European Bajas champion Joao Ferreira to make Dakar Rally debut in 2023 with X-raid

João Ferreira enjoyed a strong 2022 as he won the FIA European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas. With a title under his belt, he will begin 2023 by taking part in the legendary Dakar Rally for the first time.

The 23-year-old will drive a Yamaha for X-raid Team in the T3 category with fellow Portguese Filipe Palmeiro as co-driver. Palmeiro spent the last three Rallies working in T1 with Benediktas Vanagas, who also races in the European Cup.

He posted on social media, “I’m about to embark on the biggest and most challenging experience of my life! At the command of a X-Raid YXZ1000R Turbo Prototype prepared by the X-raid Yamaha Supported Team, and navigated by my friend Filipe Palmeiro, I will participate in the Dakar Rally 2023! The toughest All-Terrain Test in the World, takes place from December 31 to January 15, and marks the start of the 2023 Rally-Raid World Championship. With testing still going in 2022, we can only really say this is the best way to end such a positive year. As always, we take this challenge as another step in my learning and development as a pilot!”

Driving a Mini Cooper, Ferreira won the Italian Baja in July and a string of podiums at the Hungarian Baja and his native Baja Portalgre 500 enabled him to claim the European Cup by five points over Michal Maluszynski. He also took part in the World Rally-Raid Championship‘s final two rounds Rallye du Maroc and Andalucía Rally, but did not finish either. He won the Open SSV class thrice at the Rallye du Maroc, but withdrew before the final leg to race the Baja TT Norte de Portugal, which he went on to win. David Monteiro, who serves as his co-driver in the European Cup, worked with him in the W2RC events.

His father Paulo Rui Ferreira also competes in rally raid. The father/son duo dominated the 2022 Rallye du Maroc as Paulo won a stage and the Open SSV overall.

The 2023 Dakar Rally will begin on 31 December 2022.

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