The 54th edition of the Portugal Rally, the fourth race of the World Championships, takes off on the road today, with drivers facing 122.88 kilometers on time, divided into eight specials.
At the start of the race, which continues until Sunday, all the departments in the center of the country are “engineered”, with the exception of the latter, the Lousada super-special.
The first 79 participants leave at 6:30 AM from Porta Feria, in Coimbra, starting with the first timed section, in Lusa, at 8:08 am. The Góis division follows at 9:08 AM, before the Arganil division, an hour later.
The second lane begins through these three sections at 12:31. Drivers arrive in Mortágua at 16:05, a division that has returned to the rally after 20 years of its last appearance.
The day ends in Losada, with the dispute over the superstar 3.36 km, starting at 19:03.
French Sebastian Augier (Toyota Yaris) arrives in Portugal at the top of the tournament with 61 points after three stages, eight points behind runner-up Thierry Nouvel (Hyundai i20).
Among the Portuguese ‘Armada’, the highlights of the Algarve were Ricardo Teodosio (Skoda Fabia), leader of the national championship after the first round, and Armendo Araujo (Skoda Fabia), the national champion in the title.
Portuguese soccer coach Andre Velas Boa, former coach of Porto, Tottenham, Chelsea and Marseille, among others, will make his debut at the World Rally Championship, behind the wheel of a Citroen C3.
“Food fanatic. Organizer. Hipster-friendly tv specialist. Avid reader. Devoted web ninja.”
