Returning as defending champions, Team Sherco TVS Rally Factory had a successful outing at Stage 1 of the PanAfrica Rally, as 2 of the 5-member squad made it to the top-3. Lorenzo Santolino and Adrien Metge finished the 1st Stage at P2 and P3, while Michael Metge, Johnny Aubert, and Abdul Wahid Tanveer finished the first stage at P6, P12, and P15 respectively. The PanAfrica Rally is an open competition of Motorbikes, Quads / UTV, SSV (buggies), which is currently taking place in Morocco. The rally starts on the 21st of September and ends on the 28th of September 2019. The 16th edition of the PanAfrica Rally kicked off last Saturday, on the 21st of September. Stage 1 of the rally was a 90-kilometre course that went through the dunes of Sahara Desert and was concluded at Merzouga.
The next stage of the six-day Rally will begin today and will cover over 275 kilometres around Merzouga. Also, Team Sherco TVS Rally Factory’s Michael Metge recently continued his strong form on the second day to win the 36th edition of Baja Aragon. This was the second time the Sherco TVS Rally Factory team had won the Baja Aragon rally. Michael’s other teammates Lorenzo and Harith also showcased a strong performance and finished at P4 and P7 respectively.
Also Read: Team Sherco TVS Rally Factory Announces Squad For PanAfrica Rally 2019
The Rankings for the Prologue Stage (Stage 1) are:
- Lorenzo Santolino – P2
- Adrien Metge – P3
- Michael Metge – P6
- Johnny Aubert – P12
- Abdul Wahid Tanveer – P15
Commenting on the performance David Casteu, Team Manager, Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team said, “We are elated to see Lorenzo and Adrien showing immense grit at the beginning of the Rally. Michael navigated really well and did a great job at pulling his skills into action. Johnny Aubert is riding the Sherco TVS RTR 450 for the first time in PanAfrica Rally and I am happy that he integrated perfectly with the team. Tanveer continues to learn and is working hard in the race. We are keenly looking forward to the remaining part of the race and wish the team good luck.”
Lorenzo Santolino, Racer, Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team said, “I am thrilled to complete the stage in top three. I have been able to leverage my navigation training well in Morocco and my bike is in great shape. I look forward to performing consistently in the next six days as well.”
