Note: Automatic translation

In its 24th edition, the competition continues until Saturday through the heart of the Northeast

It is rare in Brazil for a competition to last more than two decades, especially when it involves big investments from the participants. But this is the trajectory of the RN1500, a dispute already emblematic of the Northeast Region that in 2022 will hold its 24th edition, bringing together teams and pilots of high professional level. With a grid full of competitors driving cars, motorcycles and, especially, the brave UTVs, RN1500 will start on Wednesday (20) to cross the Seridó region, between the Sertão of Paraíba and Potiguar. With a total of 1,288km on the course, the race will end in the exotic landscape of Costa das Dunas, culminating in Natal (RN), next Saturday.

This Wednesday the competitors leave Campina Grande towards Cabeceiras, both in Paraíba, finishing the journey in Acari (RN) after 346km of tracks. Mechanical problems or navigation errors can make the race go into the night for the less fortunate.

First day - After defining the starting order in the prologue held yesterday, the competitors face the first day of challenges. "In general, this race always offers difficult courses, full of rocks, and the most common problems are suspension breaks, tire punctures and even hits on a bigger rock, if you and your navigator are not careful", summarized Bruno Varela, current champion of the UTV category, who will be navigated by Matheus Mazzei. Bruno is also the leader of the Brazilian Cross-Country Rally Championship, of which the RN1500 is the second stage. The first one was in March, in the countryside of Minas Gerais.

"We hope it rains in this year's edition, which certainly won't make things easier. But that's what we're here for: to face everything and overcome ourselves," continues the Can-Am Monster Energy team driver.

114 vehicles - With three victories over 23 editions, the defending champion's team is probably the most successful in the history of the RN1500, a race always seen among the most complex of the national off-road. The other two victories were recorded by Bruno's father, three-time world champion Reinaldo Varela, who finished first overall in 2011 and 2016.

In total, the 2022 edition of the RN1500 will feature 114 vehicles, being 12 cars, 36 motorcycles and 66 UTVs, a vehicle that has dominated the Brazilian off-road scene and is the fastest growing division on the international scene.

In yesterday's prologue, the best bike was the WR 450F of the official Yamaha team, driven by Frenchman Adrien Metge, while the duo Cristiano Batista/Robledo Nicoletti, with a Can-Am Maverick X3, recorded the first time among the UTVs. Reigning champion Bruno Varela, in partnership with navigator Matheus Mazzei, recorded the third fastest time, with Reinaldo Varela and navigator Arthur Carneiro securing the sixth position in the UTV starting order - both with Maverick X3 models. The best car was the Ford Ranger crewed by Rodrigo Ache/Luis Eckel.

Source BestPR 

Note: Automatic translation

The Puma Energy National Cross Country Rally Championship (Paraguay), organized by the Asociación Central de Motores Todoterreno (ACMT) and chaired by José Curi, was presented at a large press meeting.
This meeting also served to formalize a new agreement between Puma Energy and the ACMT for this new Cross Country National Championship, which will have the same important support as last year.
Another important event during the press conference was undoubtedly the presentation of the extraordinary Paraguayan runner Andrea Lafarja as the official racing driver of the Puma brand.
The registrations for the championship are already open and the costs are the following for each of the racing categories: Group N: 2.800.000 guaranies; Groups TT1, TT2 diesel and UTV 3.800.000; motorcycles and quads: 2.300.000; UTV Group N 2.800.000 in all the cases they must also pay for the Sirius the sum of 160 dollars.
Those interested in knowing more details about this exciting and awaited opening event of the Paraguayan championship should call 0981-654.030 or 0984-822.954.
The first event of the season will be the "Desafío Paraguarí 2022" which will take place from April 8 to 10 with the HQ located in the city of Ybycui, the same foresees a symbolic start that will be in Asunción (Place to be confirmed), then come the 2 hard stages, Saturday on 240 kilometers and Sunday where a total of 160 kilometers will be traveled.
At the moment, the drivers, their crews, and mechanics are finalizing their preparations in order to achieve the objective among the Motorcycles, UTV, Quads, and Trucks, in their different categories and classes.
The 2022 season will have four races, which include the "Desafío Paraguarí" at the beginning, in addition to the "Desafío Caazapá", the "Desafío Chaco", and finally the "Desafío Ñeembucú" (to be confirmed).

