Monster Energy Honda Team back in action at Rally Raid Portugal
BP Ultimate Rally-RaidThe BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal marks a groundbreaking milestone in the world of Motorsport, offering a thrilling spectacle filled with adrenaline, excitement, and unforgettable moments for both cars and motorcycles.
Taking place from April 2 to 7, this event, orchestrated by the ACP – Automóvel Club de Portugal, is set to make history as it debuts as part of the World Rally Raid Championship. It stands out as the sole European stage, with Portugal and Spain as the distinguished host countries.
The Monster Energy Honda Team rally team after winning the last edition of the Dakar 2024 is preparing to take on the thrilling challenges of the Rally of Portugal. With an elite line-up of riders, the team is ready to make its mark on the Portuguese tracks.
The race, the only one to be held this year on European soil, will take place between April 2 and 7, with a total distance of 1,712 kilometers, divided into five stages, between Portugal and Extremadura, starting from the Portuguese town of Grandola. On Friday the 5th, the race will arrive in Badajoz, where the participants will spend the night after completing a work park, to continue the next day with the fourth stage that with 270 kilometers will connect Villafranca de los Barros with Fregenal de la Sierra.
With an impeccable track record and fierce determination, the Monster Energy Honda Team is fielding a team comprising riders Pablo Quintanilla, Skyler Howes, Adrien Van Beveren and Tosha Schareina. Together, these riders will take the iconic Japanese Honda brand to new heights in one of the most challenging competitions in the world of rallying.
Rally Portugal, known for its narrow, tree-lined and technical sections, will provide the perfect terrain for the drivers to demonstrate their skill, dexterity and speed. With a total of 5 stages and 6 sectors, the race promises to keep spectators on their toes as the riders tackle every corner and obstacle with mastery.
Rainy days are expected, so the pilots will have to use their 5 senses to complete each stage in the best possible way.
The Monster Energy Honda Team is looking forward to the roar of the engines and the thrilling atmosphere of competition that characterises Rally Portugal.
The third round of the W2RC in Portugal starts tomorrow and It's going to be a challenge because it's been raining for many days and everything is full of water. Our riders are physically well and have a good feeling for this kind of terrain. The bike is working perfectly in these rainy training days and now we just have to wait to try to do a good prologue and to face the stages with strategy.
Preview of the start of the Rally of Portugal after 2 months of stoppage of the Dakar.
It is an atypical race to what we usually do during the year because in this area there is no desert and the whole race is on tracks.In any case, I am very happy to start another world championship race.
My preparation for this race has been a bit different because it's a terrain I'm not used to racing on, but I'm very motivated to start.
I am really looking forward to the rally in Portugal. It will be my third time racing in Europe.For me having grown up in the desert and coming here now to race in Europe in these weather conditions is going to make it very interesting. It's going to be quite muddy, a lot of river crossings, it's something I'm not used to racing in but I'm looking forward to the challenge.For this race I want to concentrate on the setting of the bike and try to do my best.
Happy to be back after the Dakar with the whole team.
We've been training for a week with a very good feeling.
It has been an incredible week because the atmosphere and the motivation has been very good with all the staff.I really like this kind of terrain because I see it very different from the Dakar and you have to know how to ride in all situations.
First World Cup race after the Dakar.
It has been a very productive and important few days of training for me because it is my first race after my fall in the Dakar.It's going to be a week full of wet roads and we have to be prepared for this because it's been raining a lot for the last week.I really want to do well because we know that Ruben, our Team Manager, is a reference in the world of motorsport here in Portugal and also because most of the staff are Portuguese.
