Ventura and Campbell shine on Honda HRC Rally 2 debut at Rally-Raid Portugal
Just 103 km separated the riders from the finish of Rally-Raid Portugal and for the Honda HRC Rally 2 team, the event marked an impressive debut. Martim Ventura and Preston Campbell demonstrated consistent pace and determination throughout the prologue and five demanding stages.
Under dark grey skies over Lisbon, Ventura was riding high after his first-ever World Rally-Raid Championship victory yesterday and the Portuguese rider eagerly anticipated the final sprint to the finish line in his home capital.
Weather conditions added to the challenge, as heavy overnight rain left the sandy tracks tricky and unpredictable. While Ventura didn’t replicate yesterday’s win, he delivered another strong performance, finishing third on the stage, just 1’38” behind stage winner Edgar Canet. On his Honda CRF450 RX RALLY, Ventura’s efforts secured him seventh overall in Rally 2, giving him plenty of confidence heading into the final round.
Preston Campbell thrived on the wet, challenging terrain, tackling the stages on his Honda bike with skill and confidence. His consistent performance earned him eighth place on the final stage and an impressive fourth overall in Rally 2, while also securing tenth place in the overall bike category. Campbell now sets his sights on the season finale at Rallye du Maroc, where he will experience the Moroccan desert for the first time, ready to test his expertise on the sand.
Honda HRC will regroup before the final round of the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship season, which takes place from 10th to 17th October in Morocco.
Preston Campbell 85
Rain last night made for perfect conditions for the last stage. The last 100 kms were super fun, fast and I had good traction. I pushed and felt comfortable on my Honda CRF450 RX RALLY and I’m super happy to be able to finish 10th overall this week. Thank you to the team for all the hard work to make it happen.
Martim Ventura 84
It was a good week. I was a bit disappointed on the first day as I’d got into a very good rhythm but I had a problem with the clutch, which I’d overused on the stage as I wasn’t used to it. The days after that were continually competing in the dust and on the fourth day I had clear track and managed to win the Rally 2 class stage. It was super good for the team, the bike and for me. I was very happy and it was the best thing from this week. Now we focus on Morocco and then get the bike ready in the desert for Dakar.