Automatic translation from the original text
Source Campeonato Paraguayo Rally Cross Country

With 46 cars, the UTV category is the largest and most competitive of the Brazilian championship

Note: Automatic translation

The first day will be dedicated to technical and administrative inspections and the preparation of the teams at Expominas in Araxá. Motorcycles, quads, UTVs, and cars will face a 500-kilometer course until Saturday (12th)

Time to get in the mood for the 4th Rally Minas Brasil, which opens the 2022 season of the CBM and CBA Brazilian Cross-Country Rally Championship. This Wednesday (9) the official race schedule starts at Expominas in Araxá (Av. Tancredo Neves, 30), starting at 9am, with the race office.

The competitors will do the technical inspection (of the vehicles) and administrative (documentation). At the same time, it's time for the last adjustments in the equipment to face the prologue on Thursday (10) and the two days of disputes in a route that reaches 500 kilometers in length - Friday (11) and Saturday (12). The route will pass through the regions of Ibiá, Pratinha, Tapira and Sacramento.

As in the other motor sports categories, participation in the cross-country rally goes far beyond 'simply' accelerating in the timed sections of the race. "The teams need to check the perfect mechanical functioning of the machines, check the navigation and safety items, seat adjustments, etc. Analyze the characteristics of the terrain and make the appropriate choice of tires, so as to have the best possible performance on the course. In other words, you have to make a check-list of everything so that the strategies and results come out as expected," says the general director of Rallymakers, Fernando Bentivoglio.

Also on Thursday, the competitors will have the chance to do a shakedown - a warm-up on a closed stretch to check if everything is OK. The prologue is scheduled for 2 pm, and serves to define the starting order for the first day of the Rally Minas Brasil.

"This is not a simple detail. Starting among the first in each category means less overtaking and dust from the other participants," reinforces navigator Ivo Mayer, about getting a good result in the prologue. All the vehicles have a system (the Stella) that alerts to the arrival of a faster competitor, who has preference of passage. Ignoring the sound signals and hindering the maneuver is grounds for punishment with increased time and can even lead to exclusion from the race.

Before this first timed activity, the participants will parade through downtown Araxá, to greet the population and thank them for their welcome. In all, more than 80 vehicles are registered for the Minas Brazil Rally, a number that confirms the strength of the race and of the modality. For more information: www.rallymakers.com.br

The 4th Rally Minas Brasil is a Rallymakers' event with support from the Araxá City Hall, Rio Branco Combustíveis, Transmáquinas, Ghia Investimentos, Bompack, Jeep Clube Araxá, Ibiá City Hall, Pratinha City Hall, Tapira City Hall, and Sacramento City Hall.

Supervision: CBM, CBA, FMEMG, and FMA

Source: Rallymakers
Photo: Ney Evangelista / Rallymakers / Rally Minas Brasil
Automatic translation from the original Portuguese (Brazilian) version

Info: Automatic translation

Brazilians have raced in Argentina and Russia this year and showed the strength of the national rally, which will be held from March 9 to 12 in Araxá

The Minas Brasil Rally, from March 9 to 12, in Araxá (MG), will open the CBM (motorcycles and UTVs) and CBA (cars) Brazilian Cross-Country Rally Championships, but some of its competitors will arrive to the event already warmed up and in competition rhythm. On top of that, in international races, with varied types of terrain.

