All nine factory riders in RallyGP, representing four different marques, are slated to start the race next week. At KTM, Daniel Sanders, who has already smashed three records since January by becoming the first RallyGP rider to win more than two rounds in a single season, racking up the highest tally of stage wins (nineteen) and the most specials taken in one season (eleven), will line up alongside Luciano Benavides, second in the championship ranking. Honda have signed up four riders: Ricky Brabec, Adrien Van Beveren, Skyler Howes and Tosha Schareina. The Spaniard, victorious in Portugal last year, is back on the saddle after hurting his wrist in South Africa. Hero MotoSports are bringing the reigning world champion, Ross Branch, and Nacho Cornejo. Last but not least, Sherco are putting their chips on Bradley Cox, who made his team debut in the previous round.
In Rally2, the three factory riders in the class are in for a serious scrap! The Austrian championship leader, Tobias Ebster (Hero MotoSports), just three points ahead of the up-and-coming Spaniard Edgar Canet (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and the Indian Harith Noah (Sherco TVS Factory Racing) will come up against Bruno Santos (BS Frutas Patrícia Pilar) and his Husqvarna. Last year, the Portuguese rider clinched the Rally2 win on home soil and climbed onto the overall motorbike podium to boot.
Honda have no intention of giving their rivals a clear run. The team manager, Ruben Faria, has hand-picked two talents who will race under the Honda HRC banner, parallel to the Monster Energy factory team. One hails from Portugal and the other one from across the pond. Martim Ventura, the national todo-o-terreno champion, opened his W2RC campaign with fifth place in Rally2 at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Meanwhile, Preston Campbell happens to be the son of Johnny Campbell, who became a baja legend riding for Honda in the United States and took Ricky Brabec under his wing. Earlier this season, Campbell Jr. went straight to the top step at the Sonora Rally, his first appearance in a rally raid. Next week, he will be standing on the W2RC stage for the first time in his career.
The Portuguese round, the first one on the Rally3 calendar, will once again welcome the Amaral Bros. (Wingmotor), whose Hondas dominated the race from A to Z last year, when Gonçalo took the win ahead of Salvador.
Gaëtan Martinez and Antanas Kanopkinas (CFMoto Thunder Racing), tied at the summit of the quad ranking, will again face their closest rival, Marek Łój (Poland National Team). The Pole is returning to competition following his injury in South Africa.
SCHEDULE:
• 19 September at 12 pm: opening of the bivouac in Grândola
• 21 September at 10:30 am: opening of the Media Center
• 21 September from 3 pm – 22 September: administrative and technical scrutineering
• 23 September:
12 pm: general and Prologue briefing
1.30/2.15 pm: FIM/FIA pre-race press conference
3/4:30 pm: FIM/FIA prologue (5.15 km)
7/08.15 pm: start position selection for FIM/FIA stage 1
7.30/8.30 pm: FIM/FIA ceremonial start
• 24 September: stage 1 — Grândola–Grândola (total: 426 km / SS: 299 km + 5 km)
• 25 September: stage 2 — Grândola–Badajoz (total: 650 km / SS: 423 km)
Source: W2RC / A.S.O.
Photo: ImagensDesportivas.pt
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