Laurent Lichtleuchter Succumbs to Morocco Desert Challenge Accident

Co-driver Laurent Lichtleuchter passed away recently in a tragic fatality while attempting to complete the Morocco Desert Challenge’s fourth stage, reported event organizers in a press release. He was 46 years of age.
Lichtleuchter and Patrice Garrouste’s Polaris RZR were struck by another car–the drivers of which were temporarily blinded by a cluster of stirred-up dust—which resulted in Lichtleuchter’s instant death and in severe burns to Garrouste, despite the intervention of a medic who arrived speedily by helicopter.
Lichtleuchter’s team Xtremeplus expressed their grief in the following statement: “We lost a dear friend who was part of the Xtremeplus family for twenty years; we have no words to express this loss. Our thoughts and condolences go to his family.”
Lichtleuchter had achieved victory in the Dakar Rally’s T2 category on two prior occasions–most recently in 2022–and was an experienced navigator for teams such as Toyota.
The deceased was also a co-driver for Dania Akeel in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, helping enable her to become the first Arab woman to win that championship.