The 2025 Sertões Rally came to an early end this Sunday (Aug 3), but not before the Varela family once again made its mark on the competition. Rodrigo Varela, alongside co-driver Matheus Mazzei, clinched an impressive overall runner-up finish in the UTVs, while Gabriel Varela and Michael Masson dominated the UT1 class, securing a commanding win.
The final standings were determined after Stage 6, as heavy rains in Delmiro Gouveia and Marechal Deodoro (Alagoas) forced organizers to cancel Stages 7 and 8, prioritizing the safety of teams and competitors. The rally was officially called off, but the Varelas still had plenty to celebrate.
Rodrigo fought back after losing over 15 minutes on the very first day, putting together a stellar comeback to finish just 4 minutes and 54 seconds behind overall UTV winners Zé Hélio and Ramon Sacilotti (HPS), who clocked a total time of 25h11m49s32.
“Runner-up overall! Huge congratulations to Matheus for an outstanding job navigating, and to the entire team who were crucial to this result. We put together a perfect comeback rally! Unfortunately, the rain took away our chance to fight for the win until the end, but we leave here proud of everything we achieved together,” said Rodrigo.
Meanwhile, Gabriel and Michael delivered a flawless drive, winning the UT1 class by more than 30 minutes and recording a total time of 25h34m18s31—good enough for sixth overall among all UTVs.
“The whole team was incredible this rally. We fought hard, the car performed perfectly, and in the end everything worked out. It’s a shame about the canceled stages, but safety always comes first. I’m thrilled with the UT1 victory—it’s a reflection of the hard work our team has put in all season,” Gabriel shared.
The Varela family remains in contention for the Brazilian Rally Raid Championship, with Rodrigo, Gabriel, Bruno, and Reinaldo now shifting focus to the fifth round, set for September 23–27 in Tocantins.
Source: Best PR // Text adapted and translated by our team.
Photo: Victoria Kimie
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