More than 500 drivers and co-drivers of 16 nationalities (including the best Portuguese), representing 354 teams, will be at the start of the 39th bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500.
Between October 23rd and 25th, the great classic of national off-road racing and one of the most popular races on the international calendar, promises to draw a large crowd to the dirt roads of Alentejo and Ribatejo to witness the excitement of cars, SSVs, motorcycles, and quads.
The race, organised by the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), is part of the FIA Baja World Cup and the FIA Baja European Cup. This event also marks the start of the Portuguese Off-Road Championship for cars (FPAK) and motorcycles (FMP), and is the highlight of the season nationally. The race is based in Portalegre and passes through the municipalities of Abrantes, Alter do Chão, Chamusca, Crato, Fronteira, Gavião, Monforte, Nisa, Ponte de Sor, Portalegre, and Sousel. It will be two days of excitement, with the public mobilising, even before sunrise, to watch the competitors pass.
Besides being an adventure, this baja remains a challenge for drivers and machines, especially if contested in rain and mud. The bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500 begins on Thursday, October 23rd, with technical and administrative checks. The competitive portion begins on Friday, October 24th, with the 3 km prologue and the first stage, 70 km, for cars and motorcycles. The second stage takes place on Saturday, October 25th. Car drivers will complete two selective sections of 180 km and 195 km, respectively, while motorcycle drivers will complete a single 300 km section. In total, the car drivers face a 445 km race against the clock on the dirt roads of Alentejo and Ribatejo, while the motorcycle drivers face a 370 km race. The drivers registered in Promo Baja and Hobby (36) will cover 160 km on the 25th.
354 teams registered
The desire to participate in the bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500, the oldest national off-road race, has generated a high level of participation, with 354 teams confirmed – an unparalleled number in other races – including cars (86), SSVs (72), motorcycles (101), ATVs (34), Promo Baja and Hobby (36), and Mini Baja (25).
In the auto category, the battle for victory promises to be intense and fiercely contested between the five cars in the Ultimate (T1+) category and the 17 Challenger vehicles, with the bonus of the fastest “spider” teams being able to compete for the overall victory.
Portalegre is key in the title race among cars
This is a race for Portuguese drivers to shine, especially João Ferreira, who drives the powerful Toyota Hilux T1+ Evo and, in addition to seeking his third victory, aims to take the championship lead. The other contenders for victory are Francisco Barreto, João Ramos, Luis Recuenco, and Wlodzimierz Grajek, currently second in the Baja European Cup, all driving the Toyota Hilux T1+ Evo.
Miguel Barbosa (Taurus T3 Max) caused a surprise in 2024 by winning the race with a side-by-side and aims to repeat the feat this year. Tiago Reis (Taurus Evo Max), Ricardo Porém (Kaisen S1), and Spaniard Angel Valero (VM T34) could also compete for victory in the Challenger category and cause a surprise overall.
There are several drivers with potential to win in the SSV category. João Dias (Polaris RZR), who won this category at the bp Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal, Gonçalo Guerreiro (Taurus Evo Max), Mitchel Van Den Brink (Can Am Maverick), Afonso Oliveira (Polaris RZR), and Luís Cidade (Can Am Maverick) are the main favourites.
The bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500 could be decisive in determining the outright national champion. Gonçalo Guerreiro holds a five-point lead over João Ferreira and a 34-point lead over Tiago Reis, with two races remaining in the season.
António Maio seeks his ninth motorcycle victory
In motorcycles, the national off-road champion, António Maio (Yamaha WR 450), has won this Baja eight times and is once again one of the favourites. The list of riders with potential to win is long and also includes Martim Ventura (Honda CRF 450), winner in 2024, Bruno Santos (Husqvarna FE 450), who performed excellently in the bp Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal (8th overall), Sebastian Buhler (KTM 450 EXC-F), who has won three editions, and Micael Simão (Gas Gas EC 500), who leads the championship and could be crowned national champion in Portalegre.
A junior rider seeks his first ATV victory
In the ATV field, among the 34 entrants, Tomás Paulo (Yamaha YFZ450R) stands out. He is the junior rider leading the National Off-Road Championship and is seeking his first victory at the bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500. Luís Fernandes (Yamaha YFZ450R) and João Vale (Yamaha YFZ450R) also stand out, both with two victories in the sport’s greatest classic.
Stars of the Future in Mini Baja
With 25 entrants, the traditional Mini Baja is once again a chance to promote an appreciation for the sport among drivers in the younger categories, aged 8 to 14, divided into the Motorcycle, Quad, and SSV categories.
Also, Focusing on Sustainability
The ACP – Automóvel Club de Portugal, organiser of the bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500, is committed to sustainability and minimising the environmental impact of the event, aligning itself with the environmental codes of the FIA, FIM, FPAK, and FMP. Through an Environmental Management System, the organization is committed to complying with applicable legislation, promoting environmental awareness among all stakeholders (from drivers to spectators), actively managing and monitoring the direct and indirect impacts of the event – such as energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste management – and promoting the continuous improvement of its environmental practices, aiming to be a national and international example in the field of sports sustainability.
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Published on 2025.10.22
