T3.U to debut at Baja Aragon with Apache trio

Apache Automotive‘s APH-01 hybrid car will finally be eligible for FIA competition when they enter the Baja España Aragón on 26–28 July, competing in the Challenger class and particularly under the T3.U subcategory. The company will field three APH-01s for rally drivers Pierre-Louis Loubet, Charles Munster, and Julien Saunier.

T3.U is a subcategory introduced by the FIA for the 2024 cross-country rally season intended for electric and hybrid Challenger (formerly T3) vehicles. It takes inspiration from T1.U of the premier Ultimate class, which was filled by Team Audi Sport’s electric RS Q e-tron series for three years and won the Dakar Rally in January before their demise shortly after.

Appendix J, Article 286 of the FIA’s cross-country regulations stipulate a T3.U car must be capable of travelling on a flat road for at least five kilometres while “being only propelled thanks to the e-motor(s)” and reaching 90 kilometres per hour within twenty seconds. The battery and battery management system must be commercially available and approved by the FIA. The Rechargeable Energy Storage System, which includes every battery pack, the housing they are encased in, and any other internal components, can be built as the team pleases as long as it weighs sixty kilograms at minimum including cooling fluid.

After being revealed in June 2023, Apache made its competition début at the Baja Portalegre 500 last October with Mathieu Serradori. Although the race is part of the FIA European Baja Cup, Serradori was not included in the final results since the APH-01 did not meet FIA regulation at the time, instead being regarded as an Open/Experimental entry. In January, Apache enlisted Loubet and motocross star Gautier Paulin for the Africa Eco Race; despite it being both drivers’ first times in rally raid, Loubet won five stages but finished outside the top ten due to mechanical issues while Paulin was the overall winner.

Loubet has raced in the World Rally Championship since 2015, which he juggled with competing in WRC-2. After winning the WRC-2 title in 2019, he fully committed to the top level and spent two WRC seasons apiece with Hyundai and M-Sport Ford (the latter also having a rally raid arm). He finished twelfth in the 2023 standings before returning to WRC-2 for 2024 with Škoda on a part-time schedule. François Borsotto, who partnered with him for the AER, will continue as his co-driver.

Munster also competes in WRC2 for Hyundai, finishing fifth in his début at the Safari Rally. He primarily runs rallies in his native Luxembourg as well as the European Rally Trophy and French and Belgian championships. His navigator Loïc Dumont will be by his side again.

Saunier is a Frenchman who does tarmac rally. Benjamin Boulloud will work with him.

Baja Aragón is the third round of the 2024 FIA World Baja Cup.