The roar of rally-raid engines is about to echo across the cork forests, sandy tracks and borderlands of Portugal. The bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal is not just another stop on the calendar — it is the penultimate clash of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, a 2,000-kilometre test where legends are made and mistakes are merciless.
At the heart of the drama is Nasser Al-Attiyah, reigning winner of the Portuguese round. The Qatari ace arrives in Grândola with a new man in the co-driver’s seat, Belgian Fabian Lurquin, and a slender but precious lead in the title chase. Rival manufacturers are circling — Toyota bringing the firepower of Henk Lategan, Lucas Moraes and the fearless youngster Seth Quintero, while Sébastien Loeb keeps Dacia’s hopes alive with the experienced Edouard Boulanger at his side.
It is not just a battle of drivers. It is Toyota’s juggernaut against Dacia’s Sandrider project, with Ford M-Sport and the evergreen Carlos Sainz determined to play spoilers. Behind them lurk privateer outfits, Mini crews and local heroes — including Portuguese star João Ferreira, dreaming of victory on home soil.
Four stages will decide it all: a short prologue in Grândola, a brutal loop through Portuguese dust, a border-crossing marathon into Badajoz, and a grand finale that ends beneath the evening light of Lisbon. By then, more than 1,200 kilometres against the clock will have pushed machines and crews to breaking point.
The Automóvel Club de Portugal has once again designed a route that is both merciless and magnificent — a stage where speed, courage and resilience collide. When the dust settles, only one crew will leave Lisbon with the upper hand in the world title race.
The entry list are available here.
A different journey
Beyond the noise and adrenaline, these same landscapes hold a quieter invitation. The villages, rivers and plains that the rally blasts through can also be discovered slowly, step by step, glass by glass, story by story.
If you want to uncover that other Portugal — the one of hidden chapels, mountain trails, hearty meals and timeless hospitality — explore GuiaRural.pt
From Grândola to Lisbon, and across the borderlands of Alentejo and Extremadura, it’s a chance to meet the places that motorsport only rushes past.
Because when the engines fade, the journey is only just beginning.
Disclaimer:
As a service to the sport we all love and follow, Rally-Raid Network posts numerous media releases from a wide variety of sources on our website. Due to the large number, and some times short time available, it is nearly impossible to review each public release. These articles are written by reporters or press officers who work for various organizers, teams, drivers, riders, and other parties, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rally-Raid Network.
