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Source - WTCC Media
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Friday, 17 April 2009 03:00 |
WTCC's next event in Marrakech will mark an historical moment in motor sport, bringing back a World Championship race in North Africa and Morocco after long time.
Only once in the past the region and the country hosted an event counting towards a racing world title, the 1958 Grand Prix of Morocco held on October 19th at the Ain Diab street circuit along Casablanca's seaside.
That was the final round of the season and decided the title fight between Ferrari's Mike Hawthorn and Vanwall's Stirling Moss.
Under the eyes of King Mohammed V, Moss obtained a flag-to-flag victory, but Hawthorn managed to claim a second place that was worth a one-point lead in the championship's final classification.
Morocco appeared in the international calendar again in the Seventies, hosting for three times (1973, 1975 and 1976) a round of the new FIA World Rally Championship.
The French car manufacturers dominated the event, Alpine (with Darniche in 1973) and Peugeot (with Mikkola and Nicolas) claimed victories.
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