Ferreira & Palmeiro Make Historical past for Yamaha Throughout Stage 4 at Dakar • Complete Bike

X-raid Yamaha Supported Crew’s João Ferreira and co-driver Filipe Palmeiro secured the primary stage podium for the YXZ1000R Dakar Rally mission within the T3 class in Saudi Arabia on a day that noticed all six crews end inside the highest 15.

Began in 2021, the YXZ1000R Dakar mission achieved success in its inaugural 12 months when Camelia Liparoti and co-driver Annett Fischer claimed second total within the T3 Light-weight Prototype class earlier than the Italian driver adopted this up with sixth total in the identical class in 2022, this time partnered with Xavier Blanco.

This 12 months, the mission has grown with seven Yamaha X-raid Yamaha Supported Crew crews beginning the legendary rally earlier than the withdrawal of Merce Marti (ESP) and Lisette Bakker (NLD) after a crash throughout Stage 1, plus the introduction of the brand new, extra highly effective, X-raid developed Yamaha YXZ1000R Turbo Prototype.

Stage 4 was a loop stage beginning and ending on the bivouac in Ha’il, involving a 94km liaison to the beginning of the 425km particular earlier than one other liaison of 58km. The torrential rain that lower brief the third stage had made the route trickier than traditional, however the solar returned on Wednesday, with temperatures reaching a cold however dry 16 levels Celsius.

After a technical situation noticed Dakar Rookie Ferreira and his skilled co-driver Palmeiro fail to complete Stage 3 and obtain a penalty of 26 hours and 34 minutes, the Portuguese duo attacked the day, which featured a mix of rocky trails, smooth sand and dunes, with nothing to lose.

Ranging from seventh, they confirmed nice tempo to overhaul a number of automobiles and end with a time of 5 hours, seven minutes, and 44 seconds, simply 5 minutes and 49 seconds behind the general stage winners, within the course of, writing their title within the report books.

On a day that noticed the X-raid developed Yamaha YXZ1000R Turbo Prototype come into its personal, Ahmed Alkuwari Fahad (QAT) and Manuel Lucchese (ITA) pulled off their finest stage end of their first Dakar driving collectively to complete in tenth, shifting as much as fifteenth total within the course of. They had been carefully adopted by Dakar Legend Liparoti and her co-driver once more in 2023, Blanco, who accomplished the stage in eleventh place. On the similar time, the Italian’s former co-driver Fischer, alongside Annie Seel, fought again fantastically after a tough opening few days to complete in thirteenth.

The Chilean pairing of Ignacio Casale, three-time winner of the Quad class at Dakar, and Alvaro Leon had been on track to complete the stage in fourth earlier than experiencing some technical points as they approached the end line. Finishing up repairs, they managed to finish the stage in 14th and stay the main Yamaha within the common classification in eleventh.

Ricardo Porém (PRT) and Augusto Sanz (ARG) made positive that every one six X-raid Yamaha Supported Crew crews completed inside the highest 15 on a day when the brand new YXZ1000R Turbo Prototype confirmed its true colors.

Subsequent up is Stage 5, which as soon as once more is a loop stage because the rally stays in Ha’il for one more day. Starting with a 145km liaison, the crews will then tackle a 374km particular that consists virtually totally of soppy sand and dunes earlier than a 130km liaison again to the bivouac.

Camelia Liparoti
Yamaha Motor Europe ROV Racing Coordinator
“As we speak was after we discovered simply how good the brand new X-raid developed YXZ1000R Turbo prototype is. João and Filipe had been excellent and totally deserve their stage podium, plus it was nice to see how the brand new machine took on the large dunes like a gazelle and made it simple, plus for all six crews to complete inside the highest 15 makes me very happy with the entire workforce and mission. I’ve a lot respect for all of the drivers, because it was one other stage over 400km, and the terrain was very demanding. Tomorrow is one other robust day, with the whole particular stage consisting of soppy sand and dunes. It would show an actual take a look at of not solely the motive force’s talent but in addition their navigation capability. Will probably be one other massive take a look at for the YXZ1000R Turbo Prototype, however after as we speak we’re trying ahead to the problem.”

Dakar Rally 2023
Stage 4 Outcomes
2. J.Ferreira & F.Palmeiro 5h 47m 44s +5m 49s
10. A.Alkuwari Fahad & M.Lucchese 6h 2m 47s +1h 00m 52s
11. C.Liparoti & X.Blanco 6h 2m 57s +1h 1m 2s
13. A.Fischer & A.Seel 6k 11m 7s +1hr 9m 12s
14. I.Casale & A.Leon 6h 15m 15s +1h 13m 20s
15. R.Porém & A.Sanz 6h 24m 58s +1h 23m 3s

Normal Classification
11. I.Casale & A.Leon 22h 29m 31s + 3h 29m 44s
15. A.Alkuwari Fahad & M.Lucchese 23h 48m 25s +4h 55m 10s
16. C.Liparoti & X.Blanco 23h 54m 57s +4h 55m 10s
20. R.Porém & A.Sanz 24h 54m 41s +5h 54m 54s
23. A.Fischer & A.Seel 25h 57m 15s +6h 57m 28s
34. J.Ferreira & F.Palmeiro 59h 13m 17s +40h 13m 30s