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Carlos Jorge Mendes and Johan Senders were the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid‘s only entrants in the Stock and Open categories, respectively, meaning their only competition were the forests of Portugal and Spain and any mechanical gremlins that strike their vehicles. While the latter certainly happened a bit more than either would like, they were able to complete the race in the end.

Both cars started at the back behind the other FIA classes and ahead of the non-World Rally-Raid Championship National category, the latter run in tandem with the Portuguese Cross Country Championship. While they were able to complete the Prologue before damage done to the course forced the leg to be cancelled for National, the challenges quickly accumulated from there. Neither of them nor the National entrants were able to complete Stage #2 due to poor track conditions caused by heavy rain and those who raced before them, and estimated times were assigned for Mendes and Senders.

Mendes, nicknamed “Cajó”, and his navigator Rui Silva finished second in the CPTT’s T2 class, which ended its race after two stages, before joining the rest of the W2RC for the final three. Ironically, although rally raids are unforgiving for Stock vehicles and their Isuzu D-Max had gotten stuck during the early stages, they were able to complete the longest day in Stage #3 without major issue save for doing the last eighty kilometres with rear-wheel drive. By the end, Mendes’ total time was good for forty-seventh among all FIA cars.

“Mission accomplished. We faced an excellently organised race, with excellent stages marked by a variety of surfaces, with a large audience that never moved from the first to the last vehicle,” Mendes told AutoLook. “It was five unforgettable days with a lot of work, but we also had a lot of fun.”

Senders, a Dutchman and CPTT regular, and his Toyota Hilux set a final time fast enough to rank thirtieth in FIA. The Hilux is eligible for CPTT competition in the T8 category, but does not meet the FIA’s regulations for Ultimate (T1) or Stock (T2), forcing him to enter it into the Open class for vehicles outside specs. It was the first time a W2RC round had Open entries in 2024 and the fourth since the championship’s formation after the 2022 and 2023 Rallyes du Maroc and 2022 Andalucía Rally.

After winning the Dakar Rally in the Quad category, Manuel Andújar was on track to go two-for-two in the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship as he won the first four legs at the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid and led by over twenty-one minutes at the halfway mark.

A broken driveshaft ended any hopes of that.

Andújar was forced to retire from the fourth and penultimate stage when his driveshaft came loose while leading by three minutes with less than seventy kilometres to go. After losing twenty minutes whilst making repairs, he rejoined the stage and tried to make up the ground before crashing into a stopped bike. Even winning Stage #5 was not enough as he finished fourth overall.

Kamil Wiśniewski inherited both the Stage #4 and overall lead following Andújar’s problems. While Mikołaj Krysik ultimately won that leg for his maiden W2RC stage victory, he was too far back to catch the leaders entering the final day; much of his deficit was incurred on the first stage when he suffered a suspension failure while jumping into water, followed by a roll that damaged the navigation tower.

Wiśniewski faced pressure from the CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team duo of Antanas Kanopkinas and Gaëtan Martinez, both of whom trailed by identical margins of two minutes and twenty-eight seconds going into Stage #5. Unlike at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, his Yamaha Raptor did not let him down this time as he built a six-minute margin on the CFORCE 1000s, beating Kanopkinas by 5:49 and Martinez by 6:19.

Gonçalo Amaral and his older brother Salvador Amaral turned the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid‘s Rally3 class into the Amarally3 class as they finished 1–2 across all five stages.

Regulars in the Portuguese Cross Country Championship, Gonçalo and Salvador kept pace within each other throughout the race, with the former scoring three stage wins and the Prologue to the latter’s two. Gonçalo set the early edge as he cleared Salvador by fifteen and six-and-a-half minutes in Stages #1 and #2, respectively before Salvador returned the favour during the longest day with almost twelve minutes on him in Stage #3. The final two legs saw closer margins within a minute, though their classmates were still a long distance back.

Although Rally3 is the lowest bike class for adapted enduro and production bikes, Gonçalo’s Prologue time was still good to place him top ten overall for the leg. The two were also the only Rally3 riders with top twenty FIM times regardless of category with Gonçalo in seventeenth and Salvador three places back.

By the end, the younger Amaral beat Big Brother by under ten minutes but had over an hour and a half on third-placed Pedro Bianchi Prata. Bianchi, the reigning FIM Bajas World Cup Veterans Trophy winner, was in a hole from the beginning when the bike’s fuel injector broke during Stage #1, causing him to finish second-to-last in class and forty-four minutes back. He quickly made up the lost ground to pass everyone but the Amarals by Stage #3, and spent the second half of the rally duelling John Medina for the last podium spot. Despite crashing into a river crossing in Stage #4, Bianchi cleared Medina by seven minutes on the final leg for third.

