TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Caetano Portugal saw its participation in the Baja TT Cuenca come to a premature end after João Ramos and Pedro Ré were forced to retire during the opening selective sector, despite having won the prologue of the Spanish event. An incident in a very narrow and heavily deteriorated section irreparably damaged the front wheel of the Toyota Hilux T1+.
The Baja TT Cuenca weekend, host of the opening round of the FIA European Baja Cup, initially looked highly promising for João Ramos and Pedro Ré, representing TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Caetano Portugal. The Portuguese duo started in the best possible way with an excellent performance in the prologue. Ramos set the fastest time, showcasing both the crew’s and the machine’s full potential on the approximately 8 km stage that served as the opening appetizer to the event.
During Saturday’s first selective sector, Ramos maintained a strong pace until around kilometre 90, when the demanding navigation caught the duo out, forcing them to retrace their route and costing approximately three minutes. The setback was handled calmly, fully aware that there was still a long race ahead. The main objective remained unchanged: securing important points for the European competition.
Near the end of the selective sector (around kilometre 140), in an extremely narrow section with no room for evasive manoeuvres, featuring severely damaged tracks and deep ruts, the Toyota Hilux T1+ struck what appeared to be a tree root. The impact on the front wheel caused damage too severe to repair on stage, leaving the vehicle unable to continue and forcing João Ramos and Pedro Ré into retirement.
A Bitter Retirement After a Strong Display of Competitiveness
Although the team was unable to convert the prologue victory into a result matching the pace shown throughout the event, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Caetano Portugal leaves Cuenca with clear signs of competitiveness in a demanding European environment. The speed demonstrated at the start of the rally and the way the crew reacted to adversity reinforce the team’s confidence ahead of the upcoming rounds.
Reflecting on the event, João Ramos summarised what happened in Cuenca:
“Yesterday we delivered an exceptional prologue and managed to win it, which was very positive. It was not an easy task because the video provided by the organisation, filmed with a wide-angle lens, did not accurately reflect the reality of the route, but even so we managed to produce an excellent performance and secure the win.”
“Today, during the first selective sector, everything was going well until kilometre 90, when we got lost on the route. We had to backtrack and ended up losing around three minutes. Even so, it was still very early in the race, there was a long way to go and no reason for concern.”
“Unfortunately, later on, in a very narrow section with extremely rough tracks, everything became complicated. The event had some very good sections, but also some very bad ones for the T1+ cars — very narrow, with practically no visibility due to the mud buildup. With the car completely covered in mud, in one of those areas I hit either a rock or a tree root — I honestly don’t know exactly what it was, because there were so many trenches and ruts that it was difficult to understand what we were driving over — and the front wheel suffered severe damage. From that point on, we had no chance of continuing.”
“It is always hard to retire after such a strong start, but that is part of this sport. Despite the early exit, I want to highlight the potential we demonstrated in the prologue, with a very strong pace. I believe we have taken the right steps, and although this result is obviously disappointing, it also leaves me extremely motivated for what lies ahead. I believe we now have the conditions to fight with the best and battle for the top positions. This is just a setback in a long and demanding journey, but I clearly felt that we are prepared for that journey and for all the challenges we will encounter.”
Determined to transform yet another setback into a learning experience, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Caetano Portugal remains fully committed to the ambitions with which it started the season, now focused on returning stronger in the next round of the FIA European Baja Cup in Greece, aiming to demonstrate the full potential of the project.
Source: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Caetano Portugal official press release
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