The verifications of the 1st edition of the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal ended today in Grândola. 55 vehicles entered in W2RC are authorized to start tomorrow morning among the total of 148 FIM/FIA vehicles in the race. Among the 27 motorcycles and quads from the FIM championship present, the RallyGP championship leader Ross Branch (Hero MotoSports) will be under threat from Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda), his most direct pursuer at 26 points. Among the 28 FIA crews entered in W2RC, Carlos Sainz (Mini JCW) leads the championship with only 9 points ahead of Nasser Al Attiyah (Nasser Racing by Prodrive) and 12 points ahead of Guerlain Chicherit (Overdrive Racing) . Tomorrow, for the first time in the history of the W2RC, the prologue and stage 1 round trip between Grândola and Santiago do Cacém will be contested over a single day. The arrival will be broadcast live.
BRANCH TAKES AIR Ricky Brabec
(Monster Energy Honda), second overall in RallyGP, is retained in the United States by HRC marketing. Four Honda officials will therefore be at the start tomorrow. Among them, Adrien Van Beveren is the best placed starter behind leader Ross Branch . Thanks to his place on the Dakar podium at the start of the season, the Frenchman is currently fourth overall (24 points). With 50 points on the clock, “ Kalahari Ferrari ” has a margin of safety but does not take the challenge lightly. Pablo Quintanilla , sixth in the standings with 17 points is the next threat. The challenge of the week for the Botswanan is clear: to contain the return of the two Honda drivers, winners of the last rounds which took place in Europe. “ Quintafondo ” won the Andalucía Rally in 2021, “ VBA ” the following year.
Ross Branch (Hero MotoSports) “I don’t feel any less pressure, it’s positive anyway. We saw it in Abu Dhabi, as soon as there started to be less, things started to go wrong. I’m glad Honda is back strong. Ricky is missing, but there will be a good number of official drivers. The race will be different from those which compete on full throttle with the navigation that we are used to. It’s not my favorite terrain, but it will be the same for everyone. Some will be faster than me, but that’s part of the game. The world champion must be able to be fast on all types of terrain. »
IN SAINZ GROUND Carlos Sainz, championship leader (76 pts), presented himself today in the colors of X-raid, three years after his second final place on the Andalucía Rally 2021 in a Mini, his last appearance in the colors of the brand. It is Alex Haro who will exceptionally be at his side, Lucas Cruz the usual co-driver of the winner of the last Dakar being held back by an obligation. For his compatriot, it is also a reunion, his last appearance in a Mini dating back to the 2019 Dakar with Nani Roma . Sainz and Haro were teammates in 2018-19 at X-raid, but never before had they raced side by side. During his previous career rewarded by two WRC world championship titles, Sainz won in 1991 and 1995 in Portugal and he will compete on home soil in stage 4 contested in Spain. “ El Matador ” is not jumping into the unknown this week and hopes to use his past benchmarks to consolidate his current lead in the championship (see his statement).
Nasser Al Attiyah, winner of the second round in Abu Dhabi, is the Spaniard’s direct pursuer in the championship (67 pts). The Qatari is only 9 points behind. For the reigning double world champion, Portugal is a still palpable memory. It was here, on the Baja Portalegre last fall, that he raced for the first time behind the wheel of the Prodrive Hunter. His third participation in this race.
Guerlain Chicherit and Mathieu Baumel, Alex Winocq ‘s one-time replacement , appeared together today, fifteen years after their last duo on the 2009 Dakar. The French driver is only 3 points behind the Qatari. The Ultimate category podium is the tightest of all in the FIA. Carlos Sainz (Mini JCW) “The opportunity presented itself to be able to participate, Sven (Quandt) had a car available, and we decided together to enter. For me, the objective is twofold: firstly, it is the opportunity to try another T1+ than the Audi to prepare for the future; secondly, if it allows me to score points in the championship, they will be welcome.
