Català
- The driver from Lleida, alongside Jaume Betriu, claimed victory in the Baja Dubai among the Challenger competitors in the championship, securing his first world title.
- In the overall final standings, Pons climbed to the third step of the podium, capping off a season that proved to be both fiercely contested and highly successful.
- “It has been a very tough year, both physically and mentally. Winning the world title in the final minutes, and in our rival’s home turf, is an enormous satisfaction.”
Epic End to the Season for Eduard Pons in the FIA Bajas World Cup
The driver from Lleida, together with an impeccable Jaume Betriu handling navigation, was crowned world champion in the Challenger category after an exciting victory over the championship contenders at the Baja Dubai. This triumph, sealed in the final kilometers of the race, also secured him third place in the overall standings, allowing him to close out a season to remember.
The Lleida native entered the season’s final race as a co-leader, tied at 187 points with his main rival for the title, Khalid Al-Jafla, who was competing at home and had shown strong competitiveness in recent events held in the Arabian Peninsula. Despite the pressure, Pons once again demonstrated his consistency and ability to adapt to all types of terrain. He maintained significant speed and raced intelligently behind the wheel of his Taurus T3 Max from the Nasser Racing team over the 394 timed kilometers, which combined dirt tracks, open desert, and the Dubai dunes.
The meeting began on Friday with the prologue, setting the stage for the two days that followed. Saturday proved challenging, marked by an error in the navigation system that indicated a speed limit of 30 km/h in one section, a limit adhered to by only a few drivers, including Pons. Subsequently, the times were partially adjusted, but not fully. As a result, Pons and Betriu finished the first stage in second place among the Challenger competitors, just behind Al-Jafla.
“This issue penalized us significantly, as we lost around four minutes. Part of the time was returned to us, but not all, which meant we started Sunday’s stage on nearly equal footing, with everything to play for,” explained Pons.
The Decisive Second Stage
The second stage was pivotal. The Lleida duo went all out for the win. The battle remained close until the final 20 kilometers, when an error by Al-Jafla, who ended up overturning, allowed Pons to cross the finish line as the Challenger category winner among the championship contenders. This result not only secured him the title but also solidified his place on the overall podium of the FIA Bajas World Cup.
This victory marked the end of a hard-fought season for Eduard Pons, which began with challenges after retiring from the first race due to technical issues. However, the Catalan driver showed remarkable progress, achieving an outright victory in the next round, the Baja Greece, along with two wins among the Challenger competitors and two podium finishes.
“It has been a very tough season, both physically and mentally. Winning the world title in the final minutes, and on our rival’s home turf, is an enormous satisfaction. It has been a long championship with eight rounds, three of them within just one month, but we maintained focus and competitiveness throughout,” Pons reflected.
Looking Ahead to the 2025 Dakar Rally
The team also successfully achieved their goal of preparing for the 2025 Dakar Rally, set to take place from January 3 to 17. Behind the wheel of their Taurus T3 Max from Nasser Racing, Pons and Betriu are ready to face the world’s toughest rally-raid challenge.
“We have proven that we have the speed, endurance, and ability to handle pressure. This gives us a lot of confidence heading into the next Dakar. Additionally, we’ve gathered crucial information to optimize the car. We are very happy and grateful to the team and to Nasser’s recommendations, which have been instrumental in this final phase of the season,” concluded Pons.
