Regardless of main the Portuguese Cross-Nation Championship (CPTT) standings within the T8 class, Nuno Matos will change to the T3 class for the remainder of the season in a really distinctive car. Though T3 is for Mild Prototype side-by-side autos, he intends to enter the division with a closely modified Volkswagen Amarok dubbed the Volkswagen Amarok PROTO.
The Amarok is a pickup truck whose rally raid expertise is principally within the T1 and T2 classes for prototype vehicles and manufacturing autos, respectively. It first appeared on the Dakar Rally in 2010 to drive Volkwagen Motorsport’s help crews earlier than it even arrived in showrooms. In 2018, Hennie de Klerk was the very best ending rookie on the Dakar Rally in an Amarok, which he continued to race in home occasions in his native South Africa earlier than switching to a Toyota Hilux for 2023. Miguel Casaca at present pilots an Amarok within the CPTT’s T1 class.
Matos’ Amarok PROTO, totally developed in Portugal and has a manufacturing facility engine from Volkswagen, will make its début on the Baja TT Sharish Gin on 22–24 September. The ultimate two races, the Baja TT Oeste and Baja Portalgre 500, are respectively scheduled for six–8 October and 27/28 October.
Previous to switching to T3, Matos had been atop the T8 standings in an Opel Mokka Proto. He gained the Baja TT Norte de Portugal in Could to take the factors lead, which he’ll now give up as he commits to his new class. Ricardo Claro will stay his co-driver.
“Naturally, it’s with nice remorse that we go away behind the work we did to be on the entrance of the T8 class, however in fact this was a really attention-grabbing alternative for us enthusiastic about the long run, and we needed to seize it tooth and nail,” Matos commented. “The struggle within the T8 class was attending to be very attention-grabbing and that’s why we all know the title can be in good fingers.
“It’s a large delight for us to current this car, a Volkswagen Amarok PROTO, which is 100% aligned with our off-road journey and which we consider can be aggressive. This car has very explicit traits that the general public will quickly get to know, with the complete group working arduous to be current, within the fifth spherical of the Portuguese Off-Highway Championship, the Baja TT Sharish Reguengos. We’re very excited concerning the problem and really grateful to all our companions who, as soon as once more, trusted us and supported this challenge.”
