The Ultimate (T1) class for prototype cars is the premier category in cross-country rally, while UTVs compete in Challenger (T3) and SSV (T4). In most rallies, an Ultimate car would easily outpace a Challenger or SSV.
That was not the case at the Baja Portalegre 500, where Ultimate drivers struggled while the Taurus T3 Max of Miguel Barbosa became the first UTV to win the overall in race history. Gonçalo Gurreiro and Paulo Rodrigues, respectively in a Polaris RZR Pro R and Can-Am Maverick X3, joined Barbosa on the podium ahead of Edgar Reis‘ Taurus, making it a top four sweep by UTVs. João Ferreira was the highest-finishing T1 in fifth.
Ultimate driver João Ramos, who retired from the race after water got into his Toyota Hilux’s engine, feels this development is more alarming than impressive. In an interview with AutoSport, Ramos alleged the closing gap between T1 and UTVs stems more from poor regulation by the FIA and fears it could affect fan interest in the discipline.
While it might sound like sour grapes from a T1 driver, Ramos’ sentiment is far from uncommon. North American desert racing had long derided UTVs as golf carts which have little place competing alongside Trophy Trucks and buggies, only for UTVs to become one of the most popular vehicles on the market for their accessibility and increasing competitiveness. Ramos acknowledged the lower cost compared to a T1, but feels UTV teams are investing so much into their programmes that it’s not exactly as cheap of an endeavour as it seemed.
“There are people who prefer watching the trucks, the larger vehicles, and the T1s, which are much more impressive. These are the machines that truly appeal to fans,” he began. “I understand why people go for the UTVs, the T3s and the T4s, because the investment is lower. In reality, with the advancements being made, it’s no longer as affordable as people say. They’re already spending a lot more money now. They’ll never spend as much as they would on a T1 or a T1+, but they’re still spending a fair amount.”
He attributed part of this to the FIA’s Equivalence of Technology policy, where the sanctioning body modifies the top speed of a given category based on how it and other classes are faring. While this allows the FIA to create a level playing field, Ramos feels things are getting out of hand.
“These cars weigh less than half of ours, have a lot of braking power because of their lighter weight, and they’re incredibly agile. Even then, they’re wider too,” he continued. “[The FIA] lets them to evolve without castrating them in things like gearboxes, which makes things messier in the world of Bajas. People are spending less to race and still end up competing on our level.”
Besides performance, Ramos said the routes in European Bajas favour UTVs far more than Ultimates. While most long-distance races like the Dakar Rally take place in open deserts, where a T1 can easily outpace a UTV, European races are shorter and held on twisty courses that allow a UTV to keep pace. Guillaume de Mévius also pointed this out in 2023, though he was in favour of narrowing the gap between T1 and T3 to encourage drivers to graduate to the top level.
With more people getting into UTVs over T1s, Ramos also pointed out the ramifications this has on the overall FIA European Baja Cup and Portuguese Cross-Country Championship standings. Due to inconsistent grid sizes, both series allocate points that are multiplied by a coefficient depending on the number of entrants in a given class, such as multiplying by 1.5 if there are over eleven competitors or 1.2 for six to ten. Since UTV fields are much larger, Ramos noted a UTV with a lower finish in its class could earn more points than a T1 who placed better.
“This is nonsense. They’re destroying the sport, and it’s no surprise that interest is waning,” Ramos proclaimed. “I’ve been saying this for years: the day we leave, no one will come to watch the races except those already closely involved.”