Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team: youth power and a baby shower

January 1 ^st 2025 - 21:50 [GMT + 3]

Red Bull started to nurture Quintero, Gutiérrez, Guthrie and De Mévius in 2022, and now, they have all spread their wings and flown to Ultimate. A new batch consisting of Corbin Leaverton and Gonçalo Guerreiro are ready to learn the ropes in Challenger.

It is a tried-and-tested formula. Since 2019, Red Bull has boldly invested in developing young talent through its dedicated Dakar training programme, immersing rookies in the Challenger class to master the art of top-flight racing. The production line keeps churning out champions such as Guillaume de Mévius, Seth Quintero, Mitch Guthrie and Cristina Gutiérrez, all now contenders in the Ultimate class. For the 2025 cohort, two Taurus T3 Max vehicles have been entrusted to Gonçalo Guerreiro and Corbin Leaverton, both fully aware of the incredible opportunity awaiting them in Saudi Arabia. The 24-year-old Portuguese driver, who has already turned heads on the European bajas circuit, did not stumble onto the Dakar by chance: "I come from a family of enthusiasts. I remember watching the Dakar back in 2007 near Portimão, even if the memories are a bit fuzzy. I always knew I'd line up for this someday, but I never imagined it would happen so soon". After quietly being invited to a selection process in Morocco in September, he had to wait until November to get the call confirming his spot. The same goes for Corbin Leaverton, who received the good news at his home in California. "It was a very special moment because I felt the tests had gone well, but there was another major consideration: my wife is pregnant and due to deliver our first child on 19 January." For the soon-to-be father, 2025 is shaping up to be a milestone year, with two major goals on the horizon. "The Dakar is a massive challenge, so the main goal is just to finish. I've only known about the race since I started competing and, of course, since I started following the performances of my buddy Seth Quintero, who I've often raced with in the past. I know this is the chance of a lifetime."