No less than five teams will participate, until Saturday (26), in the third edition of the South American Rally Race (SARR), in Argentina, among UTVs. Guilherme Benchimol/Daniel Spolidorio; Carlos de Casto Neto/Lourival Roldan; Thiago Fraga/Álvaro Amarante; Gunter Hinkelmann/Deco Muniz, and Pâmela Bozzano (who will race at Minas Brasil with another navigator, Ana Paula Treis). Besides them, Guilherme Bissotto speeds on the motorcycles.

The green and yellow delegation has stood out among competitors from ten other countries, with stage victories and several top-5 finishes - which confirms the strength of the Brazilian rally. In Araxá, Gunter and Deco will switch from UTVs to cars.

Some went even further to start their season. Used to competing in the Portuguese Off-Road Rally - one of the strongest championships in the modality - and winner of the São Paulo 2021 Rally, Cristiano Batista this time faced the cold and snow in Russia. He sped in the Baja Northern Forest, in St. Petersburg, valid for the FIA World Cup.

"Driving in the snow was a dream I had, and I finally managed to make it come true. I imagined it would be much more difficult because I am not used to it. Sometimes the car brakes a lot, at other times it slips a lot, it's like in rain or mud. The cold is strong, especially on the feet, the fingers freeze during the stages. Now we are getting ready for Minas Brasil, which is always a differentiated and spectacular race. The expectations are very good, it's a type of terrain that I know and the goal is to start the Brazilian very well.

A native of Patos de Minas, he now has the chance to accelerate much closer to home - he lives 150 kilometers from the region that will be crossed by pilots and navigators in two weeks.

Organized by Rallymakers, the 4th Rally Minas Brasil will have a course of about 500 kilometers, divided into two timed sections (specials). The competition is open to the Motorbike, Quad, UTV, and Car categories. Registration for the race is open and can be done at www.rallymakers.com.br.

The program starts on March 9, with the technical and administrative inspections. On March 10, the participants do the shakedown, the prologue - definition of the starting order for the 1st stage - and the promotional start (presentation and greeting to the public). On the 11th and 12th, it is time to start the engines and accelerate in search of the fastest time in the competition.

The 4th Rally Minas Brasil is a Rallymakers' event with the support of the Araxá City Hall, Rio Branco Combustíveis, Transmáquinas, Ghia Investimentos, Bompack, and Jeep Clube Araxá.

Automatic translation from the original Portuguese (Brazilian) version
Source: Rallymakers / Rally Minas Brasil
Photo:  Virgínio Cruz/PhotoAction

Note: Automatic translation

The first South American Rally Raid Championship will have its first experience in 2022 with the development of the South American Rally Race!

The organizers of SARR confirmed that the most important competition of the South American Rally Raid will give life to the first continental tournament of the specialty and that will grant titles of Champion to the best in Motorcycles, Quads and UTV that are registered in the international competition, for this they must have FIM LA license and overcome the international technical requirements for an event recognized worldwide.

Many months of work have passed so that today, Monday January 17, exactly one month before the start of the SARR 2022, but the organizers are confident that now more than ever South America is stronger and has the continental competition it deserves, of course the competition will for the moment be limited to this race for health reasons, but in the coming years it will be held in 3 or 4 more countries that will add points for the Ca.Sa.RR.

The organizers gave a special thanks to Mr. Erick Nevels (CAMoD) for his tireless management and confidence in the project, since without his support it would have been impossible to achieve it, as well as to Mr. Pedro Venturo President of FIM LA for all the collaboration and predisposition to achieve this great dream that brings together all the Rally Raid enthusiasts of the vast region of South America!

Source SARR
Note: Automatic translation from the original Spanish version

The Paraguayan Puma Energy National Cross Country Rally Championship had its big party to close the season with the third and last event, the Desafío de Ñeembucú, which marked the end of the exciting 2021 season.

The winners of this last event were, in the main class, trucks, Blas Zapag (overall and T1 gasoline class winner), Héctor Giubi (T1 4x2), Nery González (Group 1), Thomas Willms (T1 diesel) and Juan Montiel (T2 diesel).

