The World Rally Raid Championship continues this week with the BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal, the second round of the FIA and FIM World Rally Raid Championship. After the Dakar Rally, the championship moves to Europe for completely different conditions. While the open desert landscape dominates in Saudi Arabia, competitors in Portugal face a technical and tricky route with narrow tracks, changing surfaces and the possibility of rain and mud.
The rally takes place between Grândola, Badajoz and Loulé and covers a total of 2201 kilometers. Of that distance, 1269 kilometers will be competitive special stages, accounting for 58 percent of the total route. The organizers slightly adjusted the course after a reconnaissance. The rally consists of five stages in which fast gravel roads, narrow forest tracks and dry riverbeds alternate. According to the organizers, the difficulty lies not only in the terrain but especially in the large number of intersections and navigation points. Concentration will therefore be a key factor.
Battle between Benavides, Schareina and Sanders on two wheels
In the bike category, championship leader Luciano Benavides will be on the start line again. The Argentine rider from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing won the Dakar and therefore also leads the world championship standings. However, he is not automatically considered the main favorite in Portugal. In the two previous editions of this rally he managed to win only one stage.
The statistics rather point toward Tosha Schareina and Daniel Sanders. The Spaniard from Monster Energy Honda won the rally in 2024 and has finished on the podium in every edition so far. Sanders won last year and is therefore also a logical contender. Both riders feel comfortable on European terrain where grip, corner speed and technical riding are more important than pure speed.
Ricky Brabec will also be at the start with a desire for revenge after his narrow defeat in the Dakar Rally. The American Honda rider admitted that the terrain in Portugal suits him less than the desert, but he hopes to fight for podium positions with a mistake free rally. Other riders returning to the competition include Ross Branch and Adrien Van Beveren, while French rider Neels Theric will start with Kove to further develop a new motorcycle.
There is also Dutch representation in the bike category. Jeremy Knuiman will compete in the Rally2 class with the Xraids Experience team and aims to measure himself against the strong international competition.
Al Attiyah once again the favorite among the cars
In the car classification it once again seems difficult to look past Nasser Al Attiyah. The Qatari driver from The Dacia Sandriders won the first edition of this rally and has already collected seven stage wins here. He starts the event as the leader of the world championship and stated that his team is determined to win this rally.
His main opponent is his own teammate Lucas Moraes. The Brazilian claimed his first W2RC victory here last year and later secured the championship title. According to Moraes the differences in Portugal are often minimal and starting position and weather conditions can play a major role.
Major names such as Carlos Sainz, Sébastien Loeb and Mattias Ekström will also be on the start line. Especially in wet conditions the Portuguese course can become treacherous and cause unexpected changes in the standings.
Dutch competitors in the car and SSV categories
The Netherlands is also represented in several classes. In the Ultimate category Kees Koolen will start together with navigator Wouter Rosegaar in a Ford Raptor from RD Limited. The experienced duo is a familiar presence in the world championship and aims for a solid result in their new car.
In the Challenger category Paul Spierings will compete with navigator Mark Salomons in a Taurus Evo. In addition, Mitchel van den Brink will take part together with Bart van Heun in a Taurus T3 Max. This means the Dutch contingent is also well represented in vehicles manufactured in the Netherlands.
Rally program
The rally begins with administrative and technical checks followed by a short three kilometer prologue for the bikes. According to the new 2026 regulations FIA competitors will not run a prologue and will start directly with the first stage.
After that five stages follow. The rally starts and finishes in Grândola, then heads to Badajoz in Spain and returns via Loulé back to Portugal for the final day. The second stage is the longest of the week at 548 kilometers, while the final stage around Loulé is relatively short with a special stage of 101 kilometers.
Unpredictable conditions
The weather forecast could play an important role in the outcome of the rally. Rain cannot be ruled out and that could turn the narrow gravel roads into slippery mud tracks. Riders with a background in enduro and rallycross may benefit from those conditions. With a varied route, changing weather and a strong entry list, the BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal looks set to become a challenging second round of the world championship.
