Rally-Raid Portugal: Points of Interest from Stage 1 (Prologue+SS1+SS2) published today

Just look at what is happening at the Portuguese Rally, where the public is only allowed in previously defined areas, the Spectacle Zones, to understand that the coming to Portugal of a World Rally Raid Championship event, the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, this would be accompanied by the FIA’s usual concerns regarding safety, even more so in a country like Portugal where the passion for motor sports is great, particularly off-road.

Knowing that the best TT drivers in the world are in Portugal, it is natural that the public that follows motorsport wants to follow this BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal as best as possible, and knowing this the organization of the event, the Automóvel Club of Portugal has drawn up a demanding safety plan for the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, an unprecedented event with a route of more than 1,700 kilometers. The collaboration of spectators will, as always, be fundamental.

The debut of the World Rally-Raid Championship in Portugal brings the biggest stars and machines of the Dakar to the Iberian Peninsula, but the characteristics of the event also represent an added challenge for the Automóvel Club de Portugal team. There are more than 1,000 kilometers of selective sectors, more than 1,700 kilometers of total route, and a gigantic logistical operation that extends across Alentejo, Ribatejo and Spanish Extremadura.

To give you an idea, Orlando Romana (Event Director) and Jaime Santos (Security Director) have traveled, together, more than 15,000 kilometers on the ground since December, to draw up a security plan that involves more than 400 ACP elements, in conjunction with the GNR, fire brigades and teams from the local authorities involved in the event (municipalities and parish councils).

Joint mission

“Safety is always an absolute priority, but a race like this, with such a long route, forces us to reinforce all resources and try to anticipate as many variables as possible over the course of 1,700 kilometers. It’s not easy”, says Jaime Santos.

“As always, the collaboration of spectators will be fundamental here. We will certainly have many thousands of fans, in Portugal and Spain, but I ask everyone to always respect the orders of the track marshals and security forces, to always place themselves behind the green tape or net, to always maintain a distance safe from the road. Unlike events such as the Rally of Portugal, here we will not have the traditional format Spectacle Zones – we will instead have areas designated as ‘Points of Interest’ for the public, which are places with good access and visibility to a spectacular part of the route. We will have several Points of Interest at each stage, we have a maximum of seven in a single Selective Sector, so people will be able to disperse throughout the race”, revealed the Security Director.

As the route of the Rally-Raids is secret, the Points of Interest for the public will only be revealed approximately 48 hours before each Selective Sector, in accordance with FIA and FIM rules.

In this context, the organization of the Automóvel Club de Portugal defined several Points of Interest for the public in each of the five stages of the race. These locations were chosen taking into account ease of access, safety conditions and good visibility for a section of the route. There will be different Points of Interest in each Selective Sector.

As always, it is very important that racegoers always maintain a safe distance from the road and do not block the corridors used by the organizers and medical teams.

The Points of Interest for each stage will be published on the official website of the race, in the following order:

» Monday, April 1: Stage 1 Points of Interest (Prologue + SS1 + SS2)

» Tuesday, April 2: Stage 2 (SS3) Points of Interest

» Wednesday, April 3: Stage 3 (SS4) Points of Interest

» Thursday, April 4: Stage 4 (SS5) Points of Interest

» Friday, April 5: Stage 5 (SS6) Points of Interest