As the 2024 Dakar Rally approaches, Team Audi Sport is leaving no stone unturned in their preparations. Recently, the team announced their participation in the Morocco Rally, fielding three Audi RS Q e-tron cars for driver teams Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist, Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger, and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz. This marks Audi’s first official classification entry in the event.

The team’s meticulous preparation started with a season test in Saudi Arabia and further testing in Zaragoza, Spain, followed by their participation in the Baja Aragon. According to Rolf Michl, Head of Audi Motorsport, October is a crucial month for the team, marked by intensive work. The Morocco Rally, scheduled from October 13 to 18, will serve as an ideal competitive platform for Audi Sport to fine-tune their strategies and assess their progress.

The Rally du Maroc will consist of a prologue and five rally stages, covering a challenging terrain of 1,449 timed kilometers and a total distance of 2,219 kilometers. Audi Sport, competing as a registered participant this year, will face strong contenders from Toyota, Ford, Prodrive, and others. This competitive field provides an excellent opportunity for Audi Sport to gauge their current standing and refine their techniques in preparation for the 2024 Dakar Rally.

Leading up to the event, Team Audi Sport collaborated with Q Motorsport for six days of rigorous testing in Morocco from October 3 to 8. During this period, the Audi RS Q e-tron covered over 3,000 kilometers, enabling the team to enhance their setup, test new tires, and evaluate components. However, the intense testing also revealed anomalies in one of the cooling systems, highlighting the challenges the team continues to overcome in their pursuit of excellence.

Stay tuned for more updates as Team Audi Sport gears up for the ultimate challenge at the 2024 Dakar Rally.