New WRC cars make their debut at the Rally de Portugal with a record number of entries
First World Rally race of the year on land celebrates 50 years of the WRC
The Rally de Portugal officially introduced itself to 2022 and this year’s edition is marked by several milestones: from the number of entries, to the presence of three world champions, to the stage for the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the WRC that will be mounted in Portugal.
With the new Rally1 hybrid cars making their 2022 debut, the organization of the Portuguese event, the fourth in the championship, which will take place between May 19 and 22 in the north and center of the country, highlighted many and illustrious drivers.
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“With 100 teams registered – the highest number in WRC events this year -, three world champions – Sébastien Ogier (Toyota), Sébastien Loeb (Ford) and Ott Tanak (Hyundai) – and the three candidate teams for the world – Toyota Gazzo Racing WRT, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT and M-Sport Ford WRT – expectations are high for the Vodafone Rally de Portugal.”
The place of operations and assistance park of the teams will be based at Exponor de Matosinhos and it is on Thursday the 19th that Shakedown will have Baltar, Paredes. On the same day, the Ceremony and the Super will take place in Coimbra: a 3-kilometre-long stage of special extension with urban perimeters starting at 7:03 pm.
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On the 20th of May, a Friday, four emblematic qualifiers in the center of the country will take place: Lousã, Góis, Arganil and Mortágua. Afterwards, the caravan heads north, where, in the late afternoon (7:03 pm), the Lousada Super Special takes place – with a total of 122.88 kilometers of sections.
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Saturday, May 21, the teams face three double passes through the stages of Vieira do Minho, Cabeceiras de Basto and Amarante. The end of the day marked by the Porto Super Special, in Foz, scheduled to start at 19:03 – closing a total of 159.14 timed kilometers.
Fafe’s always spectacular qualifying round is scheduled for the day pass. On Sunday, the 22nd, the drivers will face the sections of Felgueiras, Montim and Fafe, with a total of 58.22 kilometers – and, as in recent years, the second passage through the Fafe stage returns to the status of Stage power.
The Rally de Portugal will also count for the Portuguese Rally Championship (scoring up to PE 9 – the Lousada Super Special) among other championships, but also in the exhibition part that this year’s edition receives special significance.
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The FIA and the WRC promoter chose the Portuguese event to mark the 50th anniversary of the WRC and the ACP responded to some of them by bringing a real living museum to cars from the history of the World Rally Championship: such as the Fiat 131 Abarth, the Alpine-Renault A110 , the Lancia Rally 037, the Lancia Delta S4, the Lancia Delta Integrale, the Opel Ascona 400 or the Audi Quattro, for example, are some of the examples that will be on permanent display at Exponor (Matosinhos), with free access.
Like this show, many of these models will also be marked in Portugal by legends, including Markku Alén, Marcus Grönholm, Carlos Sainz, Miki Biasion, Walter Röhrl, Ari Vatanen, por.
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The Portugal Rally is the fourth of the World Rally Championship which is proven by Kalle Rovanper from (Toyota)