A final 103 km timed section on Stage 5 will decide the final positions on Sunday
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing W2RC (TGR W2RC) goes into the final day of the BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal defending a one-two in the overall standings of the penultimate round of the 2025 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).
The battle for victory intensified on Stage 4, which featured 274 km of timed action. It began near Badajoz on fast stone-lined tracks punctuated by slow sections. A winding lakeside route followed as the crews headed into Portugal on faster tracks over hard terrain on the way to a service park on the outskirts of Lisbon.
Lucas Moraes and navigator Armand Monleón retained their overall lead after strengthening their bid to win a W2RC event for the first time. They adopted a low-risk strategy, maintaining a consistent pace to preserve their position at the front, finishing Saturday’s stage in fourth place in their #203 GR Hilux EVO.
Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings started and ended the day in second in their #202 GR Hilux EVO. They closed the gap on their team-mates at the front to 34 seconds by finishing a strong third on Stage 4.
Seth Quintero and Andrew Short fought for the stage win with another impressive performance. They were running second and heading for the podium, less than a minute off the lead, before an engine issue just two kilometres from the end. The #204 GR Hilux EVO cannot resume and will therefore not contest the final stage.
Only one stage remains for TGR W2RC to secure its second victory of the season to strengthen its World Championship challenge. Sunday’s 103 km timed section will determine who stands on the podium in Lisbon, and who holds the advantage in the title race going into next month’s season finale in Morocco.
“It was a very fast stage, with some short and twisty sections. The roads were generally narrow and slippery, so it was easy to make a big mistake. We were driving in fifth or sixth gear most of the stage so, if you go off, you go off properly. I’m pleased to get through unscathed, with just one minor moment, but we limited the time loss. I’m happy to be in contention and fighting at the front; it’s really close between first and second now. Sunday’s stage is short, but depending on the weather, it could be decisive.”
Seth Quintero:
“We ran well again. We found some speed this week and Andrew is doing a great job on navigation. His attitude inside the car has been amazing and it’s really helped me with my driving. His work ethic is strong, so I’m excited to continue working with him. It was a good day for us until it wasn’t. Unfortunately, we had a mechanical issue very close to the finish, after running at the front for most of the stage. We will regroup and learn from this for Morocco.”
