The young driver is delighted with his new team, excited about the potential of the car, and fully committed to fighting for victory against the world’s best on home soil.
Ferreira, who clinched the 2024 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, has made a major career move, switching from the German powerhouse X-raid to Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, supported technically by SVR Racing. At just 25 years old, the driver from Leiria remains one of the top contenders for the Portuguese event organized by the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), which runs from September 22 to 28, 2025.
Ferreira will compete in the Ultimate category with the highly competitive Toyota Hilux T1+ Evo, a car that has dominated cross-country rallying in recent years. He will be navigated by the experienced Filipe Palmeiro. Joining Toyota marks both a challenge and a huge career opportunity: “I’m extremely motivated with this new project,” Ferreira said.
Fresh from his impressive victory at Baja Aragón, a FIA World Cup round where he outpaced three-time World Champion Nasser Al-Attiyah, Ferreira has shown he’s ready to challenge the very best. “The first feelings are very positive. Driving the Hilux is very different from the MINI—it has incredible power, yet it’s easy to understand. I’ve been working closely with the engineers to speed up the adaptation process, but I still need more kilometers to be fully at ease with the Toyota Hilux T1+, the car that has set the standard in rally-raid worldwide. The goal is to evolve, and once I’m more comfortable, I’ll be able to achieve great things,” Ferreira explained, joking: “Now I have no excuse not to win.”
With such a competitive machine, expectations are naturally high heading into the bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal. “After finishing second in 2024, this time I’ll be fighting for the win. It won’t be easy, since the world’s best specialists will be there, and my home advantage is small because they already know the terrain. Still, racing at home always gives me extra motivation,” he acknowledged.
Ferreira also highlighted the work of the ACP: “Last year, the ACP did a great job. Foreign drivers said it was one of the best rounds of the World Championship. I’m certain that in 2025 they will organize another outstanding event,” he added.
Beyond the Portuguese race, Ferreira’s 2025 program includes six to seven more events, with the dual aim of winning and gaining valuable experience to arrive at the Dakar Rally 2026 fully prepared.
Source: ACP Motorsport / Translation and adaptation: Rally-Raid Network
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