“I’m ready for the challenge”
CREW FACTS
G.G.
- The Red Bull Off-Road Junior team has enjoyed phenomenal success with four drivers from their first wave of recruitment: Seth Quintero, Cristina Gutiérrez, Mitch Guthrie Jr. and Guillaume de Mévius all finding places in factory T1+ cars for the 2025 Dakar.
- Success that required Red Bull to replenish their ranks with fresh talent – including super-fast Portuguese youngster Gonçalo Guerreiro.
- Gonçalo was born into a racing family with his (very proud) dad being the owner of JB Racing, a Portuguese outfit making chassis and parts of racing SSV.
- Despite his young age, the 24-year-old has built a fearsome reputation in his homeland, helped by victory in the SSV class at the 2022 Portuguese Cross-Country Championship plus three Baja Portalegre 500 wins.
- Guerreiro tasted further SSV glory earlier this year at the Baja España Aragon before being invited to race the Challenger class at the Baja Morocco. It was Guerreiro’s first time racing in the desert and his first time inside the Taurus T3 Max but he more than rose to the challenge, putting his new car on the podium.
- When he's not driving or working, he's home practicing on his driving simulator.
C S
- For the Dakar Gonçalo will be partnered by experienced Brazilian co-driver Cadu Sachs, who will be making his fourth Dakar appearance.
- He made his debut back in 2022 with compatriot Marcelo Gastaldi aboard a Century Racing CR6.
- Then in 2023 Cadu co-drove for Brazil’s first female Dakar car competitor Pamela Bozzano.
- Then in 2024 he was back alongside Marcelo, in a Taurus T3 run by BBR, finishing 7th overall.
- Although Goncalo and Cadu haven’t had a chance to race their car together yet, they were able to get to know each other on this year’s Rallye du Maroc.
2025 AMBITIONS
G.G.: “I started driving cars at 17 years old, it’s a passion I share with my dad. It’s been six years now and I’m proud of my journey so far. I was Portuguese champion in 2022 and after that I moved to FIA races. This year I raced the Baja Morocco and I finished second overall. After the race we stayed in Morocco to do some more testing with the Taurus T3 Max with our focus switching to the Dakar. The Dakar is a big adventure and I’m ready for the challenge. My goal for the coming years is to keep racing the Dakar and to one day be the champion.”
C S: “I’m very excited to join the Red Bull Off-Road Junior team programme. Gonçalo is super-fast, Aa very good mechanic and a good guy. It is a great opportunity with a great team and I am also delighted to able to continue racing the same vehicle I raced on the last Dakar.”
