Thu 13 Mar '25
Sunday 22th March
Panda Raid 2025
Our drivers will set off on April 11th for the Panda Raid, tackling 2000 km of dunes with a vintage Fiat Panda 4×4 in pure Guerrilla style, navigating only with paper maps and a compass.
Panda Raid: Journal of the Guerrilla Racing Team
April 20, 2025 – Extra: history always repeats itself (twice)
Just like last year, our Panda Guerrilla stuck to the script: on the way to the truck that would take her back to Padova, she gave us one last twist. She was flawless throughout the raid, and only after crossing the finish line did she start to fall apart.
So we wrap up the 2025 Panda Raid diary with the quote that’s basically become our motto by now:
“The perfect race car is the one that breaks down just after the finish line.” ✊
17.04.2025 – Fifth Stage: Tafraoute Sidi Ali – Kerrandou (251km of dust and stunts)
This morning we started a bit later since we had the last starting slot around 9:30. We took it easy: woke up at 7:30, had a relaxed breakfast, then packed everything up – tents, bags, gear – and hit the road. Today, Andrea was driving.
The stage was great, varied, with an interesting mix: very fast sections on white tracks, areas with tough rocks, some pretty intense off-road parts… and even a bit of dunes to wrap it up.
The regularity test today was far from easy: navigation was tricky. We probably went over by a few dozen seconds – maybe 20 or so – but in the end, we completed it without getting lost, which is no small feat. We’re bringing home a few points today too!
The Panda performed flawlessly, as always. At one point, Andrea pulled off a spectacular jump over a double hump: the rear end went almost vertical… I won’t say 90°, but it was close! Luckily, we landed decently and kept going without issues.
We reached the campsite around 7 PM after a long day, in a completely isolated spot in the middle of nowhere. The air is crisp – that perfect coolness that makes sleeping in a tent feel like royalty. We sorted out the car, set up the tents, ate, and did the usual round through the mechanics’ pits. Surprisingly, fewer cars are damaged than expected: about twenty in total, mostly with engine, gearbox, or transmission issues… but by now, that feels routine.
After such an intense stage, and with the final one that will take us to the finish line tomorrow, before heading to bed we toasted with our Italian Whisky – which, by the way, won a silver medal at an international competition a few days ago. A small luxury under the stars, in the heart of nowhere.
Tomorrow, an early wake-up: nearly 500 km await us to the beach and the final finish line.
The stage was great, varied, with an interesting mix: very fast sections on white tracks, areas with tough rocks, some pretty intense off-road parts… and even a bit of dunes to wrap it up.
The regularity test today was far from easy: navigation was tricky. We probably went over by a few dozen seconds – maybe 20 or so – but in the end, we completed it without getting lost, which is no small feat. We’re bringing home a few points today too!
The Panda performed flawlessly, as always. At one point, Andrea pulled off a spectacular jump over a double hump: the rear end went almost vertical… I won’t say 90°, but it was close! Luckily, we landed decently and kept going without issues.
We reached the campsite around 7 PM after a long day, in a completely isolated spot in the middle of nowhere. The air is crisp – that perfect coolness that makes sleeping in a tent feel like royalty. We sorted out the car, set up the tents, ate, and did the usual round through the mechanics’ pits. Surprisingly, fewer cars are damaged than expected: about twenty in total, mostly with engine, gearbox, or transmission issues… but by now, that feels routine.
After such an intense stage, and with the final one that will take us to the finish line tomorrow, before heading to bed we toasted with our Italian Whisky – which, by the way, won a silver medal at an international competition a few days ago. A small luxury under the stars, in the heart of nowhere.
Tomorrow, an early wake-up: nearly 500 km await us to the beach and the final finish line.
16.04.2025 – Stage Four: Merzouga → Tafraoute Sidi Ali (251 km) Dunes, speed, and… the odometer!
Last night, finally, a peaceful night: no rain, no wind, perfect temperature. We slept like babies. Wake-up call right on time at 6 AM, same routine as always—pack up the tent, load everything in the car, a quick sip of juice, and off we go.
Today I (Anthony) was driving, and the stage was a nice mix: super fast stretches where you could really have fun, more technical sections with some tough rocks, and, as always, our beloved dunes. The Panda keeps performing like a champ—no issues so far.
There was a regularity test today, and we nailed it—just like yesterday’s. The goal in these tests is to maintain a precise average speed, as indicated in the roadbook, without ever exceeding 90 km/h. It’s more about precision than speed—an exercise in focus, rhythm, and navigation.
