The second stage of the bp Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal 2025 delivered pure spectacle across 655 grueling kilometers between Grândola and the Spanish city of Badajoz. While the Portuguese crowd loudly welcomed their heroes, it turned into a historic day for the home riders, with victories in the Ultimate, Challenger, and SSV classes.
Meanwhile, the Dutch teams continue to battle their way through the standings, showing solid pace in both the bikes and cars. Pim Klaassen and Mark Laan are holding 4th in their category, while Joël van Mechelen impressed with 18th overall in the motorcycle class.
RallyGP: Sanders vs. Schareina, just four seconds apart
One of the most thrilling duels of the rally so far was fought between Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM) and Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy Honda). The Spaniard smelled victory on home soil, but after 429 kilometers against the clock, he had to concede by just four seconds to the unstoppable Australian.
Ricky Brabec completed the podium for Honda at +2’10”, while teammate Adrien Van Beveren was forced to retire after a heavy crash. Skyler Howes finished sixth despite a fall into a canal.
Dutch rider Joël van Mechelen (BAS World KTM) delivered a controlled stage, struggled with clutch issues, yet still managed to finish 10th in Rally2. In the overall standings, he now sits just outside the top 20.
Ultimate: Ferreira beats mentor Sainz, Toyota takes over
In front of an ecstatic home crowd, João Ferreira scored a dream victory. In a direct duel with his mentor Carlos Sainz, he came out on top and claimed his first-ever stage win in the Ultimate class. Three Toyotas now occupy the provisional overall podium: Ferreira, Saood Variawa, and Lucas Moraes.
Championship contenders Nasser Al Attiyah and Sébastien Loeb had a disastrous day, plagued by mistakes, damage, and lost time. Both Dacia drivers dropped more than 15 minutes to the leaders.
Dutch in FIA: Klaassen Holds Position, Timmerman Climbs
For the Dutch competitors, stage 2 once again meant a battle against dust and the stopwatch. Pim Klaassen & Mark Laan (DaklaPack Rallysport) performed brilliantly in the Challenger class, finishing 25th overall, which puts them in 4th position in their category — 11’42” behind class leader Gonçalo Guerreiro.
Other Dutch results:
- Rik van den Brink & Gydo Heimans – P38 (Century CR7, ULT)
- Johan & Yvet Senders – P45 (Fiat Fullback Proto, ULT)
- Richard Timmerman & Kala Senders – P47 (Toyota Hilux, ULT)
- Bert Mourik & Robert Voor de Poorte – P60 (Red-Lined Navarra VK56, ULT)
- Wouter Rosegaar (co-pilot for Richard Aczel) – P43 (SSV, South Racing Can-Am)
- Arjan van Tiel (co-pilot for Vincent Thijs) – P36 (Toyota Hilux, ULT)
Great to see all Dutch teams successfully finishing this demanding stage once again.
Rally2: Home Win for Canet, Ebster Retires
In front of his home crowd, Edgar Canet bounced back with an emphatic stage victory in Rally2, his second of the rally. Michael Docherty and Bruno Santos followed, while former class leader Tobias Ebster of Austria retired due to mechanical failure, ending his title ambitions.
Rally3, Quads, and SSV: Portuguese Sweep
- Thomas Zoldos (Beta) remains unbeatable in Rally3, claiming his third consecutive stage win.
- In quads, Gaëtan Martinez (CFMoto) continues to dominate, extending his lead over teammate Antanas Kanopkinas.
- Alexandre Pinto took the win in the SSV class, securing Portugal’s first-ever “triple win” in a single FIA World Rally-Raid Championship day.
Stage 3: Rocky Spanish loop with tricky navigation
The rally stays in Spain for another day, with a 100% Spanish loop around Badajoz: 512 kilometers in total, including 308 against the clock. Technical navigation, hard-packed terrain, and narrow paths will make this a crucial stage for both overall contenders and day-stage hunters.