In motorcycles, the best riders were Guido Krahm (Motorcycle Class), Carlos Zarca (Senior), Atilio Casaccia (Open), and Blas García Group N; in quads, the Argentinean Edwin Montaño won; while in UTVs, Oscar Santos (Turbo) and Lua Weiler (Group N) were the winners.

In the main class, the pickup truck class, Blas Zapag-Juan José Sánchez won again with the Toyota Hilux, brilliantly winning the three dates held this year and the title of national champion.

In second place overall and winner of the T1 diesel category was the Thomas Willms-Caroline Willms duo with a Toyota Tacoma.

In third place overall and second in their class, the T1 gasoline, and closing a great performance, Andrea Lafarja in the company of the Argentine Eugenio "Pachu" Arrieta with a Toyota Hilux.

There were two very hard stages where the competitors had to cover 285 kilometers in the first part of Saturday and another 205 this Sunday to reach the finish line.

At the end of the Desafío Ñeembucú, the awarding of the outstanding of this last event of the calendar took place, while the distinction to the best of the Paraguayan will be made soon once the results of the 2021 season are confirmed, both in drivers and co-drivers.

Automatic translation from the official press release
Source: Campeonato Paraguayo Rally Cross Country

With the presence of the Municipal Mayor Flor Destefanis, the President of the HCD Débora Quiroga, the Director of Sports Guillermo Ledesma, Juan Pablo Cisterna General Director of the Rally Raid 2021 Championship, Hugo Balada Director of the Mendocino Cross Country Rally Championship, the official presentation of the most popular Rally Raid meeting in eastern Mendoza took place and will be held in Santa Rosa.

The Race

The competition will take place from October 29 to 31 in the Eastern Region of Argentina,  and Santa Rosa will host the Bivouac of the competition that will have participants from Mendoza, San Luis, Córdoba and Buenos Aires. Some foreigner competitors from Chile and Uruguay are also expected to attend, as long as the provisions related to the opening of the borders allow it.
It will be the first time that this race will take place in the Eastern zone, as the previous events were held in Las Heras, San Rafael, General Alvear and now in the department of Santa Rosa. The best teams of Argentina and possibly from Chile and Uruguay, which will give it an international character, will be in the east of Mendoza. There will be around 1,500 people who will be involved in the event during those days.

The Route

The bivouac will be located in the district of Las Catitas and the race will take place throughout the department, being the Tunuyán River the main circuit and axis of the competition.
On Friday 29th, the symbolic start will take place on Eulalia Calderón Avenue in the district of Las Catitas, so that people can have a close look at the machines and pilots that will take part in the competition.
The race is scheduled to start on Friday at the circuit of Las Catitas, on Saturday the start will take place in La Dormida with arrival at Villa Cabecera. One stage will run through the north of the department and then return to the route of the Tunuyan River in Las Catitas. While on Sunday the race will be run along the whole river, round trip to the border with the department of La Paz.

Automatic translation from the official press release - Available here

The third round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship took place in Brazil on a route between Tamandaré and Tibau do Sul and offered a beautiful and diverse challenge over stony and sandy terrain, rolling tracks and magnificent landscapes.

It was also a difficult route because of the location. Unfortunately, because of logistical issues created by the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, few riders were able to participate and the last stage was cancelled af**ter torrential rain inundated the region.

Adrien Metge (Yamaha) led the motorcycle category from the Prologue to the end of the rally. However, the Frenchman experienced GPS issues on the first stage and over-speeding cost him a 16-minute time penalty and he finished the section in ninth. The Yamaha rider then went on to win all the stages, with the exception of the last one, that fell to Gregorio Caselani (Honda).

On SS6, however, Metge almost didn’t finish when his engine gave signs of weakness and gave in at the end of the special. Fortunately, team-mate Tulio Malta – who had started far behind after experiencing a problem on stage five – was able to tow him to the bivouac.

