FIM World Rally-Raid Championship racers back in action for the BP Ultimate Portugal Rally

The world’s premier off-road endurance competition series, FIM’s World Rally-Raid Championship, kicked back into gear this week for Round 4 of the five-round global series – the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal. And opening Wednesday’s Stage 1 racing on the top RallyGP class podium were two Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally racers, France’s Adrien Van Beveren in 2^nd position and Spain’s Tosha Schareina in 3^rd.

Rounding out the top five for Stage 1 was for Monster Energy was South African Ross Branch (Hero Motorsports), who brought his Rally 450 home in 4^th place. And in the support RallyGP 2 class, Monster Energy was led by overall class series leader, Austrian Tobias Ebster (Hero Motorsport), who placed 3^rd.

For Van Beveren, who currently sits in 4^th place overall in the standings after three of five rounds, it was a 180-degree change from last year’s BP Ultimate Rally in Portugal, thanks much to drought conditions in the area in and around the 302 km Special/123 Liaison around Grandola.

“The stage was nice, but it was really slippery. Much more than last year,” explained Van Beveren. “It didn’t rain for a long time here in Portugal. It’s very dry and everything’s different from what we knew from last year, when we had a lot of rain. So I had to adjust.”

Schareina would see it much the same way as Van Beveren, finishing 24 seconds behind his teammate (who was :58 back of Stage 1 winner, KTM’s Daniel Sanders).

“It was really good,” said Schareina, who sits in 5^th place in the overall WRRC standings, two points back of Van Beveren (48-46). “We had a really slippery piste for the first 200 k’s, but after that the rest was more sandy, much like last year. And I think we can push the last four days of racing.”

For the past (’23) overall WRRC champion Branch, the strategy for Stage 1, following Tuesday’s quick 5 km Prologue (to set the starting grid), was to finish in a position where he’d eat the least amount of dust in the extremely dry conditions.

“I had an amazing time today,” said the always upbeat Branch. “Decided yesterday to open, because of the dust. And I think that was the best plan for me and the (Hero) team. I had a really good time on the bike, loved every second of it. The team has worked so hard to help us get the best bike possible. Really looking forward to the rest of the week in Portugal, and putting the hammer down again tomorrow.”

Rounding out the Stage 1 top ten in RallyGP class racing for Monster Energy were Ricky Brabec (Honda HRC Rally) in 6^th and Skyler Howes (Honda HRC Rally) in 7^th. In Rally 2 racing Monster Energy’s Preston Campbell (Honda HRC), in his first WRRC race, place a solid 5^th.

Notes:

This week’s BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal is the only European stop on the 2025 WRRC tour, not only showcasing Portugal’s challenging as well as varying terrain, but also taking a spin through a similarly challenging section of Spain.
The ACP – Automóvel Club de Portugal, as the organizer of Rally Raid Portugal, notes that they are “committed to the FIA Sustainability Program and the FIM Environmental Code, with the aim of minimizing the environmental impact of the event and setting an example on environmental issues, both nationally and internationally.”
In addition to that, BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal actually has its own forest, with the race’s official website listed as being “carbon neutral.”
“Our starting position, 11^th, really wasn’t ideal. I got caught behind a couple guys that really dusted me out for a while. But the dust was brutal for everyone.” – Howes
“Was a long day. I spent the whole day in the dust. Times were good, not the best. Looking forward to tomorrow. And with four days left let’s see what we can do.” – Brabec
Added Brabec, prior to Tuesday’s opening Prologue, to FIM/BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal officials: “I’m happy to be back racing and I hope to improve and get a strong result in Portugal. It’s a difficult rally, with a lot of navigation, so besides being fast we need to stay fully focused. It will be a challenge and great preparation for Dakar.”
Monster Energy’s Prologue results: Schareina (4^th), Van Beveren (6^th), Campbell (7^th), Branch (8^th).
Tomorrow’s Stage 2 runs from Grândola to Badajoz – the longest day of the rally at 655 km, including 429 km – and features waypoints through both Portugal and Spain. The first part runs through fast tracks lined with eucalyptus and pine trees, then through the sandier Ponte de Sor, while the Macao section is more mountainous with harder ground. The stage finishes in Spain, in a flat area leading to the Badajoz Fairgrounds.

WRRC BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal

Stage 1 (Place/Name/Team/Time) RallyGP class

2^nd – Van Beveren (Monster Energy/Honda), + :58

3^rd – Schareina (Monster Energy/Honda), + 1:22

4^th – Branch (Monster Energy/Hero), + 2:45

6^th – Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda), + 4:51

7^th – Howes (Monster Energy/Honda), + 5:14

RallyGP 2 class

3^rd – Ebster (Hero/Monster Energy), 20:46:16

5^th – Preston Campbell (Monster Energy/Honda), 2:54:11

Monster Energy WRRC Motorcycle GP class standings (after 3 of 5 rounds)

Place/Name/Team

3^rd– Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda), 53 points

4^th – Van Beveren (Monster Energy/Honda), 48 points

5^th – Schareina (Monster Energy/Honda), 46 points

6^th – Howes (Monster Energy/Honda), 35 points

6^th – Cornejo (Hero/Monster Energy), 34 points

9^th – Branch (Hero/Monster Energy), 8 points

2025 FIM World Rally-Raid GP2 class standings (after 3 of 5 rounds)

1^st – Ebster (Hero/Monster Energy), 66 points

Up next…

Thursday’s Stage 2 of the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal is a 429 Special/226 Liaison from Grandola to Badajoz. For more information, including “Live” timing and scoring, visit www.worldrallyraidchampionship.com