“It was a very well-organised race by ACP (Automóvel Club de Portugal),” said Bianchi. “The routes in the Grândola and Santigo do Cacém are spectacular and the whole of Mação with difficult navigation was epic, then we went to Spain where the stage was quite hard with rocks and very technical and we came back on the sand of Grândola. It was five hard but unforgettable days.

Twice Portuguese Cross Country Champion and reigning Baja Portalegre 500 winner Bruno Santos brought more than just his A-game when the World Rally-Raid Championship came knocking on his door for the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid. Defending his turf like there was no tomorrow, he topped the Rally2 class with four stage victories and over twenty-one minutes on points-earning riders Bradley Cox and Romain Dumontier.

Cox initially drew first blood by beating every bike, including those in the premier RallyGP category, in Stage #1 until he received a twenty-minute penalty for leaving the neutralisation zone between Selective Sections too soon. Prologue winner Edgar Canet also made the same mistake, costing him twelve minutes and his early advantage.

Santos inherited the stage win as a result, but proved it was no fluke as he won the next three legs. He narrowly beat Cox by twenty-two seconds for the Stage #2 victory, then dropped a nearly eight-minute advantage in the third leg to lead by seventeen. A fourth win in Stage #4 made the margin an almost insurmountable 20:49 over Canet barring a retirement on the last day.

With such a big advantage, Santos was able to take the final day easier yet he still recorded a podium as he finished third and only a minute behind Dumontier. The overall adds to an increasingly impressive international rally raid résumé; after having to abort his Dakar Rally début in 2022 due to injury, he re-earned his eligibility for the 2024 race after finishing fifth in class in his maiden W2RC start at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, then was the second-best rookie at Dakar in sixteenth.

“Several of my idols were in this race. I could hardly contain my excitement to realise that I was able to fight second by second over several days with these legends,” wrote Santos, who called the race “an astonishing week of competition”. “I know that I am probably at the peak of my sporting career right now, but let’s continue to push a little further, climbing the steps within our reach!”

With new tracks and locations being added to the calendar over the past decade, Formula One’s prestige and popularity have never been in a better place. The Monaco Grand Prix has been one of the pinnacle events for the sport, but does the Circuit de Monaco still hold the same intrigue as it once did?

Monaco: A Gambler’s Paradise

When Formula One is in town, the streets of Monte Carlo are packed full of glitz and glamour. On their travels to Monaco, Formula One fans will be treated to numerous world-class restaurants, spectacular scenery, and exceptional casinos. At the famous Monte Carlo Casino, online roulette, poker, baccarat, and much more are on offer. Alongside the thrilling racing, there are many things to see and do in the stunning principality.

This spring season, Monaco is blue like the sea & sky, pink for glamour & parties, red for passion & speed.
At the program : Rose Ball, Monaco Grand Prix, 150th anniversary of the Caves de l’Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo & Monte-Carlo Festival des Etoilés… https://t.co/pSjj4wvEGR pic.twitter.com/9vc623Qodb

— Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (@MonteCarloSBM) March 17, 2024

Monaco, also known for its history, shopping centres, and abundance of bars, is a playground for the rich and famous. Even when the racing is not on, the principality is hugely popular among tourists thanks to its luxurious surroundings and unique characteristics.

Fastest times posted by each driver during the MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix.

João Monteiro is a two-time Portuguese Cross Country Champion, the reigning FIM European Bajas SSV champion, and was the best-finishing rookie at the Dakar Rally in January when he finished thirteenth in the Challenger class. When the World Rally-Raid Championship arrived in Portugal for the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid, he was more than ready to defend his home turf.

Usually a tyre manager for South Racing Can-Am, he represented the team well as he won the SSV category by leading the overall and finishing on the podium in all five stages. On his worst day in Stage #4, he made an error that caused him to lose a minute but still finished third and just a minute behind stage winner Ricardo Ramilo.

His first and second in the first two stages also earned him the T4 win on the CPTT side, held in conjunction with the W2RC. The win continues a streak of SSV race winners who are not registered for the W2RC, joining Xavier de Soultrait (Dakar Rally) and Mansour Al-Helei (Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge).

“We enter each race with the goal of winning, but when it comes to a World Championship race, everything becomes even more special,” wrote Monteiro. “I want to express my gratitude to the team for the excellent car they provided me, ready to face each stage. A huge thank you to my sponsors, whose support was essential for us to be here. To my family, who has always been by my side, and to the warmth and unconditional support of all the fans throughout these days, my sincere thanks.

