies for future races.

This philosophy has been part of the relationship between Repsol and the world of rally for years. Isidre Esteve is an important part of this process and has taken part in the development and testing of Repsol fuels and lubricants in competitions such as the Dakar and Rally Morocco.

In 2026, Morocco once again fulfilled this role. After more than 2,500 kilometres, the Repsol Toyota Rally Team completed the event with new data and conclusions about the Toyota DKR GR Hilux. This learning will now feed into the road towards the next major challenge: Dakar 2027.

Because in rally raid, racing is not only about getting there faster. It is also about discovering, kilometre by kilometre, how to make the car increasingly reliable, efficient and competitive.