Benediktas Vanagas‘ Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+, nicknamed “BlackHawk”, did not have the best start to 2023 when he crashed out after four stages, but its return to action came on a high note even without its usual driver behind the wheel. Last weekend, Vanagas entrusted BlackHawk to João Ramos for the Portugal All-Terrain Championship‘s (Campeonato Portugal de Todo-o-terreno, CPTT) season opener, the Baja TT Montes Alentejanos, and he delivered the victory despite his lack of experience with the new truck.
Although Ramos has raced a Hilux in the past, 2023 marked his first foray in the upgraded T1+ model. The Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+ is perhaps the top rally raid vehicle today, having won back-to-back Dakar Rallies and the 2022 World Rally-Raid Championship in T1 with Nasser Al-Attiyah; Al-Attiyah also claimed three FIA World Cups for Cross-Country Rallies and the 2019 Dakar Rally in the Hilux. Understandably, its successes have made it a popular truck of choice for drivers hoping to compete in T1+, and multiple including Vanagas made the switch for the 2023 Dakar Rally (a privateer-friendly version built by WCT Engineering will also be available for 2024).
“BlackHawk” was rechristened “Dama Negra” (“Black Lady”) under Ramos’ guidance. Ramos and co-driver Pedro Ré won both stages of the Montes Alentejanos with a time of 3:34:23., ahead of Toyota Hilux T1 driver Tiago Reis by a minute and fifty-six seconds.
“This test was a full one given our little knowledge of this new car,” said Ramos. “It is completely different and has more difficult particularities. But, above all, it requires kilometres and adaptation. My objective for this race was to finish and it was fulfilled. Of course, winning all the stages was the icing on the cake.”
According to Vanagas, the Hilux will return to Portugal for the second CPTT round, the Baja TT Dehesa Extremadura, on 15/16; it is also the first race of the FIA European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas. Ramos quipped he will keep BlackHawk “as if it were mine”, prompting Vanagas to respond to not “drive (it) too much”.
While Vanagas’ footprint at the Baja TT Montes Alentejanos was limited to his truck, a more direct tie to the Dakar Rally came in Ricardo Porém. Porém led a Yamaha podium sweep of the T3 category in Dakar’s Stage #11 and would finish twelfth overall in class.
For the CPTT opener, however, Porém decided to ride shotgun for the first time as navigator on the Mini All4 of Maria Luís Gameiro. With Porém calling the shots, the two placed sixteenth overall and ninth in T1 with a total time of 3:58:11.
“First race of the Portugal All-Terrain Championship and first great experience as a navigator,” wrote Porém. “The main goal of the race was to be able to contribute to the growth of @marialuis_tt as a pilot, but that turned into a lot of fun and mutual learning moments.
“I finished this race with a more realistic sense of the hard and demanding work a navigator goes into a race car. Loved the experience but still prefer the steering wheel side.”
