Lifting dust in a speed rally costs R$ 17,000 and there is even a line

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Accelerating on dirt roads, overcoming obstacles such as quagmire and fearlessly passing through holes and rocks seem like distant adventures for participants in events such as the Sertões International Rally.

Even for those who travel in a 4×4 to places like the Jalapão Desert (TO), the Canastra Mountains (MG) or Cassino Beach (RS), the emotion is another.

It’s also not the same as wading through mud in a jeep.

While it is possible to take a beautiful trip to the wilderness in a conventional four-wheel drive car and tackle the trails with old, strong vehicles, a speed rally requires extra factory and crew preparation — and therefore more money.

Being part of the select club of rally drivers is expensive. It is a sport that, unless the driver is an influencer with a long list of followers, will hardly be able to afford sponsorships.

But you can already taste the dust without all the investment necessary to become a rally driver, or even taste it to make sure you like the sport.

It is possible to participate in one of the stages of the Mitsubishi Cup, one of the biggest cross country speed rallies in Brazil, for R$ 17 thousand. The value is prohibitive for most, but it encompasses all the costs that the sport involves, from the glove to the helmet, from the car to the mechanics team.

“We started with a car [ofertado]. There was a lot of demand and now we have four, and we have a waiting list”, says Guiga Spinelli, five-time champion driver of the Sertões Rally and director of Spinelli Racing, a partner company of the automaker in the organization of the Mitsubishi Cup and which offers car rental for the proof.

It is possible to participate in one competition per year. The cars are homologated by the Brazilian Automobile Confederation and meet the norms of the International Automobile Federation, says Spinelli. Those who hire the service are also entitled to pilot training with it.

The reporter participated, by invitation, in a stage of the Mitsubishi Cup, in an L200 Triton R (Spinelli Racing offers the Outlander Sport R), held in Mogi Guaçu (SP), in September. Although he did not officially participate in the championship, he was offered the same route as the professional pilots.

Running the three laps of 31 km each seemed an easy task for anyone who had already driven a 4×4 through the Jalapão desert or on the roads of the Santa Catarina mountains. The first lap, however, already showed that the car was a race car, not a touring car, and that things were a little different.

The bucket seat and five-point seat belt prevent any movement beyond what is necessary to steer the car. The exchange works slightly differently; a panel indicates the exact moment to change gears to take full advantage of the engine, which starts more easily. The car passes through obstacles with ease, but for a first-time driver, it’s hard to accelerate hard.

On the second lap there is already more control of the car, the tension of the tight turns decreases and the speed increases, the holes and cow ribs on the track seem smaller, the driving time decreases. All under the precise guidance of the navigator, whether on the route or on the best use of the vehicle.

It’s the navigator who warns you of a sharp left turn at 50 meters, a sharp descent at 200 meters, a straightaway that you can take advantage of and step deep — and deep, it’s really deep. After all, it’s a race.

The prepared car is very safe and allows the driver to do in that controlled environment what he cannot do outside the race track. The fun is great.

Until it’s time for the third lap, and the body discovers that motorsport is also a sport and, therefore, requires the corresponding physical preparation. The third round was for the professionals.

The expenses that a driver has in each Mitsubishi Cup race range from R$10,000 to R$20,000, according to participants and organizers, not including the car. There are included sets of tires, maintenance, parts, transport and staff per diem, among others.

And, for those who think it’s enough to buy a used 4×4 and prepare it to join in this game, better do the math. Homologated tests require factory-prepared vehicles, and there are few of them out there. In the select club of rally runners, whoever has one of these doesn’t sell it.

Mitsubishi’s last prepared models, for example, had been produced in 2017, with all safety features included. In December, the automaker announced a new batch of just ten rally-ready L200 Triton Sport R units, for around R$350,000.

The truck comes standard with adaptations in items such as shock absorbers, springs and tires to face bumpy roads at high speed and engine reprogramming to deliver more power.

To be lighter, the model loses practically all the internal finish and the original seats. The glass on the doors is replaced by acrylic, and protection bars —the popular Santantônio— provide more protection in the event of an accident.

The car is approved for all rallies of the genre, including the Sertões.

The reporter traveled at the invitation of Mitsubishi

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