Started in 2021, the YXZ1000R Dakar project achieved success in its inaugural year when Camelia Liparoti and co-driver Annett Fischer claimed second overall in the T3 Lightweight Prototype class before the Italian driver followed this up with sixth overall in the same category in 2022, this time partnered with Xavier Blanco.
This year, the project has grown with seven Yamaha X-raid Yamaha Supported Team crews starting the legendary rally before the withdrawal of Merce Marti (ESP) and Lisette Bakker (NLD) after a crash during Stage 1, plus the introduction of the new, more powerful, X-raid developed Yamaha YXZ1000R Turbo Prototype.
Stage 4 was a loop stage starting and finishing at the bivouac in Ha’il, involving a 94km liaison to the start of the 425km special before another liaison of 58km. The torrential rain that cut short the third stage had made the route trickier than usual, but the sun returned on Wednesday, with temperatures reaching a chilly but dry 16 degrees Celsius.
After a technical issue saw Dakar Rookie Ferreira and his experienced co-driver Palmeiro fail to finish Stage 3 and receive a penalty of 26 hours and 34 minutes, the Portuguese duo attacked the day, which featured a mixture of rocky trails, soft sand and dunes, with nothing to lose.
Starting from 7th, they showed great pace to overtake several cars and finish with a time of five hours, seven minutes, and 44 seconds, just five minutes and 49 seconds behind the overall stage winners, in the process, writing their name in the record books.
On a day that saw the X-raid developed Yamaha YXZ1000R Turbo Prototype come into its own, Ahmed Alkuwari Fahad (QAT) and Manuel Lucchese (ITA) pulled off their best stage finish in their first Dakar driving together to finish in tenth, moving up to 15th overall in the process. They were closely followed by Dakar Legend Liparoti and her co-driver again in 2023, Blanco, who completed the stage in 11th place. At the same time, the Italian’s former co-driver Fischer, alongside Annie Seel, fought back superbly after a tricky opening few days to finish in 13th.
The Chilean pairing of Ignacio Casale, three-time winner of the Quad category at Dakar, and Alvaro Leon were on course to finish the stage in fourth before experiencing some technical issues as they approached the finish line. Carrying out repairs, they managed to finish the stage in 14th and remain the leading Yamaha in the general classification in 11th.
Ricardo Porém (PRT) and Augusto Sanz (ARG) made sure that all six X-raid Yamaha Supported Team crews finished inside the top 15 on a day when the new YXZ1000R Turbo Prototype showed its true colours.
Next up is Stage 5, which once again is a loop stage as the rally stays in Ha’il for another day. Beginning with a 145km liaison, the crews will then take on a 374km special that consists almost entirely of soft sand and dunes before a 130km liaison back to the bivouac.
