Pedro Bianchi Prata makes his debut in the 100% electric Strix at a World Championship race

Pedro Bianchi Prata successfully completed the prologue of the BP Ultimate Rali Raid Portugal, an event organised by the Automobile Club of Portugal (ACP), which took place in the early afternoon in Grândola. The stage comprised just 3 timed kilometres and marked the start of the second round of the World Rally-Raid Championship, bringing together some of the world’s best drivers in the discipline in Portugal.

Following his participation in the Baja Montes Alentejanos, where he made his debut at the controls of an STRiX – an electric motorbike from a new-generation European manufacturer – Pedro Bianchi Prata lined up at the start of this event with a renewed focus on the evolution of electric mobility in competition. The main objective of the project is to compete in the 2027 Dakar Rally, with the rider aiming to fight for victory in the Mission 1000 category on a 100% electric motorcycle.

At the end of the prologue, the Portuguese rider, who finished 29th overall in a race bringing together the world’s rally raid elite, expressed his pride at competing on home soil: “We’re at the Rally Raid de Portugal. This is the most important race of the year on the national scene, where all the World Championship riders come. For me, it is a great source of pride and an honour to be at the start of this race. “Thank you to the ACP for their support and for doing everything possible to bring an event of this calibre to Portugal,” revealed Pedro Bianchi Prata, who, before the start of the race, carried out important tests for the electric project: “In the days leading up to the race, we were testing some of the bike’s components, namely new batteries that arrived from Strix, accompanied by engineers to test the bike. The aim of our participation in this race is to test and continue developing the bike with the clear objective of competing in the 2027 Dakar Rally.”

Pedro Bianchi Prata is taking part in this race without high expectations regarding results, as the main objective is to continue improving the electric bike, but he is enthusiastic about the work he can carry out: “The prologue began today. I was the first motorbike to enter the prologue. It was spectacular, with a large crowd watching and very well organised. Tomorrow the race itself begins. Our aim is, every day, to cover kilometres and test new things on the motorbike. We’re not thinking about any results. There isn’t even a class for us; there’s no category. We’re in an experimental category, something unique: a 100% electric motorbike competing in the World Rally Raid Championship. So, every day we’ll be testing new solutions on the bike, getting as far as possible and covering as many kilometres as possible. We have no expectations whatsoever regarding the result. It’s going to be a long week of hard work. “I’d like to thank all the sponsors, Strix for trusting me with this work that’s so important for the brand, and Moeve for believing in this electric project,” revealed the rider at the end of the prologue.

The BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal continues tomorrow with the first stage around Grândola, featuring a 180 km timed special stage and 46 km of liaison.

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