The new edition of Panda Raid kicked off this past Friday in the El Toyo neighborhood of Almería. The teams crossed the famous finish line arch, converted for the occasion into a gateway, to complete the technical and administrative checks that give them the green light to start this particular adventure through Morocco.
Luis and Pedro's Panda 4x4, along with more than 350 vehicles, including familiar faces from previous editions, crossed the famous finish line arch, converted for the occasion into a gateway to complete the technical checks. This year, a new feature is the requirement to carry an air compressor due to the harshness of stony areas, lots of mud, and the various challenges they will face stage after stage.
The essence of the rally raids of yesteryear will mark the character of the 2024 edition, a route that will feature novelties that will try to elevate the experience and make it more adventurous.
For the 16th edition, a coast-to-coast route has been planned, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. Panda Raid will begin in Almería, followed by six beautiful stages where open spaces and the deserts of Morocco predominate. To finish, and as a novelty, the city of Mehdia, on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, will put the finishing touch to this edition.
Pedro commented that "the dream is starting to come true because it is palpable; the legend of the road book takes on a new meaning when opening the pages, and just getting here has been an odyssey; a long journey, through hundreds or thousands of kilometers that serve as a small appetizer to what lies ahead."
This edition has many new features: new towns, new camps, routes with very high levels of demand, and an unparalleled setting for the end of the raid, the beach of Mehdia. "We will take care of both the mechanics of the vehicle and the mechanics of our bodies, as we have many days of adventure ahead and we want to be with everyone at the finish line." With enthusiasm and great desire,
The team faces the Panda Raid with a Panda 4x4 that will handle the tracks very well, and with the change of suspension and the control unit, it has been noticed that it goes much better.
This first stage has been very complicated but with a spectacular result for the Lanzarote team, achieving a third place in the classification. A first contact with all the usual elements of Morocco: stony, sandy terrains, with deep irregularities, wadis, esplanades in which only the horizon line is appreciated... "In short, breathtaking landscapes with winding routes in which even the smallest track can be key to finding the right path," the team revealed in a note.
Stage 2
Oued mhareg - Boudnib 314km
Stage 3
Boudnib-Merzouga 250km
Stage 4
Merzouga-Tafraute Sidi 220km
Stage 5
Tafraoute-kerrandou 345km
Stage 6
Kerrandou- mehdia 470km
Thus, they have thanked the collaboration and support of the Cabildo de Lanzarote with the Department of Sports and Tourism of Lanzarote, the Teguise City Council (Sports and Tourism), Nazaret Hotels with Nazaret Beach, Construciones lafugran, Autorepuestos ART, Rincón Granaino, Seguros Toledomar, Electricidad JMK, Asador de Macher, Meson la tierra, Rotulaciones la Pintadera, and of course, friends and family.