Jean de Azevedo (Honda), for his part, made a comeback at the handlebars of a Honda and demonstrated that he had lost none of his ability to finish second overall, ahead of Bissinho Zavatti (Honda), Tulio Malta (Yamaha) and Gregorio Caselani (Honda).

Ricardo Martins (Yamaha) fell on the fourth stage and was forced to retire with fractured ribs.
With all the aforementioned riders registered in Rally2, Metge thus won Rallye dos Sertões and the Rally2 category, while the victory in RallyeGP went to Caselani.

In the quad category, Argentina’s Manuel Andujar (Yamaha) had championship points in his sights and kept his only opponent, Rafal Sonik (Yamaha), at a safe distance. In the seventh stage, leader Marcelo Madeiros fell and could not finish the special. The Argentinean therefore took the lead and claimed the laurels, with Sonik finishing second.

In the SSV section, Leandro Torres, navigated by Joao Arena, won the FIM SSV category at the wheel of a Polaris, ahead of his son Thiago Torres, co-driven by Eduardo Shiga.

Source FIM
Photos Victor Euleuterio

With the cancellation of Sertoes Rally's final special stage due to rain, competitors will move from Arapiraca (AL) to Tamandaré (PE), where the winners of the 2021 edition will be confirmed.  Saturday's stage, the penultimate of the rally,  caused a turnaround in the classification of the cars in the final timed section of this year's Sertões Rally.

Nine days after hitting the road to face a 3,615km challenge through seven northeastern states, the Sertões 2021 returns to the coast. If the biggest rally of the Americas started in Pipa (RN), the end happens in another paradisiacal point: Praia dos Carneiros, in Tamandaré (PE). The ideal scenario to consecrate the champions of the 2021 edition, virtually defined this Saturday, in the eighth stage, which took the caravan from Delmiro Gouveia to Arapiraca, in Alagoas.  Sunday's special was canceled due to the effects of the rains in the region where the race will pass, and so Saturday's stage had become the final competitive stage of Sertoes 2021. It was still necessary, however, to get the vehicles moving until the end of the off-road marathon.

The 'Alagoas' stage summed up what this edition of the Sertões was all about: variety of surfaces, trial stretches, rocks, mountain crossings, and a lot of navigation. For those who were ahead in motorcycles, quads, and UTVs, with a comfortable advantage, the challenge was to maintain concentration and avoid unnecessary risks, which worked out well. With this, the competitors who had a wide advantage the day before: Frenchman Adrien Metge on two wheels; Argentinean Manuel Andujar (quad) and the duo Denísio Casarini/Ivo Mayer (Can-Am) practically put both hands on the trophy.

As for the Cars, the eighth stage caused a turnaround in the duel between the Baumgart brothers, with Toyota Hilux. Marcos (with Kleber Cincea) led the first week of the race, followed closely by Cristian/Beco Andreotti, who attacked in the last 152.2 km of the race and ended up favored by a problem in the transmission of Marcos' pickup truck to take the lead at the most important moment, and won the day.

In the quad bikes, Marcelo Medeiros showed he is fully recovered from the accident the day before (as well as his machine) to be the fastest, followed by Andujar. Gregório Caselani put Honda ahead in the bikes, with virtual champion Metge in second.

Among the SSVs, Portuguese Alexandre Miguel/Fausto Mota (Can-Am) became the seventh different winner in eight stages. They beat Cristiano Batista/Robledo Nicoletti (Can-Am) and Fábio Pirondi/Marcelo Ritter (Can-Am).

The displacement of this last day of the rally will be 320km long, with a maximum time of six hours to be completed by the competitors. At the end, the consecration on the arrival ramp with the delivery of medals to all who completed one of the most technical and beautiful Sertões in 29 years of history.

WHAT THEY SAID
Gregório Caselani (Motorcycles)

"Today's special was a lot of fun, with a lot of gravel, the bike from one side to the other. Some very nice trail sections. Happy to be the fastest of the day."

