The entry list for this year's Baja TT Sharish Gin Reguengos de Monsaraz- Mourão brings together a total of 226 riders, split between the Auto, Moto, Quad and SSV categories. There will be 56 car competitors in the FIA European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, 33 in the AM 48 National Event of the Portuguese Cross-Country Championship, plus 53 riders in the Moto competition, 14 in the quad and 70 in the SSV category of the National Cross-Country Championship. The event, organized by the motoring section of Sociedade Artística Reguenguense, is also eligible for the FIM Europe Baja European Championship and is the first stage of the 2024 season.
João Ferreira leads European Bajas Cup
In the auto competition, Portuguese drivers and navigators are in a prominent position in the various classifications in which the FIA European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas is divided this year, leading nine of the eleven leaderboards. João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro are at the top of the absolute classification and the Ultimate Category, respectively, among drivers and navigators. They are followed in the absolute classification by Fernando Barreiros and João Dias. In the Ultimate Category they are second to Francisco Barreto, with Carlos Silva also in 2nd place among the drivers. In the Challenger Category, João Dias leads the drivers, followed by Alexandre Pinto. Among the navigators, the Portuguese occupy the top three places with João Filipe Miranda in 1st, followed by Pedro Ré and Bernardo Oliveira. In the Stock category, Fernando Barreiros and Rui António are already virtual champions. The Teams classification is also led by Portugal's Santag Racing.
João Ferreira
João Dias leads the Portuguese Championship
After four races, João Dias (Can-Am) leads the Portuguese Championship with a three-point advantage over João Ferreira (Mini), while João Ramos (Toyota Hilux) is in third place with seven points less. João Ferreira leads the Ultimate T1+ Category, followed by João Ramos. In the T1 Category, Lino Carapeta (Ford Ranger) is in 1st place, followed by Edgar Condenso (Ford Ranger). Eduardo Rodrigues and Tomás Gameiro, both in Toyota, occupy the first two positions in Category T2. In the T3 category, João Dias leads followed by Armindo Araújo, both in Can-Am. In T4, the first two positions are held by João Monteiro (Can-Am) and Gonçalo Guerreiro (Polaris). Among the T8s, the first position belongs to Johannes Senders (Toyota) followed by Joel Marrazes (Nissan). Finally, in the T9 class, Sérgio Morato and Miguel Teodoro, both in Nissan, are the top two finishers.
Duel T1+ vs T3?
The Baja TT Sharish Gin Reguengos de Monsaraz - Mourão has an excellent entry list and, as has been the case in several races this year, the T3 drivers also promise to fight for victory. Among the T1+ drivers, with João Ferreira taking the lead, Francisco Barreto, João Ramos and Alejandro Martins are also among the six T1+ drivers entered. In T3, with João Dias as the main protagonist, the entry list includes Tiago Reis, Miguel Barbosa and Adam Kus in Tauros, Alexandre Pinto, Armindo Araújo, Bernardo Sousa, Ricardo Teodósio and Pedro Carvalho in Can-Am and world leader Fernando Alvarez in G Rally.
One competition that promises to be very lively is the one involving the traditional T1s with so many different models. The Ford Ranger drivers leading the championship, Lino Carapeta and Edgar Condenso, will be joined by those driven by Nuno Madeira, Bruno Oliveira and José Rogeira. Returning to competition are Helder Oliveira in a Mini and Alexandre Ré in a VW Amarok. João Lourenço in a Mitsubishi, Alexandre Franco and César Sequeira in Mercedes are other drivers to watch out for.
Joao Dias
National Moto/Quad/SSV championship (CNTT) promises excitement on all fronts
For the 5th stage of the CNTT, a close fight is expected on two wheels between the 2023 Champion and Winner António Maio (Yamaha) and Martim Ventura (Husqvarna), the current Championship leader. Bruno Santos, who has had a memorable international season and has already taken three podiums in CNTT races this year, will be heading to the Alentejo to complete the Championship podium. Among the entrants, the participation of Tomás Dias and Gustavo Gaudêncio on Honda, Micael Simão on GasGas and the brothers Bernardo and David Megre on Kawasaki should be highlighted. Of particular note was the female participation of Sandra Brás on a Husqvarna in the Trail Class.
Among the Quad riders, João Vale, the 2023 winner and current CNTT leader, will be on a Can-Am and his main opponents will be Rodrigo Alves, who has won twice this season, and national champion Luís Fernandes, both on Yamaha.
In the super-competitive SSV category, the top four are separated by just seven points. Pedro Pinha is in the lead, followed by Pedro Santinho Mendes, Luís Cidade and Sérgio Baptista. Nelson Caxias, Helder Rodrigues, Roberto Borrego, Pedro Antunes, Lourenço Rosa, Pedro Grancha and Vasco Martins, all in Can-Am, are also potential candidates for victory. Of particular note is the debut at the age of 16 of the current Mini Baja champion, Domingos Cunha, who will be navigating for his father.
The Baja TT Sharish Gin Reguengos de Monsaraz - Mourão is also eligible for the three Yamaha, Polaris and Segway mono-brand trophies. Arnaldo Monteiro leads the Polaris Trophy and also the Stock Championship. Rafael Caseiro and Manuel Lopes lead the Stock and Open classes of the Yamaha Cup respectively. André Rodrigues is in 1st place in the Segway Trophy.
Bruno Santos
More information about the Baja TT Sharish Gin: www.sar-motorismo.com
Or on Sportity with the pass: SAR-BIKE or SAR-FIA or SAR-FPAK
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Automatic translation of the Portuguese version available on www.todoterreno.pt
Source: SAR-Motorismo oficial pres release
Photos: ImagensDesportivas.pt / Rally-Raid Network
