The debut of a superspecial in Figueira da Foz, at the end of Friday, is the main novelty of the 56th edition of Rally de Portugal, the fifth race of the World Championship, which takes place this weekend.
The Figueira section replaces the usual one on the streets of Coimbra, which, even so, hosts an autograph session for the drivers starting at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and the official start of the rally, which will take place at 8:30 p.m., in the emblematic Porta Férrea of the University of Coimbra.
On Friday morning, also from Coimbra, the competitors set out for the double passes through the stages of Lousã (12.03 km), Góis (19.33 km) and Arganil (18.72 km), and the pass through Mortágua ( 18.15 km), before the debut of the super special stage in Figueira da Foz.
After going through the central region of the country, the competitors head, on Saturday and Sunday, to the north and to the sections of Vieira do Minho (26.61 km), Amarante (37.24 km) and Felgueiras (8.91 km), which also receive double entries, before the popular Lousada superspecial, on the Costilha track, ending the second day of competition.
On Sunday, there is still the Paredes stage, which precedes the first pass through the Fafe special (11.18 km) and the Cabeceiras de Basto stage (22.23 km).
The last special, under the Power Stage regime (with 15 extra points for the five fastest), is held again in Fafe.
As usual, the arrival of the competitors takes place on the picturesque coastal road of Matosinhos, a few kilometers from the rally’s operational center, at Exponor.
The Rally de Portugal, which will take place between May 11 and 14, will cover 329.06 timed kilometers, over a total of 1,636.25 kilometers in the center and north of the country, in 19 stages.
This edition of the race is organized by the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), with the largest list of entries in the WRC: around 90 teams.
Source: TSF