“I am really happy!”

Rokas Baciuška was the model of consistency at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge when he finished second across four of five stages, but it wasn’t enough to win the Challenger overall. While his BP Ultimate Rally-Raid finishes were more varied, he capitalised on his rivals’ mechanical troubles to score his first career win in the category.

Baciuška only recorded two podium finishes and even ended the race outside the top ten with an eleventh, but a Stage #3 win propelled him to the overall lead that he maintained across the final three days. He finished third in the first stage, but found himself fighting for position as he narrowly beat Paulo Jorge Rodrigues by two seconds to finish tenth in Stage #2.

At the front, Sébastien Loeb and João Dias were the stars of the show to start. Dias, who the reigning FIA European Baja Cup T3 champion, won the opening stage and went on to claim the T3 class overall on the Portuguese Cross Country Championship side.

Loeb, who finished third at the Dakar Rally in the Ultimate class, opted to drop down to Challenger for Portugal as Prodrive is focusing on developing the Dacia programme that will début at the season-ending Rallye du Maroc in October. Although new to the side-by-side class, he immediately made waves in his Taurus by winning Stage #2 and finishing just thirty-five seconds behind FIA overall stage and eventual rally winner Nasser Al-Attiyah.

Stage #3 ended up being their undoing as Loeb’s engine began to overheat while a gas pipe burst in Dias’ Can-Am Maverick. Loeb salvaged another stage win and a third in Stage #5, but finished outside the top ten overall. Dias notched a second in Stage #4 and settled for eighth. Although not the finish he wanted, Loeb described the Taurus as “fun to drive,” echoing sentiment shared by his longtime rival-turned-Prodrive colleague Al-Attiyah when he tested the car last July.

Tosha Schareina‘s first World Rally-Raid Championship season as a full-fledged member of Monster Energy Honda Rally Team started on a sour note when he crashed in the opening stage of the Dakar Rally. After he and the team skipped the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (though he still kept busy by winning the FIM E-Xplorer World Cup season opener in Japan), the Spaniard got right back to work in the closest thing to a home race as he led the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid in Portugal from start to finish.

Schareina won the Prologue and never relinquished the lead from there. He added two more stage victories along the way, one of which came in the race’s leg crossing over into his native Spain. Although he finished outside the podium in Stages #2 and #4, he only barely missed out in both instances as Honda team-mate Skyler Howes held him off in both by just ten and fifteen seconds, respectively. He finished second to colleague Adrien Van Beveren on the fifth and final leg.

The win is his second in the W2RC after claiming the 2023 Desafío Ruta 40, but first as a registered championship rider. He is the tenth different points-earning rider to win a W2RC race since its inception in 2022.

“Super happy, super happy for my first victory in a world championship because a big part of the staff is Portuguese,” said Schareina. “Now it’s time to celebrate and think about the next one in Argentina.”

Sebastian Bühler, who also wrecked out of Dakar and missed Abu Dhabi as a result, returned to his home event with a strong outing as he scored his maiden W2RC stage victory. While he lost by a wide enough margin that a four-minute penalty in Stage #1 for missing a waypoint made little difference, a runner-up overall is still his first career podium finish.

Nasser Al-Attiyah‘s quest for a third consecutive World Rally-Raid Championship started on the wrong foot when he retired from the Dakar Rally, but he seems to have regained his footing since. After winning the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in February, he continued his newfound momentum with a victory in the inaugural BP Ultimate Rally-Raid.

Returning to Portugal, the site of his maiden race with Prodrive when he ran the Baja Portalegre 500 last October, Al-Attiyah won two stages and held off a late charge by João Ferreira to win by nearly three minutes. After winning the Prologue, Al-Attiyah had a relatively slow Stage #1 as he finished sixth before hitting his stride with back-to-back stage wins.

Yazeed Al-Rajhi trailed Al-Attiyah by just twenty seconds after Stage #2 but was eliminated by a rollover the following day, leaving Ferreira as the next closest rival. An SSV regular who switched to a Mini JCW Rally Plus for his home race, Ferreira sliced his deficit in half after Stage #4 to 2:41, but finished behind Al-Attiyah in the fifth and final stage. Ferreira also won the concurrent Portuguese Cross-Country Championship round that was run across the first two days.

With his win, Al-Attiyah moves past Ferreira’s Mini team-mate Carlos Sainz for the championship lead. His co-driver Édouard Boulanger, now two-for-two by his side, also assumes the top spot for his position.

