Biggest field ever in Rally Portugal
John Floyd
Tomorrow’s sixth round of the World Rally Championship, the Vodafone Portuguese Rally, marks the 50th anniversary of the event and has attracted the largest field ever.
Guimarães, in the north-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, is the starting point of a rally covering 1 529 km with 19 special stages totalling 349km.
Ford M-Sport’s Sebastien Ogier holds onto his lead with 102 points, to Toyota’s Jari-Matti Latvala’s 86 and Thierry Neuville of Hyundai Motorsport on 84. Just 22 points separates the M-Sport WRT from Hyundai Motorsport, with the Ford team on 162.
Toyota Gazoo Racing holds third with 99 points and Citroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT bring up the rear on 71 points.
A total of 65 cars are scheduled to start, with 14 meeting the latest WRC specification.
M-Sport will run Sebastien Ogier, Ott Tanak and Elfyn Evans who will be joined by Mads Ostberg.
Toyota’s line up will be expanded by Esapekka Lappi for a three car team with Citroen adding a fourth car for Khalid Al Qassimi.
Hyundai enters its usual line up of Neuville, Hayden Paddon and Dani Sordo.
Three pre 2017 WRC cars will be in the hands of Valeriy Gorbham, Jean-Michel Raoux and Martin Prokop.
Gorban will pilot a MINI and Prokop a Ford, with Raoux behind the wheel of a Citroen.
Sunday will be a highlight for many spectators as they flock to the infamous Fafe stage for two competitive runs featuring one of the highest jumps on the rally calendar.
Portugal is always a crowd pleaser and is respected by the teams.
Who will top the podium on Sunday is anyone’s guess.