Marcelo Medeiros (Quads)

"It was good to get here, it was one of the most difficult rallies I've participated in, with long specials, sections with a high degree of difficulty, but I'm happy to have completed it and to know that we are competitive."

CLASSIFICAÇÃO GERAL
MOTOS
1) #4 Adrien Metge, (1)MT1, Yamaha WR450F, 30h06min12
2) #3 Jean Azevedo, (2)MT1, Honda CRF450RX, 30h22min40
3) #6 Bissinho Zavatti, (1)MT2, Honda CRF450RX, 30h40min06
4) #5 Túlio Malta, (2)MT2, Yamaha WR450F, 30h55min55
5) #7 Gregório Caselani, (3)MT2, Honda CRF450RX, 28h09min28

QUADS
1) #107 Manuel Andujar, Yamaha Raptor 700, 29h46min16
2) #101 Rafal Sonik, Yamaha Raptor, 31h54min42
3) #100 Marcelo Medeiros, Yamaha YFM700R, 37h03min53

SSV
1) #201 Denísio Casarini/Ivo Meyer, (1)UT1, Can-Am Maverick X3, 30h36min29
2) #250 André Hort/Matheus Mazzei, (2)UT1, Can-Am Maverick X3, 30h52min40
3) #202 Rodrigo Luppi/Maykel Justo, (3)UT1, Can-Am Maverick X3, 30h55min15
4) #267 João Monteiro/Victor Melo, (4)UT1, Can-Am Maverick X3, 30h58min5
5) #211 Gabriel Cestari/Jhonatan Ardigo, (1)UT2, Can-Am Maverick X3, 31h11min13

CARS
1) #302 Cristian Baumgart/Beco Andreotti, (1)T1 FIA, Toyota Hilux IMA 2021, 28h55min21
1) #301 Marcos Baumgart/Kleber Cincea, (2)T1FIA, Toyota Hilux IMA 2021, 29h03min39
3) #315 Sylvio de Barros/Rafael Capoani, (3)T1 FIA, Toyota Hilux IMA 2021, 29h42min46
4) #368 Julio Capua/Emerson Cavassin, (4)T1FIA, Toyota Hilux V8, 30h25min15
5) #373 Marcelo Gastaldi/Cadu Sachs, (5)T1 FIA, Buggy Century CR-6, 30h29min57

Sources
Automatic translation from Sertoes Rally's official press release
Photo:  X-Rally / Marcelo M de Melo

• Caminhos do Seridó challenged pilots and co-pilots this Saturday. Caselani (Motorcycles), Medeiros (Quads), Reinaldo Varela/Dums (UTVs) and Marcos Baumgart/Cincea (Cars) dominated the day. But it's just beginning. Tomorrow the caravan arrives in Pernambuco.

The first day was behind us. And it was hard, demanding and hot. It couldn't be any different in the Seridó hinterland, stage of the 1st stage of the Sertões 2021, which took pilots and navigators from Tibau do Sul (RN) to Patos (PB). This Sunday, the challenge in the biggest rally of the Americas will be a 249-kilometer special that will take the race from the Paraíba city to Araripina (PE). It is very close to Juazeiro do Norte, main point of devotion to Padre Cícero Romão Batista. The 'Padim Ciço', who is the honoured of the day, will bless the caravan through paths that promise to demand as much as the ones of the day before.

Saturday's special confirmed that this year's Sertões would be challenging from the very first kilometre. There were 235 kilometres of an extremely technical and winding race: gravel and stones; passing through mountains; a trial section and many curves. All under a strong sun that punished machines and men. The low average speeds of the winners help to summarize what was the day - 55.04km/h for the cars.

In the motorbikes, Gregório Caselani (Honda) inherited the stage victory and the rally leadership with the punishment applied to the Frenchman Adrien Metge (Yamaha), fastest of the special stage, for speeding in a radar zone and for driving in the opposite direction of the race to validate a lost waypoint. Jean Azevedo guaranteed the double of Honda, followed by the reigning champion Ricardo Martins (Yamaha).

