Toyota Gazoo Racing enjoyed a strong weekend at the Baja TT Sharish Gin 2025, held on September 14 in Reguengos de Monsaraz – Mourão, Portugal. The rally-raid formed part of the FIA European Baja Cup and served as valuable preparation ahead of bigger challenges later in the season, including the legendary Dakar Rally, the ultimate test in cross-country motorsport.

Portuguese driver João Ferreira and his co-driver Filipe Palmeiro delivered a commanding performance in their Toyota Hilux IMT EVO, competing in the Ultimate class. Ferreira set the pace on the final day, winning both passes over the 90 km special stage and securing overall victory with more than two minutes in hand.

“This is my first win with Toyota and it feels incredible to take it at home, in Portugal,” said a delighted Ferreira at the finish.

Toyota’s other crews also used the event to gather crucial mileage. Henk Lategan and Seth Quintero, both regulars in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, completed valuable test kilometers. For them, Baja TT Sharish was less about results and more about refining setups and teamwork ahead of the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal later this month (22–28 September), which is part of the W2RC calendar.

The Portuguese Baja, now in its sixth edition, combined fast gravel tracks and technical sections that challenged drivers’ navigation and endurance. The event once again confirmed its importance as a proving ground for teams preparing for Dakar, often referred to as the “King of Rally-Raids”.

With a home win and consistent performances across the squad, Toyota Gazoo Racing leaves Reguengos with momentum, motivation, and growing confidence as the countdown to Dakar 2026 continues.

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“Rally Chile is set for a dramatic finale as Toyota teammates Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans head into the last day separated by just 6.3 seconds after a fierce battle on Saturday’s demanding stages.”

Heavy rain in the morning created treacherous, muddy conditions where Evans excelled, storming from fifth overall into the rally lead. By contrast, Ogier admitted to being too cautious early on but struck back in the afternoon as the roads dried, winning three stages in a row to edge into first place.

Evans remains well within striking distance after finishing the day second, while third-placed Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai) is more than 20 seconds adrift. Toyota’s strength was underlined by Sami Pajari, Kalle Rovanperä and Takamoto Katsuta all finishing inside the top seven, with Oliver Solberg leading WRC2 in his GR Yaris Rally2.

The showdown for victory now comes down to Sunday’s final four stages covering 54.8 competitive kilometres around Concepción, with the rally-ending Power Stage set to decide not just the winner, but also crucial championship points.