Unfortunately, right at the end of yesterday’s stage, we found out that our odometer broke—a crucial tool for measuring distance and keeping your average speed in check in real time. That mishap cost us a one-minute delay and 30 penalty points, dropping us to mid-rank in the standings. Today we tried to improvise a fix and do our best—fingers crossed we did better… we’ll only find out tomorrow when the scores are released.
In the meantime, we’ve made it to camp, got ourselves settled in, took a well-deserved shower and now… it’s time for the usual beer! Today’s aperitif: fresh Panda Raid beer, tortillas, olives, and artichoke cream. Life’s good, and the weather is finally spot-on—warm, dry, perfect for chilling out and wandering through the field of unfortunately battered Pandas. Dinner’s at eight, then a walk around camp and the usual fire-side briefing. So far, everything’s running smoothly. Tomorrow, we’re back at it.
15.04.2025 – Stage Three: From Gourrama to Merzouga (294 km of rocks, sand, and giant dunes)
Hey there! Last night, just before crawling into the tent, the sky treated us to some serious thunderstorms, and it kept raining pretty steadily through the night. By the time we woke up—6 AM as always—everything was a bit wet, but at least it wasn’t a complete swamp. We took our time packing up the tent and hit the road by 7:30. Today had nearly 300 solid kilometers in store for us.
After some asphalt and a few small villages, we hit the off-road section—and from there, it was nonstop: big rocks, some serious enduro sections, and long stretches of sand. We even tackled the dunes—massive, spectacular, and absolutely unforgettable. The car performed like a champ, and Andrea behind the wheel kept us pushing strong the whole time.
We did get a flat—rear tire ripped open by a nasty rock. But we swapped it out quickly and got back on track without wasting time. In the dunes, we got stuck for maybe fifteen minutes, but then managed to get out smoothly.
We arrived among the first at the Merzouga bivouac—shower, some maintenance on the beast, and now we’re chilling. We just finished eating and are now celebrating the end of the stage with a nice glass of Aglianico Solofrana.
Oh, highlight of the day: one car flipped—apparently did two full rolls… luckily, no serious injuries. Now we’re taking a stroll through the “disaster zone,” where trucks and mechanics are probably working overtime. There are bound to be a lot of broken vehicles today—the rock section was brutal.
Tomorrow it’s back on the road at dawn. But for now, we’re enjoying the starry desert sky.
14.04.2025 – Stage Two: From Bouarfa to Gourrama (276 km of cold, sun, and rally vibes)
Here we are with the recap of Stage Two! Last night it rained and it was freezing cold—temperatures near zero and our teeth were chattering like crazy.
Wake-up call at 6:00 AM, tents packed up in the freezing cold, but luckily the sun came out and started to warm things up a bit. In the end, it turned out to be a great day—partly sunny, partly cloudy, but no rain: a rare treat!
The stage started with a fast, fun section—gravel and sand, perfect for picking up speed. Total rally atmosphere, with Pandas flying full throttle for nearly 150 km. After that, due to mud and impassable areas, we were rerouted again from the original track.
Once again, today’s regularity speed test was canceled. That part of the course isn’t about going fast, but about maintaining a precise average speed, as marked in the roadbook. You can’t go over 90 km/h, and you can’t stop too close to the beginning or end of the section. It’s all about precision, not raw speed—a nice mix of navigation and clean driving. But yeah, not happening today either.
We arrived at camp and, thankfully, it’s not raining. Tents are up, Guerrilla in hand, and we’re keeping an eye on the mechanics—they’re getting a lot of banged-up cars tonight. After yesterday’s smoother stage, some people got a bit carried away on the fast sections and hit more than a few nasty bumps.
Dinner’s coming up soon, then campfire and the evening briefing at 9:30 PM. Tomorrow’s another early start—up at dawn, departure at 7.
The car? A gem. Let’s hope it keeps holding up—actually, it has to.
13.04.2025 – Stage One: From Näima to Bouarfa (340 km of mud and more mud)
We’ve made it to the bivouac! First stage completed, and we’re alive—mud-covered, but alive.
This morning we started off full of energy, but there was an immediate change of plans: the first part of the route was canceled because it was completely impassable. Just getting out of the base camp was a nightmare—total swamp, cars stuck everywhere. But we handled it like pros—thanks to Andrea’s driving and a good dose of throttle. A few bounces, but we made it out clean to dry ground.
