João Ferreira (Toyota) Takes Third Victory in Grand Prix TT Classic

João Ferreira (Toyota Hilux T1+ Evo) dominated the 39th bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500 and secured his third victory in the grand prix of national off-road racing.

The Leiria-born driver won the prologue and three selective sections, finishing 10:18.4 seconds ahead of Luís Cidade (Can Am), the fastest SSV driver. Daniel Silva (Taurus) rounded out the podium and took victory in the Challenger category. Micael Simão (Gas Gas) won the motorcycle race and was crowned national champion.

The second stage of the race, organised by the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), comprised two selective sections, totalling 375 timed kilometres. The longest stage was also the most difficult, with the onset of rain, which created additional challenges for the drivers on the demanding dirt roads of Alto Alentejo and Ribatejo.

As in the first stage, no one dared challenge João Ferreira’s (Toyota Hilux T1+ Evo) superiority. “In the first qualifying section, it was difficult to keep the car on the road. The surface was very slippery, and we opted for a more conservative approach. But I’m very pleased with my performance. The SVR team did an incredible job. Toyotas had a reputation for not being very good in these conditions, and we challenged that idea,” said the winner.

This marks a return to winning ways for traditional off-road machines, following Miguel Barbosa’s side-by-side victory in 2024. It’s important to note that the Toyota Hilux T1+ Evo was the only car in the main category in the top 10! This was Toyota’s fifth victory in the ACP race and came 27 years after the brand’s first victory, with Filipe Campos driving the diesel-powered Land Cruiser.

Luís Cidade (Can Am Maverick R) set the third fastest time in the stage and moved up to second overall, also benefiting from the retirements of João Ramos and Gonçalo Guerreiro. “It was the easiest edition I’ve ever competed in. We did an excellent job, and I want to dedicate this result to my family, who have always supported me,” said the driver, who won the SSV category in an international baja for the first time.

Daniel Silva (Taurus T3 Max) was always on the attack. He finished last on the podium and won the Challenger category. “We had a good day. We lost time to the T1+ cars in the fast sections, but we managed to be competitive on the winding tracks. It’s traditionally a very tough race, and we have to manage the pace well to finish,” he emphasised.

The second selective sector wreaked havoc among the frontrunners; João Ramos (Toyota Hilux T1+ Evo) retired with a broken suspension arm while in second place overall, and Gonçalo Guerreiro (Polaris RZR) retired with a broken suspension ball joint while in third place and leading the SSV class.

With this result, the national overall title decision is postponed until the final race, the Baja de Lagos (November 21-23).

Victory and title for Micael Simão

In the motorcycle class, Bruno Santos (Husqvarna FE450), Micael Simão (Gas Gas EC 500F), and André Sérgio (Beta 480 Race) battled for victory throughout the 287-kilometre timed race. Bruno Santos was the fastest in the opening stages, but in the final kilometres, Micael Simão took the lead, won the stage, and was crowned national overall off-road champion. “The bike is incredible, but it was difficult to manage the pace, as the goal was to finish and be champion. It will be an incredible feeling to be number one on the bike next year. We have the best Baja championship in Europe, and after this title, I plan to compete in rally raids next year and be present at the Dakar Rally in 2027,” he said.

Over the two stages, André Sérgio (Beta 480 Race) was the winner of the bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500, but a penalty relegated him to fourth place. “I missed a braking point, kept going, and hit a tree. Even so, I raced my life,” explained the rider, who received a 3:26 penalty for not meeting the organisers’ time limit on a connecting road. Bruno Santos thus moved into second place. “I had a lot of fun. I struggled a bit in the beginning, but I adapted and managed to maintain a fast pace,” he said. Bernardo Megre completed the podium.

Tomás Paulo (Yamaha YFZ450R) won the quad category, and José Hélio (Can Am Maverick R) won the SSV category, integrated with the Portuguese Motorcycle Federation.

The Baja & Hobby Promotion competitors competed in a selective 166-km section. Fábio Matos (Yamaha YZ450F) won the motorcycle category, while Rúben Rodrigues (Yamaha YFZ450) took third place overall in the quad category, and Victor Lopes (Segway Villain SX10) was the best SSV rider (fourth overall).

Final Car Classification
1st João Ferreira/Filipe Palmeiro (Toyota Hilux T1+ Evo), with a time of 5:37:07.2
2nd Luís Cidade/Valter Cardoso (Can Am Maverick R), at 10:18.4 (1st SSV)
3rd Daniel Silva/Gonçalo Magalhães (Taurus T3 Max), at 12:10.1 (1st Challenger)
4th Luís Portela de Morais/Carlos Mendes (Polaris RZR), at 13:38.6
5th Michel Van Den Brink/Bart Van Heun (Can Am Maverick R), at 13:38.7

Final Motorcycle Classification
1st Micael Simão (Gas Gas EC 500F), with a time of 5:24:11.2
2nd Bruno Santos (Husqvarna FE450), at 17.3 s
3rd Bernardo Megre (KTM EXC 450), 1m07.7
4th André Sérgio (Beta 480 Race), 3m07.1
5th José Hélio/Pedro Velosa (Can Am Maverick R), 5m27.5 (1st SSV)
9th Tomás Paulo (Yamaha YFZ450R), 13m07.6 (1st Quads)

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