Tomorrow marks the start of the first edition of the MB Rally Trophy in Morocco. Mitchel van den Brink, crowned FIA Baja World Cup champion just last month, has invited eighteen Dutch rally enthusiasts for a special event through the desert around Erfoud and Merzouga.
The entry list reads like a who’s who of Dutch rally sport. Alongside rally veteran Erik van Loon with navigator Wouter Rosegaar (starting number 400), participants include Dakar legend Gerard de Rooy with Roel Engel (401), Maurik van den Heuvel with Anneke Velthuizen (402), and Patric Brinkman with Hein Verschuuren (413). Notably, Paul Spieringhs will be navigating alongside Janus van Kasteren. Other well-known names from the rally world such as Jasper Versteijnen, Martijn van den Broek and Maarten Kanters are also taking part.
Unlike regular rallies, the MB Rally Trophy is not about competition. Van den Brink has deliberately chosen an informal setup where the shared adventure takes center stage. The participants largely know each other from the rally world and share a passion for driving in challenging terrain. The event spans five days with a total of ten stages covering 973 kilometers.
The route promises to be varied. After the opening prologue “It’s All In It”, stages follow with telling names such as “Morocco: You Like It and You Hate It”, where beautiful views alternate with treacherous tracks. Wednesday sees participants tackle the first dunes in “First Dunes and Smooth Tracks”, followed by the vast emptiness of “Into the Empty”.
Thursday takes the route through the Merzouga dunes with “The Long Way Around” and the demanding “Sand, Sweat & Silence”. Friday features a long day with three stages, of which the “Hella Night Stage” promises to be the absolute highlight. This 55-kilometer special stage is driven entirely in the dark, making navigation extra tricky. The rally concludes on Saturday with “All Around Merzouga”, a final 160-kilometer loop through the characteristic desert area.
All teams are staying at the Kasbah Hotel Xaluca in Erfoud, which serves as the central bivouac. All stages start and finish from here, keeping logistics simple and strengthening camaraderie.
Entry list MB Rally Trophy 2025:
- 400 – Erik van Loon – Wouter Rosegaar
- 401 – Gerard de Rooy – Roel Engel
- 402 – Maurik van den Heuvel – Anneke Velthuizen
- 403 – Kees Box – Renee Box
- 404 – Jasper Versteijnen – Jelle van Limpt
- 405 – Martijn van den Broek – Jan-Paul van der Poel
- 406 – Bob Herber – Gijs Bessem
- 407 – Marcel van Berlo – Olaf Harmsen
- 408 – Janus van Kasteren – Paul Spieringhs
- 409 – Johan Pouw – Nico Gründmann
- 410 – Kenny de Vries – Jo Lenders
- 411 – Maarten Kanters – Danny van Aken
- 412 – Frank van Berlo – Paulo van Zeeland
- 413 – Patric Brinkman – Hein Verschuuren
- 414 – Andre van Gerven – Ted Peters
- 415 – Bas Buijnsters – Pieter Herijgens
- 416 – Anton van Limpt – Sabine van Pelt
- 417 – Ruud Vollebregt – Patricia Vollebregt