“This was a very tricky rally and we had to be clever,” said Al-Attiyah. “Thank you to my co-driver Édouard and to Prodrive for the car. Now we have won two races and we’re leading the championship.”

Formula 1’s return to China brings anticipation for a thrilling race. The last time F1 shined Shanghai’s tracks was in 2019, marking the 1000th stage in the championship’s history. However, subsequent Grand Prix events in Shanghai were cancelled due to the pandemic. In 2021, Formula 1 extended its agreement with Shanghai authorities to host the Chinese Grand Prix until 2025. Despite its recent absence from the World Championship calendar, the event will return this year! Are you longing to see the sights of Shanghai? Let’s delve into five reasons why attending the Chinese Grand Prix is an experience not to be missed.

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Formula 1 has been held at the Shanghai International Circuit since 2004. Hermann Tilke designed the track. The configuration of the route he built resembles the initial character “Shang” in the Chinese name of the city of Shanghai. The lap length is 5,451 kilometres, and the track has 16 turns, a total of 56 laps. The inaugural Grand Prix saw Rubens Barrichello of the Ferrari team clinching victory. Over its twenty-year history, the Chinese Grand Prix has witnessed countless thrilling triumphs and heart-wrenching defeats. This beloved track has garnered admiration from drivers worldwide and draws fans from every corner of the globe. Here are five compelling reasons why attending the Chinese Grand Prix this time around is a must:

1) “Debut” of Zhou Guanyu. Zhou Guanyu is the first Formula 1 driver in China’s history. Although he has competed in the championship for several seasons, he has never performed at a home Grand Prix. Zhou was born and raised in Shanghai and taken to the first ever Chinese Grand Prix in 2004. When he was only five years old, he was conquered by racing and became a fan of Fernando Alonso, who was then on the rise of his career. Zhou’s arrival in Shanghai is set to make huge waves with a movie-style documentary on his career, The First One, released on April 19, two days before the race.

Everything you need to know about the MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix... all the details, stats, pictures and quotes.

Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff believes that the outcome of the 2024 season is already as good as decided.

"He just needs to keep doing what he's doing," says Red Bull boss of Sergio Perez, as speculation over 2025 driver market continues.

Bruno Santos entered the fifth and final stage of the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid with the Rally2 overall win in the bag, having won every leg in his class up to Sunday. While a clean sweep would certainly be nice, he opted to ride the 105-kilometre stretch at a safer pace, giving up going five-for-five to ice the overall.

Santos ultimately finished Stage #5 in third behind Romain Dumontier and Bradley Cox. Since he is not registered for the World Rally-Raid Championship like Dumontier and Cox, his conservative approach allowed them to scramble for points in the meantime. Dumontier, the reigning Rally2 champion, came out on top Sunday as he beat Cox by just thirty-one seconds and moved into third overall, though Cox still beat him by five minutes outright.

Like Dumontier, Nicolás Cavigliasso ended the rally with a stage win in Challenger, beating Luís Portela Morais and Sébastien Loeb by less than fifty seconds. Rokas Baciuška placed eleventh in just his second time finishing outside the Challenger top ten after recording an eleventh in Stage #1 of the Dakar Rally in January. In spite of this, his main rival Armindo Araújo finished further back in fifteenth to ice the overall class win for Baciuška.

João Ferreira needed to make up 2:41 to catch Nasser Al-Attiyah for the FIA win, but instead finished eight seconds behind him. Both placed behind Lucas Moraes for Stage #5, while Lionel Baud just missed out on a podium in fourth.

“Great to be able to finish this rally with a win, especially after what happened with us in Abu Dhabi,” said Moraes, whose Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge ended with his Toyota Hilux on fire. “Thanks to the whole Toyota team to deliver another great car. It was amazing to win today and finish third overall very close from the from the lead. Climbing the standings again.”

Carlos Sainz admits that he feared a risky strategic gamble wasn't going to pay off in Japan, whilst insisting that he doesn't "have a clue" where he will be next season.

With Red Bull out of reach, Lando Norris admits that McLaren is still no match for Ferrari either.

Toto Wolff believes that his drivers could have been battling for a podium position had it not been for the decision to change strategy at the restart.

Max Verstappen bounced back from his retirement in Australia with a commanding drive to victory during the 2024 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, taking the chequered flag ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

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Another day, another crash, as Alex Albon admits that his first lap clash with Daniel Ricciardo was exactly what his team doesn't need.