– Fourth place for Krotov in the Ultimate category
– Rally Raid Portugal starts in just a few days
At the Baja TT Sharish, the penultimate round of the FIA European Baja Cup, Guillaume de Mévius and Mathieu Baumel proved that even after a seven-month break, they remain a strong team. Driving the MINI JCW Rally 3.0i, they secured an excellent second place. Their teammates Denis Krotov and Konstatin Zhiltsov finished seventh overall and fourth in the Ultimate category.
There was a lot of excitement as Baumel competed in his first rally since his serious accident. But the Frenchman and his Belgian driver De Mévius immediately joined the battle for victory. They started Sunday as overall leaders, meaning they had to open the course. Unfortunately, a puncture ten kilometers from the finish cost them the win. They nevertheless ended the Baja TT Sharish in an impressive second place.
Krotov showed significant improvement over the course of the Baja. After placing 15th on the first stage, he didn’t give up and kept pushing. On Sunday he finished the stages in sixth and fifth positions, moving up to seventh overall, which earned him fourth place in the Ultimate category.
The next event for the X-raid team begins in just a few days with Rally Raid Portugal, the penultimate round of the World Rally Raid Championship. The line-up will be announced shortly.
Statements
Guillaume de Mévius (MINI JCW Rally 3.0i): « I’m happy. We were able to fight right at the front. We could lead the rally and battle for the win until the very last second. Mathieu’s comeback went really well. He’s working in the cockpit just like before the accident. Of course, I’m also disappointed that we couldn’t hold on to first place. Still, I’m very satisfied with the weekend. The team and the MINI worked perfectly. »
Mathieu Baumel (Navigator von De Mévius): « A dream has come true. I didn’t expect such a result for my comeback. Fighting directly for the win was an incredibly emotional feeling. It was also a good test for me to see what I can improve on my prosthesis, how to make my body feel more comfortable in the seat—and also how we can get faster at changing tires. In the end, we took second place—and just seven months after my accident, that feels like a victory to me. Thanks to Guillaume, Sven, and of course the entire X-raid team. »
Overall standings
1. J. Ferreira / F. Palmeiro – Toyota – 3h 57m 28s
2. G. de Mévius / M. Baumel – MINI JCW Rally 3.0i – 3h 59m 18s
3. S. Quintero / A. Short – Toyota – 4h 03m 56s
4. G. Guerreiro / J. Lutas – Polaris – 4h 11m 18s
5. T. Reis / P. Fiúza – Taurus – 4h 14m 23s…
7. D. Krotov / K. Zhiltsov – MINI JCW Rally 3.0i – 4h 17m 04s