Ballito’s Guy Botterill powered to a top-5 finish at the second stop of the World Rally-Raid Championship earlier this month.

Alongside Spanish navigator Oriol Mena Valdearcos, Botterill took on the 2 175km BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal from March 17-22. Hosted by Automóvel Club de Portugal, the race took teams through five stages of narrow tracks, deep mud and relentless rain.

The European round marked the Botterill and Mena’s first competitive outing since Dakar 2026, where they finished 14th overall in Saudi Arabia. Once again behind the wheel of their SVR

Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa Hilux, the team adapted well to the vastly different conditions.

“I’m really chuffed – super happy with the result,” said Botterill.

“We had a really good run in difficult conditions. It rained for basically the entire time we were there, but I’m really happy with our performance.”

The duo were consistently competitive throughout the rally, finishing sixth or higher in every stage. Their highlight came in Stage 4, where they briefly took the lead from eventual winner and nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb.

READ: Ballito rally driver Guy Botterill back in action for third Dakar Rally | North Coast Courier

“It was great to race against Sebastien. We matched him sector for sector and were quicker than him,” said Botterill.

However, hopes of a big finish were undone late in the rally, with two punctures in the final stretch.

“We could have been on the podium,” he said.

“However, the car ran faultlessly and the team was amazing, and it’s nice to match yourself against the absolute best in the world.”

The pair will now turn their attention back to home soil, with their next outing scheduled for the three-day Outeniqua Rally-Raid in the Western Cape from May 8-10.

The World Rally-Raid Championship continues in Argentina in late May, before the final two events in Morocco (September) and Abu Dhabi (November). Botterill currently sits eighth in the driver’s standings after Dakar and Portugal.