With high temperatures forecast for the next few days, it is expected that the water left on the sections by the rain of recent weeks may dry, but leaving the floors more compacted than in last year’s edition.
The fifth event of the World Rally Championship, the Rally of Portugal has the largest list of entries so far in the WRC season, and is also eligible for the Portuguese Rally Championship.
The official departure ceremony is scheduled for 5pm tomorrow on Avenida Conímbriga, in Coimbra, with the “caravan” then moving on to the highly anticipated Figueira da Foz super special.
Thierry Neuville (Hyundai Shell Mobis): “Success in Portugal depends on the same factors as always. We need consistency, a good set-up and confidence in the car. The road conditions and position on the road will also make a huge difference to our performance. When it’s dry, we’ll have more difficulties because everyone knows the stages well. I was pleased with the car in the pre-event test and we have focused on a set-up that will give me the confidence to attack in slippery conditions. My goals are to optimize performance on Friday and Saturday, before trying to get maximum points on Sunday.”
Ott Tänak (Hyundai Shell Mobis): “It’s great to be back on a harder surface. Portugal is very pleasant. It is a fast rally, with high speeds, normally smooth on the first pass and very hard on the second. The contrast between the first and second passage is notable due to the fact that the sections can be very bumpy.”
Sébastien Ogier (Toyota Gazoo Racing): “I am excited to return to Portugal after a year away. It’s a country that I have very good memories of, perhaps a little more from the time when the rally was held in the Algarve. Still, the atmosphere is always great and it’s a rally where we shouldn’t be at a disadvantage with our position on the road, which could perhaps even benefit us a little. It’s my first time competing on dirt in a while, but we had a good test and I’m looking forward to the rally.”
Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota Gazoo Racing): “There are a lot of fans here and a great atmosphere. The stages have excellent characteristics and we have had a lot of success here in the last two years. Of course our aim will be to try to win, but it is never easy. Our position on the road it can help us, but we will have to see how long it takes…”
Dani Sordo (Hyundai Shell Mobis): “I’m very excited to be racing again, especially in Portugal. It’s always a special rally for everyone. Getting the set-up right is key to performing well here. We worked hard in pre-event testing to trying to perfect the tuning so we can do a good job. It’s going to be interesting with a lot of the part-time competitors being so competitive this year.”
