After a setback that delayed Alexandre Pinto and Bernardo Oliveira yesterday, the Old Friends Rally Team duo delivered a flawless performance today at the South African Safari Rally by winning the SSV category in the grueling and demanding marathon stage—the longest of this edition—and securing the maximum points for the W2RC, where both driver and co-driver lead their class.
“We started at a conservative pace since we had 600 km ahead of us and no support today, as it was the marathon stage. We kept a steady rhythm, avoided mistakes, stayed consistent from start to finish, and the result came. We’re taking it stage by stage. We’re aiming to score as many points as possible for the Championship, and we hope to have more days like today until the end of the rally so we can leave here in the best position possible in the standings,” said Alexandre Pinto, who, behind the wheel of a Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR, completed the 357 km timed section of the second stage of the South African Safari Rally in 3h46m55s. The route featured savannah crossings, fast tracks, and several off-road sections that put navigation skills to the test. As this was a marathon stage, competitors were not allowed any external mechanical assistance.
Tomorrow, competitors face the third stage of the South African Safari Rally, which will be the second half of the marathon stage. The convoy will depart from Marathon Camp and head toward Sun City. A total of 246 km will be raced against the clock on terrain similar to the previous stage, including savannah areas, dirt roads, and heavy navigation challenges.
More information about the South African Safari Rally: https://sasafarirally.co.za/
Automatic / IA translation of the Portuguese version
Source: Old Friends Rally Team / A2 Comunicação
