Fronteira vibrates to the rhythm of the 24 Hours

More than three hundred drivers, from six nationalities, will race in the bp Ultimate 24 Hours TT Vila de Fronteira 2025. At the spectacular off-road track in the Alentejo village, the race will be long and challenging, but also spectacular for the many thousands of spectators expected along the course.

The 27th edition of the event begins next Thursday with technical and documentary checks for the 82 teams registered for the great off-road celebration. Also noteworthy on the program is the bp Ultimate 4 Hours TT Vila de Fronteira, which will feature 31 competitive and spectacular SSVs.

Organised by the Automobile Club of Portugal (ACP), the event is one of the most emblematic endurance races in Europe, due to its characteristics and the unique atmosphere experienced over four days. It will be a non-stop 1,440-minute marathon, bringing together different generations of drivers – several teams made up of families. Among the participants are national and international off-road specialists with large machines, but also amateur and less experienced drivers piloting simple 4×4 vehicles. In addition to the Portuguese, there are drivers from France (with 22 teams), Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

During the 24 hours, the drivers give their all, day and night, on a challenging course with several “hot spots“. To ensure maximum safety, there are 47 marshal posts along the 16.2 km route. Outside the circuit, off-road enthusiasts live the event intensely, so the excitement and camaraderie are constant. The 24 Hours TT Vila de Fronteira is a true sporting and popular phenomenon.

The first edition took place in 1998 and, since then, it has maintained its format, which explains its success. The race takes place on a dirt track perfectly adapted for endurance racing. The course is demanding and can become even more challenging with the appearance of rain, as has happened in recent editions. Nighttime is a magical time for the drivers.

Portuguese against the French armada

Participating in the bp Ultimate 24 Hours TT Vila de Fronteira are vehicles from the following FIA categories: Ultimate, Stock, Challenger, and SSV. There are also five ACP Promotion categories. Each team can be composed of 3, 4, or 5 drivers; each driving stint cannot exceed 3 hours, and the minimum rest time between stints is 1 hour.

In sporting terms, there is curiosity to see if the Portuguese teams can dethrone the French teams, who have won the last ten editions, many of them with prototypes specifically designed for this type of race. The Portuguese-French team, composed of Mário Andrade/Cédric Duple/Yann Morize/Nicola Cassiede is one of the favourites with the AC Nissan Proto. Last year’s winner and record holder for victories in Fronteira (9), Tiago Reis, three-time national off-road champion, will drive the Laurent Polleti MMP Buggy, aiming for victory – the French team already won in 2022. Also noteworthy is the Portuguese team of  Luís Cidade/João Monteiro/Mário Franco/Pedro Santinho Mendes, who will fight for the top spots with the Can-Am Maverick. In a 24-hour race, it’s not enough to be fast; it’s important to conserve the mechanics as the terrain degrades, so strategy and risk management are equally important to winning Europe’s most famous endurance race.

Also worth mentioning is the all-female team formed by Beatriz Assunção/Carolina Santos/Bianca Silva/Paula Moura/Marina Reisinho, who will be driving the Can-Am. Yves Morize, an 81-year-old French driver, is back in Portugal to compete in this classic race with the MMP prototype.

Among the eighty participating cars, some stand out for their unique features, such as the Renault 4L, Mercedes 300 D Limousine, Peugeot 504 Pick-up, and the UMM Alter Turbo, which remains an off-road classic.

The event, organised by ACP, also includes the bp Ultimate 4 Hours SSV Vila de Fronteira, held under the auspices of the Portuguese Motorcycle Federation (FMP). Thirty-one teams are registered, and an exciting race is expected here too, featuring spectacular SSVs (Side-by-Side Vehicles) driven by some of the best drivers in this category. Teams consist of 1, 2, or 3 drivers, and the vehicles are divided into three categories: SSV, SSV TT2, and SSV Stock.

Luís Cidade (Can Am Maverick) is participating alone, aiming to repeat last year’s victory. Among others, he will face opposition from the João Dias/Arnaldo Monteiro team (Polaris RZR Pro) and Tiago Pinto (Can Am Maverick). The race takes place on Saturday and precedes the start of the main marathon.

As in previous years, the 27th bp Ultimate 24 Hours TT Vila de Fronteira will have three Spectator Zones, where the public can safely watch the race unfold. These areas will have food courts and restrooms. There is also a Camping Zone.

Program

Thursday, December 4th
9:30 AM to 4:00 PM – Administrative checks

10:30 AM to 5:30 PM – Technical checks

Friday, December 5th
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM – Free practice for all categories
11:45 AM to 1:45 PM – Free and timed practice for the 4-Hour SSV
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM – Timed practice for the Ultimate, Stock, Challenger, SSV, and Promotion E categories.
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM – Timed practice for the remaining categories (Promotion A, B, C, and D)
5:15 PM to 6:30 PM – Free practice for all categories

Saturday, December 6th
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM – bp Ultimate 4-Hour SSV Border Village Race
1:15 PM to 1:30 PM – Departure from the pits and formation of the starting grid

3:00 PM – Start of the bp Ultimate 24 Hours TT Vila de Fronteira

Sunday, December 7th

3:00 PM – Finish of the bp Ultimate 24 Hours TT Vila de Fronteira

4:15 PM – Podium Ceremony

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