The Monster Energy Honda HRC Rally 2 team heads to Argentina for the next round of the World Rally-Raid Championship with an exciting new addition to its rider line-up. Brazilian enduro star Bruno Crivilin joins Martim Ventura and Preston Campbell aboard the Honda CRF450RX RALLY.
Crivilin arrives with a wealth of off-road experience, having claimed 14 Brazilian national enduro titles and earned a reputation as one of South America’s most accomplished riders. The 29-year-old Honda Racing Brazil competitor is eager to take on a new challenge in rally-raid competition as part of the expanding Rally 2 programme.
He will also benefit from the experience of teammate Preston Campbell, who previously competed in Argentina at the 2023 International Six Days of Enduro in San Juan. Familiar with the demanding terrain, the young American will be aiming to build on an impressive start to his rally-raid career after securing runner-up honours in the Rally 2 category at this year’s Dakar Rally. Following that breakthrough performance, the 26-year-old now has his sights firmly set on a first Rally 2 victory and a strong championship campaign.
Meanwhile, Martim Ventura arrives in Argentina sitting second in the World Rally-Raid Championship standings, just five points off the lead. The Portuguese rookie has enjoyed a standout start to the 2026 season, claiming podium finishes at both the Dakar Rally, where he finished third and Rally-Raid Portugal, where he secured second place. Although it will be Ventura’s first competitive outing in South America, the 26-year-old is excited to return to action aboard his Honda CRF450RX RALLY after a two-month break since Rally-Raid Portugal.
The Desafío Ruta 40 makes its return to the World Rally-Raid Championship calendar after a one-year absence, bringing fans one of the series’ most popular events. The rally will feature a prologue followed by five demanding stages across Argentina’s rugged landscapes. Competitors will travel south from San Juan through the Tulúm Valley to San Rafael in the southern Mendoza Province before ultimately returning to San Juan for the finish of the 13th edition. In total, riders will cover 2,993 kilometres, including 1,727 kilometres against the clock.
With shakedown and scrutineering now complete in San Juan, focus shifts to Sunday’s prologue on 24th May. Held on a highly technical gravel course, the short opening ?km stage may cover only a limited distance, but it will provide riders with a crucial opportunity to settle in ahead of the demanding days to come.
Ruben Faria
General Manager
Martim is currently second in the World Cup standings and is feeling confident heading into this race. He enjoys this type of terrain - hard-packed surfaces similar to the Portuguese Baja style and feels very comfortable on it. There will also be dunes, navigation sections and sandy riverbeds, where he needs to be a little more careful and continue learning to become faster on this kind of terrain. I believe he can have a very strong race. Portugal was not the ideal terrain for Preston, but here he feels much more at home. It’s similar to California, where he trains, so I also believe he can fight for the victory.
We also have a new addition to the team with Bruno Crivilin. A Honda Brazil rider, Bruno joins us for this rally after competing in EnduroGP and the Brazilian Baja Championship. He is a very fast rider with a strong background in enduro. Of course, he still needs to develop his navigation skills, so this rally is more about learning than winning. However, we believe he can become a very strong rider in the future and we are happy to have him join our programme.
Bruno Crivilin 69
I’m experiencing one of the most special moments of my career. Being part of the Monster Energy Honda HRC team has always been a big dream, and to now say that it has become reality is truly indescribable. Since 2019, when I started my journey with Honda in Brazil, I’ve been building this path with a lot of hard work, dedication, and constant progress. Joining the factory team is a huge step, a milestone that represents everything I’ve been working toward over the years. I’m extremely motivated to learn from such a strong team, alongside experienced and successful teammates and I’m sure this environment will be fundamental for my development in rally raid. My goal is to keep evolving step by step, give my best in every challenge, and in the future fight for victory at the Dakar Rally, which is the ultimate dream for any rider in this discipline. At the same time, I want to contribute as much as possible to the team, helping Monster Energy Honda HRC continue making history and achieving great results.
Martim Ventura 84
I’m super happy to continue my journey with Monster Energy Honda HRC and now be in Argentina. It’s my first ever time on this side of the planet and I’ve never been this side of the Atlantic either, so it will be nice to discover the country and see cool places to ride my bike. They talk a lot about this race, I feel it’s going to be very different types of terrain: sand, hard pack, WRC tracks, dunes, everything. The fight for the championship has started to heat up a bit in Rally 2, I’m five points behind in second, so I want to do the best I can and get the most points at this round, but have fun. I know if I have fun, everything comes with it and as I said at Dakar, if I can be the best version of myself, things go well. The bike looks amazing and we’ve been making good steps every race and I feel this will be one more step forward to show how fast and reliable the Honda CRF450RX RALLY is. I’m happy and motivated for a great week of racing.
Preston Campbell 85
I’m super excited to be here in the Argentina desert. I’ve been looking forward to this round of the championship and have been training for it. This is my first Desafío Ruta 40, but I did race at the ISDE in San Juan in 2023. I believe this will be a good round for me and the team!
Source: Monster Energy Honda HRC
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