– Top finish in an extremely strong field of drivers
– Action continues this coming weekend
After a two-year break, Sebastian Halpern returned to the X-raid team for the Desafío Ruta 40. As if he had never been away, the Argentine pushed hard alongside his navigator, Edu Pulenta. Driving the MINI JCW Rally 3.0i, he worked his way up the overall standings day by day, securing a top 10 spot after five stages with a ninth-place finish – just one position behind 2014 Dakar winner Nani Roma.
Without a prologue, the competitors in the car category headed straight into the second event of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship. Over the first two days, the Argentine duo hovered around the top 20. However, the third stage marked the turning point: Halpern crossed the finish line in a strong ninth place, which instantly catapulted him to twelfth in the overall standings. He was able to build on this performance during the final two special stages. He even finished the fourth stage in seventh place – an impressive feat in an extremely strong field featuring the absolute elite of the global rally-raid scene. Consequently, he and the X-raid team were able to celebrate a hard-earned ninth place overall on Friday.
Following this success, there is little time for the X-raid team to rest. The squad from Trebur will be back in action this coming weekend at the Baja Greece (June 4–7, 2026).
Statements
Sebastian Halpern (MINI JCW Rally 3.0i): « Given the extremely strong competition here, I think a top 10 finish is a damn good result for us and the entire team. It was a really, really tough race that challenged us every single day, and the pace the drivers are setting here is deeply impressive. Since we hadn’t raced in two years, we lacked a bit of rhythm at the beginning.
« To be honest, the MINI ran phenomenally and without the slightest issue. The team was also incredible and did a fantastic job. Edu did a first-class job as co-driver, too—he called every course, every river, and all the waypoints perfectly. Overall, I am super happy with the new car, which pulls extremely hard. The petrol engine has truly changed the car completely. The suspension works brilliantly as well. So, we are completely happy all around: with the car, the team, the navigator, and all the work that was put in. »
Overall standings
1. S. Quintero / A. Short – Toyota – 15h 55m 38s
2. H. Lategan / B. Cummings – Toyota – 15h 57m 33s
3. N. Al-Attiyah / F. Lurquin – Dacia – 15h 58m 04s
4. S. Loeb / E. Boulanger – Dacia – 15h 59m 32s
5. S. Variawa / F. Cazalet – Toyota – 16h 27m 42s…
9. S. Halpern / E. Pulenta – MINI JCW Rally 3.0i – 17h 01m 26s…
Stefanie Szlapka,