Not just Top American, Skyler Howes dominated the 2023 Rallye du Maroc last week. “We’re at the finish of the Morocco Rally and I finished first, which is super cool,” says the Husqvarna Factory Racing sensation. But it was not easy, as teammate Luciano Benavides and former Dakar winner Ricky Brabec chased him to the finish. “The final stage was quite technical actually, it wasn’t a walk in the park.
“The navigation was tricky, and I did a couple of circles out there which slowed me down a little bit. I was still able to finish second on the stage, which was enough to win the overall, and I have to admit it’s the coolest thing of my whole life! Honestly, I’m over the moon. It’s a dream come true to take the win here in Morocco, and the plan is to carry this momentum on to the Dakar Rally.”
Howes’ victory marks the 30-year-old’s first world championship race win, an impressive achievement that comes down to not only the commitment put in by himself and the team over the year developing the FR 450 Rally, but also Skyler’s focus and work ethic. Now, with his confidence high, the likable American will shift his attention to the Sonora Rally in Mexico later this month.
2022 Rallye du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification
1. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 16:30:29
2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 16:37:42
3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 16:41:17
4. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 16:42:36
5. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 16:45:20
6. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 16:50:40