FIA WTCR Race of Morocco Trophy
Marrakech, Morocco (2009-2019)
Created for the FIA WTCR Race of Morocco held annually in Marrakech between 2009 and 2019, this sculptural trophy was conceived as a reinterpretation of one of motorsport’s most iconic forms: the racing wheel. Commissioned for the international touring car championship held at the Circuit Moulay El Hassan, the trophy became closely associated with the visual identity of the Marrakech race and was widely recognised for departing from the aggressive industrial language typically associated with motorsport awards.
Fabricated entirely in nickel silver, the trophy was developed in three scales for the podium winners, with the principal trophy standing approximately eighty centimetres in height. The circular composition drew inspiration from the structure of a performance wheel, reinterpreted through Yahya’s sculptural vocabulary and hand craftsmanship. The outer section referenced tyre tread patterns through deeply engraved floral textures, while the side surfaces incorporated hammered metalwork evoking the reflective bodywork and metallic surfaces of automotive engineering. At the centre, where wheel spokes would traditionally appear, the composition opened into an intricate hand-sawn Fibonacci-inspired double helix pattern surrounding a floral medallion, creating a dialogue between movement, geometry, ornament, and rotational form. Each trophy was mounted on a wooden base engraved with the race distinctions and podium positions.
Balancing references to speed, engineering, and craftsmanship, the trophy transformed a highly technical mechanical object into a refined sculptural form. Rather than celebrating racing through overtly industrial aesthetics, the work introduced delicacy, rhythm, and artisanal complexity into the identity of the event itself. Its strong reception within the motorsport world later led to further commissions connected to international racing and broadcasting, including a subsequent trophy commission for Eurosport. The FIA WTCR Race of Morocco trophy remains an example of Yahya’s ability to reinterpret technical subjects through the language of sculpture, geometry, and hand craftsmanship.
Photography Credit: Warren Wesley Patterson - Alamy Stock Photo
FIA WTCR Race of Morocco Trophy
Marrakech, Morocco (2009-2019)
Created for the FIA WTCR Race of Morocco held annually in Marrakech between 2009 and 2019, this sculptural trophy was conceived as a reinterpretation of one of motorsport’s most iconic forms: the racing wheel. Commissioned for the international touring car championship held at the Circuit Moulay El Hassan, the trophy became closely associated with the visual identity of the Marrakech race and was widely recognised for departing from the aggressive industrial language typically associated with motorsport awards.
Fabricated entirely in nickel silver, the trophy was developed in three scales for the podium winners, with the principal trophy standing approximately eighty centimetres in height. The circular composition drew inspiration from the structure of a performance wheel, reinterpreted through Yahya’s sculptural vocabulary and hand craftsmanship. The outer section referenced tyre tread patterns through deeply engraved floral textures, while the side surfaces incorporated hammered metalwork evoking the reflective bodywork and metallic surfaces of automotive engineering. At the centre, where wheel spokes would traditionally appear, the composition opened into an intricate hand-sawn Fibonacci-inspired double helix pattern surrounding a floral medallion, creating a dialogue between movement, geometry, ornament, and rotational form. Each trophy was mounted on a wooden base engraved with the race distinctions and podium positions.
Balancing references to speed, engineering, and craftsmanship, the trophy transformed a highly technical mechanical object into a refined sculptural form. Rather than celebrating racing through overtly industrial aesthetics, the work introduced delicacy, rhythm, and artisanal complexity into the identity of the event itself. Its strong reception within the motorsport world later led to further commissions connected to international racing and broadcasting, including a subsequent trophy commission for Eurosport. The FIA WTCR Race of Morocco trophy remains an example of Yahya’s ability to reinterpret technical subjects through the language of sculpture, geometry, and hand craftsmanship.