A new chapter in the more than three-decade history of the Sertões Petrobras was written this Sunday (Aug 3). The stunning Praia do Francês in Marechal Deodoro (AL) hosted the finish of the 33rd edition of the largest rally in the Americas and the awards ceremony for its champions.
The event brought together a roster of top drivers and navigators who conquered a route that began on July 26 in Goiânia, crossing Minas Gerais, Bahia, and Pernambuco before arriving in Alagoas.
The final day was cut short by the force of nature. Heavy rains throughout Saturday and into Sunday morning left the terrain waterlogged and unsafe, forcing organizers to cancel the eighth and final stage for safety reasons. The decision prevented the outcome from being decided by sheer luck after thousands of grueling kilometers. Even so, the Sertões Petrobras 2025 delivered on its promise of a tough, demanding rally that tested both man and machine over varied terrain — dirt, gravel, sand, trial sections, and rocky tracks.
On two wheels, Tosha Schareina (Honda CRF 450 Rally / HRC) lived up to expectations. Currently third in the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) and runner-up in the last Dakar, the Spaniard adapted quickly to Brazilian stages. After a penalty in the prologue left him starting 38th, he went on to win every other stage. Brazilian Gabriel Bruning (Yamaha WR 450F / IMS Yamaha) repeated his 2023 performance as runner-up overall and best Brazilian, winning the Moto 2 class. Guilherme Bissotto (Yamaha WR 450F / Txai) was third.
A last-minute decision to compete on a quad led Marcelo Medeiros (Yamaha Raptor 700 / Meds Racing) to become the outright most successful quad rider in rally history, securing his sixth title. Originally planning to compete on a bike, he switched back to his familiar machine due to parts delays and won every stage.
The rally also crowned another six-time champion: Zé Hélio Rodrigues, now in the UTV category. Alongside Ramon Sacilotti (Can-Am Maverick R / HPS), the “Javali” ran a consistent rally, always among the fastest. After winning the first stage, the duo managed to avoid traps in the course and maintained the lead, giving Zé Hélio his first four-wheel victory after five on bikes.
In the cars, not even a scare in the sixth stage ending in Delmiro Gouveia could stop Marcos Baumgart and Kleber Cincea (Toyota GR Hilux DKR T1+ / Sizmic Racing) from taking their second Sertões victory, their first coming in 2020. The duo, sharpened by strong results in the World Rally-Raid Championship, overcame family competition when Cristian Baumgart and Luís Felipe Eckel retired, paving the way for Pedro Queirolo / Lauro Sobreira (Buggy Giaffone V8 / RMattheis) to finish second and Flávio Lunardi / Fred Budtikevitz (Ford Ranger V8 / Bulldog Racing) to take third.
The Sertões Petrobras 2026 is set for August 22–30, promising another epic across Brazil.
Source: Rali dos Sertões – translated and adapted by Rally-Raid Network
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