Senador Canedo, Brazil – July 26, 2025
The engines roared to life this Saturday as the Sertões Petrobras 2025 officially began with a short but treacherous prologue in the Jardim Grécia complex (FGR) in Senador Canedo, Goiás. At only 6 kilometers, the route may seem modest, but it was more than enough to shake up the expectations and deliver some early drama.
Though the prologue doesn’t count toward the overall rally standings, it plays a crucial role—it sets the starting order for the first official stage on Sunday, where competitors will take on the route from Goiânia to Unaí (Minas Gerais). And in a race where dust and visibility can make or break a day, start position is everything.
Navigation was the name of the game, and even the top contenders felt the pressure. A key note in the roadbook tripped up multiple riders, including Spanish star Tosha Schareina, runner-up at Dakar 2025 and currently third in the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). A wrong turn means Schareina will have to battle through traffic and dust during Sunday’s stage.
Meanwhile, it was Bruno Crivilin, also making his Sertões debut for Honda, who stole the show in the bikes category. He topped the time charts, beating Gabriel Bruning (Yamaha) by 12.8 seconds in a confident display.
In the UTVs, the reigning two-time champions Deni Nascimento and Gunnar Dums (Can-Am Maverick R / Bompack Racing) sent a clear message—they’re here to win again. They edged out the duo of Rodrigo Varela and Matheus Mazzei (Can-Am Maverick R / Varela Rally) by 3.6 seconds.
The Baumgart brothers, returning to the largest rally in the Americas after a year away, dominated in the cars. Driving Toyota GR Hilux T1+ machines, it was Marcos Baumgart and Kleber Cincea who came out on top, just ahead of Cristian Baumgart and Luís Felipe Eckel.
And the action isn’t over yet—the top eight fastest competitors in each category will face off in the Super Prime, starting at 5:30 p.m., on a tight 1,800-meter circuit built next to the Oscar Niemeyer Cultural Center in Goiânia’s Flamboyant area. The eliminations will continue until one winner emerges in each class—and that winner gets the all-important first pick of starting position for Stage 1.
For live updates and complete coverage, visit the official site: www.sertoes.com
Source: Sertões. Text adapted and edited by our editorial team.
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