Among the UTVs, the experience of Reinaldo Varela (Can-Am) made the difference. The three-time world champion and navigator Gunnar Dums dealt well with the conditions of the day to arrive in Patos as the fastest and first leaders of the Sertões 2021 in the most hotly contested category. They were ahead of defending champions Deninho Casarini/Ivo Mayer, who were forced to endure a stage of overcoming the competition. With the rollover in the prologue, they were the 37th duo to start, which required numerous overtakings and a strong rhythm from the beginning. In an edition with a record number of participants, João Valentim/Henrique Correia (Can-Am Maverick X3) finished third.

The expected fierce duel between the Baumgart brothers and the Toyota Hilux V8 IMA set the tone among the cars. And the most recent champion among them took the lead. Marcos (navigated by Kleber Cincea) was 55s faster than Cristian/Beco Andreotti. With another example of the Japanese pick-up, Sylvio de Barros/Rafael Capoani finished third. Another sensation in the category, the South African Century CR6 buggy of Marcelo Gastaldi/Cadu Sachs forced the duo to change a front shock absorber.

WHAT THEY SAID

Gregório Caselani (Motorcycles)

"I'm very happy. The special was very hard as we expected, but I had a lot of fun on the bike today. I started the rally being the target, but it's good to lead. It's an important result for the team and we will try to take it to the end.

Marcos Baumgart (Cars)

"It was a special worthy of the Sertões, very cool. A stage like this measures a lot of driver, navigator, equipment and team, and I like this type of race. We kept a constant rhythm, Cristian attacked and came into the fight; there's no point throwing all the chips in one day because there's still a lot of rally ahead".

Reinaldo Varela (UTV)

"I honestly didn't expect to make this storm. The special was very technical, always left and right, no straights, with stones and a big risk of tyre punctures. We passed well, we came without any scares and I'm happy to start at the front. As we did well in this first stage and the second promises to be similar, we have everything to do well again, although many people come with everything".

Marcelo Medeiros (Quads)

"It was a very tough day. Many stones on the way and a lot of attention in the piloting. Another point that made it difficult was the heat. The important thing is that our quad finished in one piece, without any problems and ready for the next challenges.

RESULTS

1ª. Stage – Saturday 14/08 – Tibau do Sul (RN) – Patos (PB)
235km cronometrados

MOTOS
1) #7 Gregório Caselani (2)MT1, Honda CRF450RX, 4h26min07
2) #3 Jean Azevedo (2)MT1, Honda CRF450RX, 4h27min59
3) #2 Ricardo Martins (3)MT1, Yamaha WR450F, 4h28min09
4) #31 Gabriel Bruning, (1)MT3, 4h31min19
5) #6 Júlio Zavatti, (1)MT2, 4h32min59

QUADS
1) #100 Marcelo Medeiros, Yamaha YFM700R, 4h29min20
2) #107 Manuel Andujar, Yamaha Raptor 700, 4h37min43
3) #101 Rafal Sonik, Yamaha Raptor, 4h50min14

UTVs
1) #204 Reinaldo Varela/Gunnar Dums, (1)UOP, Can-Am Maverick X3, 4h19min24
2) #201 Denísio Casarini/Ivo Meyer, 1(UT1), Can-Am Maverick X3, 4h22min36
3) #229 João Valentim/Henrique Correia, 2(UT1), Can-Am Maverick X3, 4h23min56
4) #218 Guilherme Benchimol/Daniel Spolidorio, 1(UT2), Can-Am Maverick X3, 4h24min08
5) #220 João Pedro Franciosi/César Valandro, 2(UT2), Can-Am Maverick X3, 4h24min17

