Three former winners registered in the bikes for the BRB Sertões would already be enough to suggest an exciting fight in the 2023 edition of the largest rally of the Americas, from 11 to 19 this month, connecting Petrolina (PE) to Preá, in Cruz (CE), over a prologue and eight stages in a total of 3,800 km. But the two-wheel race gained this year an element of more interest, with the presence of one of the main revelations of the cross-country rallies. And four countries represented.
Ricardo Martins (Yamaha), winner in 2020; the French Adrien Metge (Yamaaha), best in 2021, and Bissinho Zavatti (Honda), current champion, leave with the same challenge of reaching a second victory in the Sertões. The rivalry between the two brands, by the way, has been the tone in the last editions. Something capable of providing a very rare moment last year – Metge and Bissinho completed the fourth stage, from Campo Grande to Costa Rica (MS) matched up in the tenth second after 382 kilometers timed.
Honda still has the Argentine Martín Duplessis, second in 2022; and Gabriel Soares, the Tomate, fourth in his first year in the mode, after a career in motocross and Enduro FIM. On the Yamaha side, Gabriel Bruning is another name to fight for the top positions.
The novelty in the BRB Sertões responds by the name of Mason Klein. The 22-year-old Californian is the current world champion in the Rally 2 category. He was ninth in his first Dakar (2022) and, this year, won a stage and led the classification even running a private KTM, before being forced to quit due to contusions. He accepted the invitation of also driver and businessman Dimas Mattos (DM Workshop / Brazil Moto Tour) to face the new challenge in his career.
Also highlight for another participation of Moara Sacilotti, who starts in Petrolina as the current champion in the Moto Over, willing to repeat the achievement.
In quadriciclos, Marcelo Medeiros has a chance to make history. He left in search of his fifth title, which would isolate him as the biggest winner of the Sertões in the modality. Currently, he is matched by four-time champions Carlo Collet and Robert Naji Nahas. In the last Dakar, Maranhense showed to be among the best in the world by winning four stages and leading the race.
Little Zavatti (winner 2022): “I come quite focused again for another year. The expectations are the best possible, I have trained hard and since last year I have drawn a very good line, which led me to the title, and now it is not being different. The preparation was very similar, I adjusted some details. Very looking forward to coming the day to be in Petrolina and start accelerating. Me and the Honda team are 100% ready.”
Adrien Metge (winner 2021): “The expectation is very good. Since the beginning of the year, I've been training and competing well. The team has done a great job and we have won all the Brazilian tests so far. This year's Sertões promises to be very technical, with various terrain. It's definitely going to be a nice Sertons to walk. I'm sure the team will do their best too. My companions are also very well and the climate is great. We're trying to get that title back. Now it's about keeping the focus and accelerating."
Mason Klein: “I am very happy to participate in the Sertões and try new terrain to become a better driver. Thank you for the invitation of Dimas Mattos and his team. I intend to accelerate strongly and I hope to see everyone on the finish line.”
Automatic translation from the original Brazilian-Portuguese version available on Sertões Rally official site
Source: Rali dos Sertões
Photo: Rali dos Sertoes (social media)
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