The third day of activities at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, held this Thursday (29), would mark another top-4 finish for Brazilian Lucas Moraes. However, the driver of the main Toyota Gazoo Racing team saw his car being consumed by fire at the end of the special stage valid for the World Cross-Country Rally Championship. Despite the great scare, the Brazilian and his navigator, Spaniard Armand Monleón, emerged unharmed.
In yet another consistent performance, the two-time champion of the Rally dos Sertões, who competes in the World Cup with the support of Red Bull, Repsol, Strava, Oakley, Zapalla – in addition to having led the Brazilian tire brand SpeedMax to sponsor the Dakar champion team, the 251 km sand route in Mzeer’ah, which included a “cord” of dunes in the final straight, alongside navigator Armand Moleón.
The flames began to rise a few meters before the line that determined the end of the race. Moraes and Moléon jumped out of the car immediately, suffering no injuries. The event forced the withdrawal of the race.
The next stage of the World Rally Championship is scheduled between April 2nd and 7th, based in Portugal. Over 1000 km, competitors will pass through the beaches of Alentejo, the trails of Ribatejo and the rocky soil of Extremadura, the Spanish coast.