With the initial off-road section scrapped (which also included the regularity tests), we jumped straight into the second part of the stage. Even with the cut, the route was anything but boring: some seriously tough sections, and at one point we ended up in what felt like a lake. Even there, the Panda was unstoppable—foot down and out with no issues, while cars around us were getting stuck left and right.
It was a long day but super fun, and just as we got to camp… it started raining. Again. So, another night in the mud. Apparently, many people slept in their cars last night, since pitching a tent in that clay-like mud was impossible. Thick, sticky mud that clings to your shoes like glue.
Our tents? Brown inside and out. But hey, we actually slept well: lots of rain, but it kind of rocked us to sleep, and thankfully no leaks. So in the end, we’re enjoying it.
The car’s holding up fine—only a bit of plastic from the rear wheel arch came loose, which we’ll fix in the morning.
Now, as always, we’re enjoying a cold Guerrilla beer, then dinner at eight, followed by the briefing for tomorrow’s route.
12.04.2025 – From Almeria to Nador: Mud, Rain, and Guerrilla
We woke up early this morning—by seven we were already up. All together, we took the ferry from Almeria that brought us to Nador. Once we landed, we had about 160 km of asphalt to cover to reach the bivouac—almost entirely paved roads, so it was a smooth ride.
When we arrived, we were greeted by rain. Setting up the tents under the downpour was quite a challenge: red soil everywhere, and we got muddy up to our ears. It was basically a battle against the mud, with a few curse words thrown in. But in the end, we managed.
Now we’re enjoying a well-deserved Guerrilla—the go-to beer—while we wait for dinner at eight here at the bivouac. After dinner, there’ll be the briefing for tomorrow’s first stage.
The cherry on top? They say it’s going to rain heavily from 4 AM until noon. So it’s an early wake-up, taking down the tents in the rain, and departure at 7:30… basically breakfast in a swamp. Can’t wait.
11.04.2025 – Final checks complete. Time to refocus and go over the Roadbook again. Just 48 hours to go until the first stage: NÄIMA – BOUARFA.
Yes, Naima indeed!
Departure: April 11, 2025
/But what is the Panda Raid?/
The Panda Raid is a long-distance endurance amateur rally held annually in Morocco, spanning six challenging stages. The concept is simple: over 300 teams defy common sense, diving into an old-school adventure aboard vintage Fiat Pandas (or Marbellas), relying solely on paper maps and a compass. Here, time and speed don’t matter—the goal is to reach the finish line, overcoming mechanical, physical, and mental challenges together, far from the chaos of civilization and the grip of technology.
Starting April 11th, we’ll share the first two preparation days through a dedicated travel log.
Then, from April 13th to 18th, we’ll take you with us into the heart of the Sahara Desert to experience the full Panda Raid together. An exhilarating adventure, through dust and dunes, as we take on the tough challenge of 2000 km of desert in our overloaded, old Fiat Panda 4×4—a true ’80s-style Dakar rally.
/Will we make it to the finish line?/
We believe in it more than ever and will fight until the very last meter to complete this challenge in the best way possible. Stay tuned to follow every stage of our Guerrilla Racing Team!
We’ll keep you updated on every step of our journey.
P.S.: This time, too, beyond the adrenaline of the race, we are proud to support the Panda Raid’s charitable mission. A portion of the entry fee will be donated, in collaboration with key organizations, to support projects benefiting local communities.
/But what about the Panda?/
Before departure, we invite you to our TapRoom to meet the Panda and share a Panda Raid drink together!
/When?/
Saturday, March 22nd – Panda presentation at our TapRoom in Campodarsego.
/What will the kitchen prepare?/
From the kitchen, the new Carbonara Chips (Classic and Vanguard) will be served.
/But what about the beer?/
To celebrate our debut at the Panda Raid, we’ve crafted a brand-new IPA in pure Guerrilla style—extra hoppy with our Guerrilla Racing Team’s favorite hops: Amarillo, Nelson Sauvin, and Mosaic.
/When will it be available?/
• Starting Tuesday, March 11th, it will be available in our online shop and for takeaway at both our locations (TapRoom in Campodarsego and Casana in Padova).
• Starting Wednesday, March 12th, it will be on tap from 10:00 PM in both our locations (TapRoom in Campodarsego and Casana in Padova).
Condividilo!