Ventura and Campbell aim to continue Dakar momentum at Rally-Raid Portugal
The Monster Energy Honda HRC Rally 2 pairing of Martim Ventura and Preston Campbell head to Portugal following impressive performances at the Dakar Rally and will be aiming to carry that momentum into the next round of the World Rally-Raid Championship.
With the rally beginning on 17th March with a short prologue in Grândola, Portugal, competitors will cover just over 2,000 kilometres across six days of racing. The event is known for its challenging high-speed gravel terrain combined with technical navigation, with the route also crossing into Spain before heading south to the finish in the Algarve.
As the home rider, Martim Ventura will be looking forward to strong support from local fans. The Portuguese rider secured his first World Rally-Raid Championship stage victory at the 2025 edition of the event on his debut with Honda and arrives in confident form after finishing third at his first Dakar Rally earlier this year. Competing on the Honda CRF450 RX RALLY, Ventura will be one to watch as he takes on the rally on home soil.
Preston Campbell also arrives in Portugal in strong form after finishing runner-up in the Rally 2 category at the Dakar Rally. The young American expects to relish the change of terrain presented by Rally-Raid Portugal and encouraged by his impressive start to the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship season, will also be aiming to challenge for victory in the Rally 2 class.
The team is now set for the opening action of the rally, with tomorrow’s five-kilometre gravel prologue taking place in front of fans in Grândola, just a short distance from the bivouac.
Ruben Faria
The team is fully set up at Grândola, with shakedowns completed and all bikes ready. The riders are feeling confident and prepared for the challenge ahead. Rally Raid Portugal offers a very different type of terrain compared to Dakar and the Portuguese landscape makes this event both demanding and highly enjoyable for the riders.
Tomorrow’s prologue will be short and achieving a strong prologue result is therefore an important target for the team.
Martim Ventura 84
I’m super happy to be here in Portugal after Dakar. I feel good, I feel at home, I love the people, so I expect it to be a super good week, so let’s go.
Preston Campbell 85
After Dakar I went home, took a rest, then did some training and a couple of local races. I’m super excited to be here, my second time in Portugal. I have a little more experience so I know what to expect this year, it seems like it’s possibly going to be wet, but I’m ready to get the race underway tomorrow.
Location Information
Portugal - View in Google Maps
