The Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team ended the 2025 Carta Rallye in Morocco with rookie Gautier Paulin securing third overall in his maiden Rally Raid – Yamaha lock out the top five places in the “Over 450cc” class with stage wins for Kevin Gallas.

The final stage of the ninth edition of the Carta Rallye started and ended at the Bivouac in Merzuoga, a historic base and familiar temporary home for many rally raids in the past including the Dakar. It consisted of a 208 km special, featuring a mix of everything, from rocky tracks to riverbeds, soft sand, and the infamous Saharan dunes.

For former MXGP rider Gautier Paulin, the Carta Rallye was both his Ténéré 700 Rally and rally raid maiden voyage and it seems the French rider took to the discipline with aplomb.

The race also represented a first official outing for the 2025 Yamaha Tenere 700 GYTR race bike, take a closer look here: Pro Bike: 2025 Yamaha Tenere 700 GYTR Race Bikes – how good does this look!

Securing his first podium on Stage 2, Paulin was consistent despite his lack of experience at navigating and considering he was competing on the T7 against rivals on 450cc single-cylinder race bikes.

He was not alone in the Yamaha camp with stalwart Alessandro Botturi his very experienced teammate (although he did miss a huge number of waypoints on stage two, putting the Italian out of contention) and Ténéré Spirit Experience rider and former hard enduro specialist Kevin Gallas also competing in his first rally raid. 

“Yeah, let’s go booooyyyy!!!”

 

The German took victory on the second stage and recorded another two podiums across the rally. If it had not been for getting lost on stage five, he would have been competing for the overall victory but ended up fourth in the general classification, and second in the “Over 450cc” category behind Paulin and ahead of Botturi.

Gautier Paulin – P3 Overall – 23h48m51s

“We finished the Carta Rallye, and what a great result!  Racing with Marc and the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team has been a pleasure, and the new bike is amazing. I only had a few days to learn navigation before arriving here, so I wasn’t sure how it would go, but I enjoyed it. 

“I had so much fun in the dunes, and the bike was so smooth that what should have been very challenging was actually fun. 

“We had no issues whatsoever, all rally, and to finish on the overall podium and win the “Over 450cc” class is incredible.”

Marc Bourgeois Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager

“It has been a great rally, even if the navigation was extremely tough. It was a baptism of fire for Gautier, but this is how you learn, and he was amazing. To secure a podium on debut is spectacular. 

“Stéphane also joined us for the last two stages, which was very special for the riders and team. We have also been able to develop the new bike, and considering it was making its racing debut, it performed beyond expectations. I want to thank the whole team for their efforts, and bring on the next event.”

 

Photo Credit: Actiongraphers