Sebastian Buhler (Hero) Wins Stage 2 | Portugal WRRC

Tricked out Monster Energy emblazoned rally motorcycles continue to dominate Round 3 of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid in Portugal, with local Portuguese native Sebastian Buhler (Hero Motosports, fueled by Monster Energy) winning the second of five stages on Thursday.

Buhler, who hails from nearby Reliquias in Grandola (Portugal), brought his Hero 450 Rally to the checkers in a time of 1:47:59 over a 166 km Special and 35 km Liaison course. Close behind Buhler was the hard-charging Adrien Van Beveren of the mighty Monster Energy/Honda program, rallying his CRF450 Rally to a time of 1:49:08 – 1:09 back of stage winner Buhler. And rounding out the top five with his second-straight top five finish in two days of racing in Portugal was Monster Energy/Honda’s Skyler Howes in 5th place.

For Buhler, winning his first-ever WRRC stage on his home turf was not only big, doing so on a previously (prior to 2024) unproved motorcycle was also big – as he became only the fourth racer ever to win a WRRC stage on the Indian brand bike.

Said Buhler of his day racing, which started an hour late due to foggy conditions: “Feels really good for the victory, and at home even better. It’s crazy how much people there are out there, cheering me on. I tried to push hard at the beginning, maybe on some roads where I feel better. But the weather was not easy and we can make a mistake that damages the bike. But yeah, it was a good rhythm and always good to win.”

For Van Beveren there was some poetic justice in his 2nd place podium finish on Stage 2 following yesterday’s 12-minute penalty assessed for missing a waypoint, and stripping him of a Stage 1 podium finish. “It was a good day. I like this terrain. Unfortunately, yesterday I did a mistake, I got confused, and that made my day sad. But my riding was already good, so today I could manage to have both. I enjoyed my riding and the result is OK. So it’s a better day and we’re looking forward to the next one, to keep the same rhythm and keep the same feeling… enjoy it as much as possible.”

Rounding out the top five on Stage 2 for Monster Energy was Howes, who placed 5th with a time of 1:50:37. Said Howes of his afternoon in the sands of Portugal’s Altentejo Coast: “This morning didn’t really go super well. Really foggy and couldn’t see so well. Tried to push the track a little bit harder, ended up off the road book, and made a couple wrong turns. Didn’t really do that good of a job. But when the sun came out we got back on the sandy tracks and I started feeling super comfortable, really fast on the bike. Made up a lot of time, which put me in to 3rd in the General Rankings. 5th on the day really puts me in a good position for the long stage tomorrow. So overall, as a strategy goes, I couldn’t have done it any better today.” 

Notes & Quotes

• “Maybe a little bit. But because for sure, people think maybe he (Buhler) should win. But I am the guy riding the bike, not them. So I’m just taking it easy.” – Sebastian Buhler, Hero Motosports, fueled by Monster Energy, when asked if there’s more pressure on him, because he’s local, to win at the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid in Portugal.
• When asked if there were any sketchy moments during Round 2, Van Beveren said: “Yeah, there’s a lot of water puddles because of the rain. And when you arrive (at extremely high speeds) you are surprised – a Big surprise every time. And you try to pass fast, and hopefully, it’s (the puddles) not so deep. You just need to accept to get wet.”
• Some concern early for the overall WRRC series points leader, Ross Branch (Hero Motosports, fueled by Monster Energy), as not only is the South African struggling a big in this tight, technical terrain (vs. the desert where Ross can dominate), he cut his tongue pretty badly in a crash on Wednesday and was dealing with some swollen glands the night before Stage 2. But word out of Branch’s camp is that he’s feeling better and ready to get after it again on Friday’s Stage 3.
• Said Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy/Honda), the overall BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal points leader after a Prologue and two stages. “Hard day for me (7th on Stage 2). I opened the day with a problem with the ERF (digital compass provided by the FIM) and I had that problem all day. I tried to push hard at the beginning, but it was really, really hard with no visibility. But yeah, I think I push it hard again at the final part of the stage and we are in front in the overall. We are in good position for tomorrow.”
• In Schareina’s defense of the ERF issue he suffered, it was reported that multiple racers (including Monster Energy’s Branch and Buhler, and multiple racers with the BAS/KTM team) had similar issues, with some being able to resolve the issue relatively quickly, while others, like Schareina, dealt with them for longer periods of time during Stage 2.
• 10th place Stage 2 finisher on the day, Monster Energy/Honda’s Pablo Quintanilla, on his Stage 2 result: “More open, but a lot of water with muddy sections today. Many narrow sections, also with some trees. Honestly, it was hard for me to catch the feeling and the confidence that I normally have in the desert. I’m trying to understand the terrain, but it’s very different than what we normally ride. But yeah, one more day on the book without any crashes, and this is important. Keep going 100-percent and we still have a few more days to go.”
• “Long day tomorrow – one of the longest stages. I’m excited to see what the northern part of the country looks like, and going into Spain,” said Howes of Friday’s 373 km Special/242 km Liaison from Grandola, Portugal, to Badajoz, Spain.

FIM World Rally-Raid Championship

BP Ultimate Rally-Raid, Portugal

Day 2 Results

Stage 2

1st - Sebastian Buhler (Monster Energy/Hero)

2nd - Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy/Honda)

Overall

1st - Schareina

2nd - Buhler

3rd - Howes

Up next… The BP Ultimate Rally-Raid in Portugal continues with Friday’s Stage 3, a grueling 373 km Special and 242 km Liaison that runs into northern Portugal and, for the first time in WRRC history, crosses into another country – Spain – for the stage finish. For more info on WRRC, link to: www.worldrallyraidchampionship.com