Dakar Stars in Portugal

The car and motorcycle drivers who participated in the Dakar are in Portugal to compete in the bp Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal.

The event, organized by the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), takes place from September 23rd to 28th and is part of the World Rally-Raid Championship. It's the only event held in Europe, which clearly demonstrates the importance of our country in global off-road racing. For almost a week, we'll have the European Dakar Rally in our country, with long stages, plenty of sand, and fast dirt roads.

The race is 2,160 km long, 1,405 of which are timed (+40% compared to 2024). It begins in Grândola on Tuesday the 23rd, passes through Ribatejo, makes a detour through the Spanish Estremadura region, and ends in Lisbon, near the Pedrouços Docks, on Sunday the 28th. The Portuguese capital hosts the World Rally-Raid Championship for the first time, after having been the starting point of the Dakar in 2006 and 2007.

There are 62 teams registered in the Auto category and 52 riders on the motorcycles. A stunning list, featuring virtually every major name who competed in the 2025 Dakar, clearly demonstrates the international enthusiasm the ACP race generates.

Three-time world champion and current championship leader Nasser Al-Attiyah (Dacia Sandrider) wants to repeat last year's triumph, but faces strong opposition from his Dacia teammates: nine-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb and Spaniard Cristina Gutiérrez.

Toyota Gazoo Racing will field Luca Moraes and Seth Quintero, who will drive the Hilux T1+ Evo, one of the most competitive cars in the World Championship. Portugal's João Ferreira, the current Baja World Cup champion, will field a similar car and is a contender for victory. The Japanese brand is reinforced by Overdrive Racing, which will field the 2025 Dakar Rally winner, Saudi Arabian Yazeed Al Rajhi.

Ford delivers the revamped Raptor T1+ to former two-time world rally champion Carlos Sainz, another driver capable of running at the front.

The Challenger category features the best side-by-side prototype drivers. Portugal's Gonçalo Guerreiro (Taurus Evo Max), second in the 2025 Dakar, Miguel Barbosa (Taurus T3 Max), and Hélder Oliveira (Can-Am Maverick) are potential contenders for victory. In the SSV category, Alexandre Pinto (Polaris RZR) is one of the favorites and could secure the world title in this race.

In the motorcycle category, a fiercely contested race is expected between specialists from KTM, Honda, Hero, and Sherco. Daniel Sanders (KTM 450 Rally) has won all three races so far and is the favorite. Pedro Bianchi Prata's participation on the Moove Stark, a 100% electric motorcycle, is a prime example.