The newest race on the Brazilian rally calendar already has its first champions. The Sertões Series Tocantins wrapped up this Saturday (27) in Dianópolis, living up to its promise of being a complete challenge, with varied terrain, a mix of fast and technical sections, and plenty of navigation. After four stages and over 1,000 kilometers, Romain Dumontier (Moto), Rodrigo Varela / Matheus Mazzei (UTV), and Guilherme Spinelli / Youssef Haddad (Car) celebrated on the top step of the podium.
To confirm their results, competitors had to conquer the rally’s toughest stage. The 213 km timed loop around Dianópolis took drivers and riders through the Serras Gerais, featuring long straights where machines were pushed to the limit, mountain crossings, winding tracks with tight corners, and sections with heavy erosion. The highlight was a grueling 24 km stretch of deep sand, designed like a circuit that demanded flawless navigation with multiple precision waypoints — all under the region’s scorching heat.
Dumontier (Honda Racing) chose not to play it safe despite his comfortable lead and secured overall victory in the Moto category with yet another stage win. A world champion in Rally2 in 2023, the Frenchman adapted quickly to Brazilian conditions and capped the season with dominance in Tocantins. Runner-up Gabriel “Tomate” Soares (IMS Yamaha) was crowned Brazilian national champion overall, while Argentina’s Martin Duplessis (Honda Racing) took the Moto 1 title. Other national champions were Gabriel Bruning (IMS Yamaha) in Moto 2, Tiago Wernersbach (Honda Racing) in Moto 3, and Alexandre “Brankim” Valadares (Honda Racing) in Moto Brasil.
In the UTV category, the final day began with the top six separated by just one minute, leaving the outcome wide open. André Hort / Marcelo Ritter (MH Racing) and Jorge Wagenfuhr / Enio Bozzano (Lifesil) were forced to retire. Rodrigo Varela / Mazzei (Monster Energy Varela Rally) started with a small advantage and held it to secure the overall win, ahead of Deni do Nascimento / Gunnar Dums (Bompack Racing). The victory also guaranteed them the Brazilian national title. Meanwhile, Bruno Varela / Ari Fiúza (Monster Energy Varela Rally) set the fastest time of the fourth stage.
The Car category delivered a historic result. In just its third outing, the Mitsubishi Triton Ultimate Racing — developed and built in Brazil for the top international rally-raid category (T1+ / Ultimate) — claimed its first overall win in the hands of Guilherme Spinelli and Youssef Haddad (Mitsubishi Spinelli Racing). The veteran duo dominated all four stages, showcasing the car’s potential even in its development phase. Flávio Lunardi / Weidner Moreira (Bulldog Racing) finished second overall and secured the Brazilian T1.1 title, while Reinaldo Varela / Túlio Taniguchi (Monster Energy Varela Rally) claimed third place and clinched the Challenger (UTV T3) title.
The Sertões Series Tocantins counted as the final round of the 2025 Brazilian Rally Raid Championship, sanctioned by CBA and CBM. The event was organized by the Instituto Sertões, with support from the Government of Tocantins through the Department of Tourism.
Romain Dumontier, Moto winner: “I’m really happy with this first victory. I managed to keep the pace I showed in Sertões and finished the season on a high. I enjoyed the rally, it was very diverse. I hope to keep competing in Brazil in 2026.”
Rodrigo Varela, UTV winner: “We did an amazing job. We pushed hard to try to win the rally but also kept the championship in mind, since we still needed a strong result. Everything worked out, and clinching the title by winning the final race makes it even more special.”
Guilherme Spinelli, Car winner: “We came close to winning the Sertões but fell short due to small issues. That only motivated us even more to push for victory in Tocantins, a place that has always brought us luck. We didn’t hold back the car, we tried to extract all its speed. I want to thank the team for believing in this bold project and embracing the challenge, and Youssef for returning to race with me and share this moment. The rally was both fun and challenging, in stunning regions, and I believe it deserves a permanent spot on the Brazilian calendar.”
1. Romain Dumontier (FRA) #23, Honda CRF 450RX, Honda Racing, (1)MT1, 10h35min22
2. Gabriel Soares #4, Yamaha WR 450F, IMS Yamaha, (2)MT1, 10h40min59
3. Gabriel Bruning #5, Yamaha WR 450F, IMS Yamaha, (1)MT2, 10h47min18
4. Guilherme Bissotto #22, Yamaha WR 450F, Dango Racing, (2)MT2, 10h53min39
5. Marcelo Medeiros #20, KTM 450 Rally Replica, Meds Racing, (3)MT2, 11h29min54
1. Guilherme Spinelli / Youssef Haddad #310, Mitsubishi Triton Ultimate Racing, (1)T1M, 10h31min28
2. Flávio Lunardi / Weidner Moreira #331, Ford Ranger V8, Bulldog Rally, (1)T11, 10h58min10
3. Reinaldo Varela / Túlio Taniguchi #372, Can-Am Maverick R, Monster Energy Varela Rally, (1)CHL, 11h06min28
4. Lélio Jr. / Weberth Moreira #321, Buggy Giaffone V8, R.Mattheis, (2)T1M, 11h28min10
5. Otávio Enz / Rodrigo Faiad #369, Mitsubishi Triton, Zenz Rally, (1)UPR, 13h24min30
1. Rodrigo Varela / Matheus Mazzei #102, Can-Am Maverick R, Monster Energy Varela Rally, (1)ULT, 10h33min16
2. Deni do Nascimento / Gunnar Dums #101, Can-Am Maverick R, Bompack Racing, (2)ULT, 10h33min29
3. Bruno Varela / Ari Fiúza #103, Can-Am Maverick R, Monster Energy Varela Rally, (3)ULT, 10h33min40
4. Vinícius Castro / Breno Rezende #175, Can-Am Maverick R, C3 Racing, (4)ULT, 10h35min01
5. Pedro Mac Dowell / Daniel Spolidorio #107, Can-Am Maverick R, Qi Racing, (5)ULT, 10h35min28
Source: Sertoes Series Tocantins
Transaltion: Rally-Raid Network
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