The fastest-growing discipline on the international off-road scene confirms its strength in the Sertões BRB. Present at the biggest rally in the Americas since 2012, the UTVs once again ensured the highest number of vehicles among all the disciplines: 89 in all. If the quantity is impressive, the quality is unquestionable. In addition to three champions, the entry list includes the owner of the most titles in rally history, in search of his first in UTVs; two Dakar winners; a two-time FIA Baja Rally World Cup champion, just to name a few.
That's why betting on a winner at the end of the 3,704km, nine-day event is almost as difficult as hitting the lottery. The number of strong names means that any mistake or problem will be costly in a race that is usually resolved by a few seconds of difference at the end of the hundreds of kilometers of each stage.
The list of candidates begins with the duo that stood atop the podium in 2023. Deni do Nascimento and Gunnar Dums from Santa Catarina promise to repeat the consistency and speed that led them to victory on the final day of last year's edition. For the driver, it's the chance to triumph for the third time (he also won in 2019). Always in contention for the top spot, the Varela family includes Rodrigo Varela / Matheus Mazzei (winners in 2022); Bruno Varela/Ari Fiúza; Gabriel Varela/Guilherme Pinheiro and patriarch Reinaldo Varela, alongside Túlio Taniguchi.
On top of his seven motorcycle titles, Jean Azevedo doesn't hide his motivation to extend his record. If his first participation in a UTV, also last year, served as an apprenticeship, it showed that the talent and competence of one of the great names of rallying in Brazil is also present in the new modality. Now perfectly adapted, and in his own team (T+A Polaris), the São José dos Campos driver and his navigator Idali Bosse promise to mix a strong pace with the strategy and intelligence needed to lift the trophy.
Cristiano Batista, the owner of two Baja Rally world titles, hopes to finally make peace with the Sertões BRB. Winner in quad bikes in 2009, the Minas Gerais native has encountered a few setbacks, but is highly motivated, especially after a string of international results in recent years.
Piquet and Fraga
The list of top names also includes Nelsinho Piquet, making his fifth appearance. The Stock Car driver has evolved every year, as shown by his achievement in 2023 in the UTV 3 category. This time, he forms a 100% Brazilian duo with navigator Filipe Bianchini. And Felipe Fraga, the youngest Stock Car champion, is also currently competing in the IMSA North American series. His positive debut last year motivated him to repeat the experience. And to bring along one of his teammates from the United States, George “Gar” Robinson. Speaking of international participation, seven Portuguese teams will be present.
A separate attraction is the presence of Sacha Fenestraz. The French-Argentine, currently a driver in the Formula E World Championship, chose the Sertões BRB to make his rallying debut and fulfill a dream: to race alongside his mother, Stephanie, who competed as a navigator and was a helicopter pilot in the Dakar. His father, Raymond, is also racing, in another UTV.
Automatic translation of the Brazilian Portuguese version available on www.todoterreno.pt
Source: Rali dos Sertões
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