X Rally Crew‘s swanky new trip will race in worldwide competitors for the primary time in two weeks. On Tuesday, the Brazilian outfit introduced they’ll début their Prodrive Hunter on the Sonora Rally in Mexico on 24–28 April, with brothers Cristian and Marcos Baumgart because the drivers of two automobiles. Crew CEO Beco Andreotti will function Cristian’s co-driver, whereas Kleber Cinea is Marcos’.
“It’s the beginning of a brand new chapter for X Rally Crew,” stated Cristian Baumgart. “We needed to take this step ahead and we’re taking it step-by-step. Will probably be a take a look at of adapting to the automobile and the terrain, so every part can be new for us.”
The crew purchased two Hunters in February whereas additionally establishing a store in Évora, Portugal; one of many Hunters was pushed by Sébastien Loeb to seven stage victories on the Dakar Rally the month prior. X Rally Crew beforehand used the NWM Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux Overdrive T1, successful 5 Sertões Rally Championships within the course of.
The Baumgarts may even race the Hunters within the Sertões Rally. Cristian is a four-time winner whereas Marcos has one and completed runner-up in 2022.
“It’s a distinct terrain than what we’re used to: desert, dunes, a number of sand,” Marcos commented. “The final time we competed in such a spot was the 2019 Dakar, on a UTV. Along with that, we’ll debut the brand new automobiles. There’s a lot to know and analyze and being on this race goes exactly in direction of these targets.”
Very similar to with World Rally-Raid Championship outfits Bahrain Raid Xtreme and GCK Motorsport, Prodrive will present manufacturing unit help at Sonora for X Rally Crew. The crew just lately visited Prodrive’s headquarters in Banbury, England, to be taught in regards to the automobile’s growth, which Cincea referred to as “new” however “important, one thing I’ve by no means seen earlier than.”
Loeb is the present T1 factors chief for BRX whereas Guerlain Chicherit, proprietor of GCK, scored two stage wins at Dakar and gained the 2022 Rallye du Maroc.
“The partnership has already proved to be very constructive for us, as a result of we’re having a sort of help that we’ve not had earlier than,” supplied Andreotti. “This trade may be very useful and has been an enormous alternative for all of us. Prodrive welcomed us with open arms and the work collectively has been very nice.”
