Cristian Baumgart and Beco Andreotti are close to make a dream come true. However, they have to face this Saturday the longest 240 kilometers of their lives. The NWM-X Rally Team duo leads the T1 FIA class overall standings with a 45-minute margin over the second-placed pair with only one stage to reach the city of Palmas.
It is X Rally Teams 17th participation at the Rally dos Sertões, the longest and most grueling off-road competition in Brazil. Yesterday, they faced the Monster of Jalapão myth over a 515-km stage; they had to stop to change the CV boot in their car - counting on the team spirit and sportsmanship of Lance Woolrigde and Marcelo Haseyama, who parked to help the Brazilian pair.
"Yesterday we experienced the tensest day of our lives driving a rally car", stated Cristian. "I have never felt that amount of pressure of standing on the lead. I think it is easier trying to catch the leaders than to sustain the lead", said Beco.
The help provided by Woolridge and Haseyama had a cost. They dropped from second to third place overall with the NWM-Ford Performance Ford Ranger #333. While Baumgart and Andreotti plan to cruise through a clean and smooth stage, Lance and Marcelo will push hard to recover the second spot to close a Ford 1-2 overall. The South-African-Brazilian duo is only nine seconds behind Mitsubishis Guilherme Spinelli/Youssef Haddad.
It is Lances first international appearance of his career, after staying one year out of racing due to a back surgery in South Africa that kept him away from the cockpit. "Ive been really enjoying this rally. It is difficult, but at the same time very pleasant to drive through. On the final day, we are going to go flat out to get that second place back. It is only a nine-second gap, so we are going to push", said Lance.
Neil Woolridge made a comparison on his third Rally dos Sertões experience. Since 2014, the organization run by the South-African rally legend have been assisting the Baumgart brothers X Rally Team with the NWM-Ford Performance Ford Rangers.
"It has been a tough rally. It is our third here, and for sure, this is the most grueling of all we have been into. The first two years were easy compared to this one. But it is good, it represents a nice challenge. The cars have been good. The marathon stage in Jalapão was a big test for us and the team are working tremendously well and united. It is a dream for all of us at NWM Motorsport and X Rally Team. So, its been a great learning in terms of logistics, organization, and an honor as well to work with this fantastic group of people. Motorsport can be cruel sometimes, so we just have to keep our heads down until the end of the rally", he stated.
The cars leave the camp in Ponte Alta this Saturday after 1:30pm (Brazilian time) heading to Palmas traveling for 191 kilometers of a 243 total, finishing the 3,212-km challenge in the heart of Brazil.
OVERALL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 6:
1º) Cristian Baumgart/Beco Andreotti - 26h38min53s
2º) Guilherme Spinelli/Youssef Haddad, 27h24min31s (+45min38s)
3º) Lance Woolridge/Marcelo Haseyama - 27h24min40s (+45min47s)
THE FINAL STAGE:
10/09 - Round 7
Ponte Alta (TO) - Palmas (TO)
Stage: 191,54 km
Total: 243,61 km
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Instagram Account: @nwmsport
FURTHER INFORMATION IN BRAZIL
P1 Media Relations
CLEBER BERNUCI, Press Officer
+55 (19) 992 222 517
cleber@xrallyteam.com.br
FURTHER INFORMATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
Mileman Media
+27 (82) 897 6145
COLIN MILEMAN, Press Officer
colin@milemanmedia.co.za
