The iconic Alentejo event welcomes 441 participantes, entre 15 e 17 de outubro e chega num momento decisivo das Taças do Mundo e Europeia FIA de Bajas e dos campeonatos nacionais de todo-o-terreno.
The 40th edition of the bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500 promises much more than a fight for victory in one of off-road racing’s most iconic events. From 15 to 17 October, Portalegre will welcome 441 entrants, with the results potentially having a direct impact on several national and international championship titles.
The Portuguese event is the sixth round of the FIA World Baja Cup and the penultimate round of the FIA European Baja Cup, with several championship standings still wide open. A total of 65 teams are entered in the FIA competition, across the Ultimate, Challenger, SSV and Stock categories.
In the FIA World Baja Cup, the absence of the two leading drivers presents a significant opportunity for those chasing them.
Saood Variawa leads the standings with 232 points, followed by Mansour Al Helei on 212, but neither will be competing in Portalegre. Dania Akeel is next in the standings, with 210 points, and will be the highest-placed championship contender taking the start in Portugal. Fourth-placed Mitchel van den Brink, on 207 points, is also entered.
With Akeel just 22 points behind the leader and Van den Brink 25 points adrift, the bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500 could bring a significant change at the top of the standings. However, the world title will not be decided in Portugal, as the Qatar International Baja and Dubai International Baja will follow Portalegre.
The category standings are also finely balanced. Van den Brink leads the Challenger category by just two points over Hamed Al Wahaibi and is the only one of the two set to score points in this category in Portalegre. In Stock, entered drivers Al Mashna Al Shammeri and Majed Al Thunayyan are separated by 16 points.
Portalegre Could Put Portuguese Drivers at the Heart of the European Title Fight
The battle is even tighter in the FIA European Baja Cup, which will hold its penultimate round of the season in Portalegre.
Benediktas Vanagas leads with 268 points, followed by Mariusz Wiatr on 246, but neither of the top two will compete in Portalegre. Their absence opens the door for Portuguese drivers Paulo Rodrigues, third with 232 points, and Rúben Rodrigues, fourth with 209, both of whom are entered for the event.
Paulo Rodrigues is just 36 points behind the overall leader and could leave Portalegre in a significantly stronger position ahead of the championship’s final round, the Hungarian Baja, in November. In the SSV category, the battle is directly between the two Portuguese drivers, with Paulo Rodrigues holding a 23-point advantage over Rúben Rodrigues.
One of the weekend’s closest battles is expected in Challenger. Poland’s Marek Kubicek arrives in Portalegre with 179 points, just seven ahead of Portugal’s Dinis Rogeira, who has 172. Both are entered, and the FIA has identified them as the leading contenders in the category. The result in Portalegre could therefore prove decisive in determining who heads into the final round with the advantage.
Luís Cidade Defends His National Championship Lead
There is also plenty at stake in the AM|48 Portuguese Cross-Country Rally Championship.
Luís Cidade arrives in Portalegre at the top of the standings with 84 points. Tiago Reis is second on 67, while João Ferreira and Gonçalo Guerreiro are tied on 61 points. All four are entered in the 40th edition, setting up a direct confrontation between the leading championship contenders.
João Ferreira has an additional incentive: he won the bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500 in 2025 and returns to the Alto Alentejo region following his victory at the Baja TT Sharish Gin Reguengos/Mourão.
Portalegre will not settle the Portuguese championship, as the calendar still includes the Baja TT de Castelo Branco and the Baja de Lagos, both scheduled for November. However, the points scored in Alto Alentejo could prove crucial in determining the advantage each contender takes into the final two rounds.
Tight Battles in Motorcycles, Quads and SSV
As the FMP National Cross-Country Championship approaches the end of the season, Portalegre is also set to play a key role in deciding the titles.
In the motorcycle category, Bruno Santos leads with 81 points, having won the first three rounds of the year, while Micael Simão has 77 points following his victory at the Baja TT Sharish Gin. The reigning national champion, who also won the bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500 in 2025, is confirmed among this year’s entrants.
In the quad category, Tomás Paulo arrives as the leader with 80 points, followed by Martim Pedroso on 64 and Ricardo Caetano on 63. In the SSV category, Pedro Antunes leads with 60 points, ahead of Tiago Guerreiro on 48 and Rodrigo Melancia on 43.
Portalegre once again takes on major importance in the national championship battles, with every result potentially changing the gaps between the contenders.
More Than 435 Kilometres Against the Clock
The championship battles will be decided over a demanding route. For FIA competitors, the action begins on Friday, 16 October, with a 5.02-kilometre prologue at Herdade das Coutadas, followed by a 72.01-kilometre selective section between Ponte de Sor and Crato.
On Saturday, competitors will tackle two major selective sections of 172.08 and 186.18 kilometres. In total, the FIA route covers 699.20 kilometres, including 435.29 kilometres against the clock, subject to final route checks.
With national and international title contenders, reigning champions and previous event winners all on the entry list, the 40th bp Ultimate Baja Portalegre 500 combines the significance of a landmark anniversary with a crucial moment in the racing season.
From 15 to 17 October, there will be much more than victory at stake in Portalegre.