Mitchel van den Brink and navigator Bart van Heun secured an impressive third place in their debut at the Dubai Baja. Driving a Can-Am buggy for the Portuguese South Racing team, they made their mark in the competitive SSV class during the challenging desert rally.
Strong Performance Despite Setbacks
The duo delivered a solid performance, though technical issues left them with mixed feelings. A power issue in the first stage placed them fourth, and a broken damper in the second stage cost them valuable time. Nevertheless, they overtook several rivals and secured third place after Khalid Aljafla dropped out, finishing behind Nasser Al-Attiyah and Edouard Pons.
Promising Debut
Mitchel reflected positively on the experience: “We delivered a strong performance and made a good impression. This was excellent preparation for the Dakar Rally.” The enthusiasm from South Racing also offers future opportunities: “It might open doors for a more extensive program.”
With this result, the 22-year-old from Harskamp has once again proven his talent as he sets his sights on the Dakar Rally, where he will compete in the truck category.