Gonçalo Amaral won the Rally 3 class and Salvador finished in second place
The Wingmotor Honda team was in the spotlight today at the bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, the second round of the World Rally-Raid Championship, with the Amaral brothers finishing at the top of the Rally3 category in the first stage of the event, held today in Grândola.
At the controls of their Honda CRF450s, Gonçalo Amaral claimed victory in the Rally3 category and finished 18th overall, while Salvador Amaral secured second place among the Rally3 competitors, placing 24th overall.
At the end of a day marked by a demanding course—especially due to the heavy rain that fell overnight and left the track waterlogged—both riders expressed satisfaction with their performance on this opening day.
“Today was a good day. I struggled a bit to get into the rhythm during the first 60 km, but after that, I was able to relax my arms a bit and have a good run until the end. I tried not to take any risks because there was a lot of water on the track. The race is very long, so I chose to drive at a safe pace. But I managed to be fast, and it was a positive day,” explained Gonçalo Amaral.
Salvador Amaral also highlighted the initial difficulties and the challenges posed by the bad weather: “The start was difficult, and it took me a while to get into the rhythm. Naturally, since it’s the first day, there’s always a period of adjustment. There was a lot of water on the track, which made things a bit difficult for us. But we finished well, and our goal is to reach the end of each stage without any major issues. We’re very happy to be here. Tomorrow is a new day—the longest of the entire rally—and it will be very challenging. We’re highly motivated to tackle another stage and give our best to achieve the goals we’ve set.”
The second stage of the bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal takes place tomorrow between Grândola and Badajoz, featuring a 377-kilometer timed special stage, in what will be the longest and most demanding day of this edition of the race.
Official Press Release
Photo: todoterreno.pt/Imagens Desportivas
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