AFTER THE RAIN, THE GOOD WEATHER
Unusual rain fell last week in the regions crossed by the race, necessitating some course adjustments which did not, however, change its general appearance. Finally, 1735 kilometers including 1039 for FIM motorcycles and quads and 1866 kilometers including 1039 special for cars, Challenger and SSV FIA will start tomorrow, and at full speed! For the first time in the history of W2RC, the prologue and stage 1 will be contested on the same day. A quarter of an hour after daybreak, the first competitors will set off in the prologue. Before midday, they will set off to tackle the hundred or so timed kilometers of special 1. All the competitors will be grouped together just before the finish line to allow live broadcast of the last 3 kilometers. A final sprint broadcast in a unique way on Portuguese television on the Sport TV channel, broadcaster of the biggest national sporting events. The images commented by a specialist will also be available to the rest of the world simultaneously on the W2RC social networks. See you tomorrow at 3:25 p.m. (UTC + 1) for the arrival of the motorcycles and at 5:00 p.m. (UTC + 1) for the arrival of the cars on W2RC Youtube or W2RC Facebook Page
Carlos Barbosa (President of the Automóvel Club de Portugal):
“ The route promises to be completely different from what the W2RC competitors have done until today. The sand here will be tiny compared to what they encountered on the Dakar and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Here you will find a real off-road race, literally, with all the types of textures that you can encounter if you go exploring Portugal. Fast parts, winding, technical, sand, stones, mountains, baja type portions… and the heavy rains of the past days brought mud in addition to the expected ingredients. It’s a difficult and totally different event and I think it’s good for the championship. Competitors should not expect to work 9am-4pm office hours before returning the keys to the mechanics upon arriving at the bivouac!
Orlando Romana (Sports Director BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal): “ The course of the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal is the fruit of 35 years of my experiences with races like the Baja Portalegre, the Baja 1000, the Transiberico, the rally Estoril-Marrakech or the first year of the Dakar in 2006. Tomorrow in stage 1 we will find 60-70% sandy tracks in a region close to the sea. Stage 2 will be 50/50 sand and hard ground. Stage 3 will head north, to the center of the country, on the slopes of the Baja Portalegre, faster, harder, with also a small mountain section. Stage 4 in Spain will be completely different, more open in less hilly agricultural properties, without vegetation but with a small technical climb up a mountain. The last will be made up of 90% sand. The rains will make some sections slippery, not enough to keep you stuck, but it will change the appearance of some sections. It is certainly the most varied route that could be offered in Portugal. » Jean-Paul Cottret (W2RC Opener): “
The course will really provide driving pleasure for the competitors. The heart of the matter will be the narrow tracks between the trees which will be the majority of the race. Competitors should be wary of small concrete bridges with holes in their sides, bollards and stumps at the edges of the track. It is vital to stay on the track, never cut the ropes, this will be one of the keys to reaching the end of the race. The slightest deviation in T1+ will not forgive. It is important to keep in mind that if the type of track is considered WRC, there are no WRC ratings that go with it, so visual driving remains essential. The Challengers and SSVs will perhaps spring a surprise in these conditions. Following the rains, we risk having basins with puddles, but nothing deep. The upside is that this will limit dust. »
The program
- April 3 : Prologue – Grândola – Santiago do Cacém (Total: 38 km / SS: 4 km) Stage 1 – Santiago do Cacém – Grândola (Total: 170 km / SS part 1: 97km / SS part 2: 3 km) ·
- April 4 : Stage 2 – Grândola – Grândola (Total: 228 km / SS: 193 km) ·
- April 5 : Stage 3 – Grândola – Badajoz (FIM – Total: 616 km / SS: 374 km) (FIA – Total: 747 km / SS: 388 km) ·
- April 6 : Stage 4 – Badajoz – Grândola (Total: 539 km / SS: 251 km) ·
- April 7 : Stage 5 – Grândola – Grândola (Total: 144 km / SS: 103 km)
