About the rally
A founding round of the WRC back in 1973, Rally de Portugal is ranked as one of the WRC’s classic events with challenging gravel stages to the east and south of Porto.
Varying road surfaces and changeable weather add to the task facing crews. It’s also extremely popular among fans with enthusiastic spectators following the action in their tens of thousands.
Sandy roads ensure grip is at a premium for the early starters during the first pass through the stages and the surface can degrade to unearth sharp rocks and deep ruts for the second pass. This often requires teams to raise the ride height on their cars to avoid mechanical damage.
Over the years, the rally has received numerous awards, including ‘The Best Rally in the World’ (which it has won five times) and ‘The Most Improved Rally of the Year’ in 2000. Finland’s Markku Alén and France’s Sébastien Ogier top the roll of honour with five wins apiece.
Top 3 Highlights
- The legendary Fafe jump before the finish or the hillsides overlooking the sweeping bends that precede it are a magnet for fans. Unmissable.
- Thursday evening’s opening ceremony in Coimbra. An opportunity to see the drivers, grab an autograph and snatch a selfie before the action kicks off.
- Exploring Porto. A maze of beautiful streets converge on the mighty Douro river, crossed by the iconic metal arch bridge and lined by port houses.
Servicepark
- Based at the Exponor exhibition centre in Matosinhos – the largest in Portugal. Plenty of room outdoors for the manufacturer teams, with smaller service bays accommodated inside.
Event History
- First held in 1967 and one of the founding events in the inaugural 1973 WRC.
- Initially a mixed surface rally, it switched to a pure gravel format but lost its place in the calendar after bad weather ruined the 2001 event.
- Organisers moved from the north to the Algarve holiday region in the south and it regained its place in 2007.
- Moved back to the north in 2015.
- Named ‘Best Rally in the World’ on five occasions.
