Three members of Poland’s Goczal family made motor sport history in the UAE, driving South Racing-built and run Can-Am Maverick X3s to the top three overall places at the Dubai International Baja, the final round of the 2022 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas.
Running under the Energylandia Rally Team banner, Marek, Michal and Eryk Goczal were partnered by Pole Maciej Marton, Frenchman François Cazalet and Spaniard Oriol Mena respectively.
They dominated T4, with young Eryk winning outright by 49 seconds on his desert debut from Michal and Marek. It was the first time three T4 cars had filled the top three places on a major event on the FIA calendar, a testament to the Can-Am’s competitiveness in demanding desert terrain.
Al-Thefiri takes T4 crown
South Racing Can-Am Team’s Meshari Al-Thefiri beat team-mate Cristiano de Sousa Batista to the T4 Championship title, with South Racing Can-Ams filling the top six places in the class in Dubai.
De Sousa Batista and Al-Thefiri were separated by a single point going into the two-day finale in Dubai’s Al Qudra desert. Al-Thefiri and co-driver Oriol Vidal finished fourth to take the extra points and overhaul sixth-placed De Sousa Batista, co-driven by Fausto Mota. Dutchman Kees Koolen was fifth with compatriot Wouter Rosegaar reading the road book.
It was a tough year. We could not go to Jordan but there were many races and many hours in a ‘plane from Brazil to the races and many hours of work. This weekend in Dubai was good and we were much better in the dunes today. It was good experience for the Dakar.
Cristiano de Sousa Batista
Alvarez seals third in Drivers’ standings
Fernando Alvarez had already secured the FIA World Cup T3 title, and the Spaniard and French co-driver Xavier Panseri confirmed third in the overall Drivers’ Championship by finishing seventh overall and winning T3 in their Conarpesa-backed Can-Am.
It was a good final day without any problems and we are third overall in all the cars in the championship. We are really happy for this. Now we go and wait for the Dakar. I go back to Argentina and then all the way back to Bologna for the FIA ceremony to collect my trophy!
Fernando Alvarez
Saudi Arabia’s Dania Akeel, second in the T3 Championship behind Alvarez, was ninth overall and second in T3 with Uruguay’s Sergio Lafuente navigating.
Fellow Saudi Mashael Al-Obaidan, partnered by Italy’s Paulo Ceci, finished fourth in T3 after first-day suspension damage, with Dutchwoman Anja van Loon and Ukraine’s Dmytro Tsyro fifth.
Eduard Pons and Mónica Plaza Vasquez picked up a series of time penalties on the final day but reached the finish in their T4 South Racing Can-Am, while Spaniards Antonio Marmolejo and Ariel Jaton finished eighth in T4 in a fifth South Racing Can-Am after on-stage delays.
South Racing Can-Am Team completed a grand slam of four titles by also winning the FIA World Cup Teams’ and T4 titles.
Finally we get to the end of the season in Dubai and a great location in Dubai Festival City. It was another strong result for the team. It has been a long season for everyone with ups and downs along the way. In the end, we were able to take home the T3 World Cup with Fernando and the T4 World Cup. It has been a hard-fought year and a big thanks goes out to all our team and our drivers for putting their trust in us over the course of the season.
Scott Abraham, South Racing Can-Am Team
As it happened
Alvarez and Michal Goczal topped T3 and T4 on the opening 194.40km selective section, which started from Al-Lisaili on the Dubai to Al Ain highway and crossed the demanding Al Qudra desert.
Alvarez led Akeel by 75 seconds in T3 until he was later hit with 15 minutes of penalties for missing a route waypoint, while Michal Goczal headed a family 1-2-3 from Eryk and Marek with an unofficial overnight lead of 5min 35sec. Al-Obaidan was penalised after damaging her suspension in the stage.
It was more difficult than we expected. It was nice and we did well. The only problem was that we broke the belt and had to stop to change it. The broken one was difficult to take off. We lost some time there. Tomorrow, the same stage in reverse.
Fernando Alvarez
This was the first stage of my life. I must say I was a little bit scared to start. Everybody say it was going to be really difficult. Nobody said it would be so fun. We did a great job and no margin of mistake in the navigation. This is just preparation for the Dakar.
Eryk Goczal
Koolen and Al-Thefiri were just three seconds apart in the fight for fourth, and the Kuwaiti led De Sousa Batista by 27 minutes in the battle for the T4 title.
Several drivers had time returned late on Friday evening because of delayed restarts from the refuelling point, which handed young Eryk Goczal the outright lead and moved Marek ahead of his brother.
The 195.98km second stage reversed the previous day’s route to finish at Al-Lisaili. As the Goczals battled for T4 honours and Al-Thefiri eyed the title, Alvarez beat Akeel to T3 honours once his time penalty was rescinded.
Remarkably, Michal and Eryk Goczal tied to the second on the stage with times of 3hr 48min 58sec, and Eryk had done enough to take a stunning victory from Michal and Marek.
The South Racing Can-Am Team’s 2022 programme was supported by Method Wheels, Tensor Tires, Motul, Bell, Jjuan Brake Systems, Lazer and OMP. Next up for the team is the Dakar Rally, opening round of the 2023 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, with 22 cars at the start in January.