AUTO
1) #301 Marcos Baumgart/Kleber Cincea, 1(T1FIA), Toyota Hilux IMA 2021, 4h16min11
2) #303 Cristian Baumgart/Beco Andreotti 2(T1 FIA), Toyota Hilux IMA 2021, 4h17min06
3) #315 Sylvio de Barros/Rafael Capoani, 3(T1 FIA), Toyota Hilux IMA 2021, 4h22min31
3) #348 Carlos Ambrosio/Luiz Afonso Poli, 1(OP), Buggy Giaffone V8, 4h23min03
5) #359 Dan Nacif/Marco Túlio Lana, 2(OP), Buggy Giaffone V8, 4h27min43

Automatic translation from the official press release
Photo: Victor Eleuterio

The Baumgart brothers repeat the duel that marked last year's edition but gains rivals with equipment to match to win the race, which starts on Friday, from Praia da Pipa, in Rio Grande do Norte.)

They are the fastest of the three categories that compete in the Sertões and will devour the 3,615 km of the racecourse (2,202 of them timed) driven by a mixture of engine power and high technology. This year's race between the cars brings once again a variety of machines and the perspective of a family duel, with equal weapons.  The Baumgart brothers have won four of the last five editions and, as in the previous one, dominated by Marcos (and Kléber Cincea), they count on the most modern equipment for cross-country rallies: the Toyota Hilux pickups V8 T1 FIA of the X Rally Team. Prototypes thought in every detail to fly through the dirt roads of the seven northeastern states crossed by the caravan, which starts in Pipa (RN) next 13th and ends the challenge on 22nd in Tamandaré (PE).

Cristian, who dominated the race from 2016 to 2018 alongside navigator Beco Andreotti, sets off to regain the hegemony - the duo is one of the longest-running in Sertões. Motivated by the first triumph last year, his brother promises to repeat the exciting dispute defined by a few minutes of 2020. This time, however, they will not be the only ones to count on the model. Sylvio de Barros, third place last year, and Júlio Capua, will also lead the Hilux in the fastest category among cars. The Japanese pickups promise to put on a show especially in the first part of the Marathon stage, with over 200 kilometers of sand - their natural habitat.

The quartet will have a worthy adversary in Marcelo Gastaldi. Together with Cadu Sachs, he competes with the Buggy Century CR6, the same model he drove this year in his debut in the Dakar when he was constantly among the top 20. Developed in South Africa with a Chevrolet V8 engine, the 'buggy' has recently won the Silk Road Rally, in Russia.

The Giaffone V8 buggies are once again present, especially the 'Javaloko', the version prepared for Zé Hélio Rodrigues, five-times champion in motorbikes and one of the most traditional names in Sertões. Tradition, by the way, is not lacking in the Mitsubishi prototype pick-up truck of the duo José Jorge de Barros Sawaya/Eduardo Lara Gouvea: the ages of both add up to 134 years - 68 for the pilot and 66 for the navigator.

Another attraction is the proposal of Luiz Carqueijo and Igor Quirrenbach, who are driving a Mitsubishi L200 Triton Sport R pickup truck. The duo faced the challenge of taking part in the biggest rally of the Americas with a budget of R$ 100 thousand, including the vehicle. And to complete the Sertões 2021.

What they said

Marcos Baumgart

"Last year's victory was sensational, with a high-level grid, I battled for a long time to make this dream come true. We race because we want the challenge, and the bigger it is, the better the result is. And the dream continues this year".

Cristian Baumgart

"I'm looking forward to it and I think it will be very special because we will go through the heart of the Northeast. It is the kind of terrain I like to ride the most, with the most beautiful landscapes. It has everything to be one of the best editions in history."

Shakedown

On Thursday the competitors of the Sertões 2021 have the chance to accelerate their vehicles for the first time, in one of the novelties of the race this year: the shakedown. A 'warm-up' in a closed stretch of 4 km serves for the last checks and adjustments before the prologue on Friday, which opens the dispute. The number of passes is free within the time reserved for each category, with one detail: those who want to ride again enter at the end of the queue.

Automatic translation from Sertões Rally's official press release
Photo: Sertoes Rally / Marcelo Maragni