NWM-X Rally partnership wins fourth Sertões in a row
The 2019 Sertões in Brazil was considered by the competitors one of the most difficult in the 26 years of the event. The eight-day route from Campo Grande in the center of Brazil to the beautiful Northeast beaches in Aquiraz was 4,8 thousands kilometers long.
In the car category, it was another bold success for the association between Brazil’s X Rally Team and South Africa’s Neil Woolridge Motorsport with another constructor 1-2. Overall victory this year was achieved by Lucas Moraes and Kaique Bentivoglio in the Ford Ranger #323. “To race in the NWM-X Rally Ford Ranger this year was the best decision. The car handled very well and was always taken to the limit. It was great”, says 2019 champion Lucas Moraes, 29 years of age.
The duo took the lead on day six after leaders – and three-time champions – Cristian Baumgart and Beco Andreotti rolled with 150 kms to go in the stage due to the UTVs dust, and still managed to come second.
A strong and longer rally for everyone involved. “Speaking as driver and co-driver, to be runner-up in this edition was not something we were not aiming for, but we take it. This is the magic about the Sertões – going from zero to hero and backwards. We tried everything, the team worked hard and everyone was 100 per cent with their hearts in it”, says Cristian Baumgart. “As a team and constructor, it was an amazing achievement to put almost all of our Rangers to the finish. Next year we will come back stronger, with more cars, making the Brazilian rally scene even better”, Beco Andreotti completed.
“A great result for us, a great result for X Rally Team, an even greater result for Lucas and Kaique who did a fantastic rally, mistake-free, and deserved victory this year. It was by far the most difficult Sertões we have ever taken part in six years coming to Brazil to race”, highlights Neil Woolridge.
The partnership put seven Ford Rangers in the competition: six of them inside the X Rally/NWM structure, and the winning one in the MEM Motorsport team racing in two classes: the T1 Codasur (formely known as the T1 FIA) and the T1 Brazil.
Besides the 1-2 of Moraes/Bentivoglio and Baumgart/Andreotti, the NWM/X Rally cars were fourth with Marcos Baumgart and Kleber Cincea, eight with Mauro Guedes/Filipe Bianchini (second in the T1 Brazil class), 12th (3rd in class) with the rookie Fernando Rosset alongside Fabrício Bianchini and 18th (4th in class) with Michel Terpins/Maykel Justo. Sylvio de Barros and Josiane Koerich were the only duo in the team not to finish the Sertões, as the pair rolled out of the race on the first day and could not continue.
Top-5 Overall Sertões 2019 Cars Result:
1. Lucas Moraes/Kaique Bentivoglio (X Rally Ranger/MEM)
2. Cristian Baumgart/Beco Andreotti (NWM X Rally Ranger)
3. Guilherme Spinelli/Youssef Haddad (Mitsubishi L200 Triton)
4. Marcos Baumgart/Kleber Cincea (NWM X Rally Ranger)
5. Gunter Hinkelmann/Deco Muniz (Mitsubishi ASX)
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