Published on: 22/04/2022 Updated on: 20/02/2025
Mafra on the Routes of the Sahara Racing Cup 2022
There are 2 Mafra crews embarking towards Tunisia on Saturday, April 23 to take on the Sahara Racing Cup 2022. A great adventure on the desert routes that also sees the realization of a humanitarian mission to help Tunisia's neediest people.
Starting April 23 and running until May 2, the Sahara Racing Cup 2022 will be held in the Tunisian desert. Motor sports event, organized by the Miglio Corse Association of Monfalcone - in collaboration with ASI, a sports promotion organization, and the relevant Tunisian ministries. At the same time, a humanitarian mission is also carried out to offer concrete aid to the Tunisian populations, in collaboration with SOS Italy Doctors and Volunteers ODV, with the contribution of ASI third sector, with the contribution of ASI third sector.
Mafra is participating in this event with 2 crews:
- Marco Mattioli (Mafra's general manager) and Mario Pensotti (his longtime navigator) on #LAMAFRAPANDA. A Panda prepared precisely to face the desert and the most extreme conditions
- Francesco Di Florio (Head of Marketing and Communication) and Elena Giaveri (Influencer and navigator veteran of the last Dakar Classic) on a 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40
Panda and off-road cars the stars of the Sahara Racing Cup
In the Sahara Racing Cup in addition to off-road cars of any kind, Fiat Panda cars can also participate . Especially models with 4×4 all-wheel drive: more than a car, a true myth!
The Panda in which Marco Mattioli is participating is a 4×4 that has been completely reworked precisely to cope with the difficulties of a race like the Sahara Racing Cup. The car's special livery is designed on the indications of a contest on @mafraofficial and is the result of suggestions from fans who follow us online.
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The route of the Sahara Racing Cup 2022
The route, as per tradition, is mostly in the Douz area in southern Tunisia in the province of Kèbili. 3 days of very intense Raid divided into six stages created with progressive difficulties and very different from each other.
The day-to-day running
- Saturday, April 23: Departure from different Italian ports to meet in Tunis.
- Sunday, April 24: Arrival in Tunis and transfer to Hammamet. Here sports scrutineering is conducted and the welcome dinner with initial briefing takes place.
- Monday, April 25: 6:30 a.m. departure of the first car to face the transfer to Zmela and the first special stage. This is an opportunity to test the cars and instrumentation.
- Tuesday, April 26: the first real day of the raid. Crews face a mixed course between groomed tracks and low, compact dunes, and thus begin to get acquainted with the sand.
- Wednesday, April 27: sand baptism. The course for the third day of the Shara Racing Cup is all about sand and fast tracks. Rapid terrain changes and skill tests that test the participants' driving skills.
- Thursday, April 28: It starts to get serious and the sand becomes the real star! As soon as they leave Zmela, the cars head into the middle of the Sahara desert. The test is very challenging and divided into 2 sections. The day ends at the Tembaine camp, late at night.
- Friday, April 29: Departure in a southerly direction. On this leg, dune cordons are tackled and there is a chance to put into practice the experience gained during the previous days. As soon as we pass the cordons there is a good portion of navigation on "free raid" tracks. The ultimate expression of freedom, and then return again to Tembaine for the last night in the desert.
- Saturday, April 30: Depart in the direction of Douz, where we will tackle dune cordons and then skirt the Jebil Park and head to the hotel. Here the winners' awards ceremony takes place and the 2022 edition of the Sahara Racing Cup concludes.
- Sunday, May 1: Return to Tunis and embark to Italy.
Not only a race but also a humanitarian mission
Once again this year, the Sahara Racing Cup is not just a simple extreme test along the routes of the African desert, but turns into a humanitarian mission to bring aid to the neediest people in the Douz area in the Kebli Governorate, in collaboration with SOS Italy Doctors and Volunteers ODV, with the contribution of ASI third sector.
On the occasion of the Sahara Racing Cup 2022, 12 hearing aids are delivered to the Douz Institute for the Deaf and Dumb for as many children visited last October .
Follow the race on social channels
The entire race is documented online, with live streams that you can follow on our Official Social Channels: @mafraofficial @maniaclineofficial.
Also don't miss the live feeds of Fedeperlam (@Fedeperlam) present at the race with one of his Maniac Line branded cars. Fede documents everything that happens during the race on a daily basis!
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