From the 30th of May to the 2nd of June, all rally lovers can enjoy the world-renowned 2019 WRC Rally de Portugal. This famous rally features WRC and WRC2 cars, with soft or hard ground suspensions that help the driver during the high-speed race.
The rally was held for the first time in 1967 and was one of the first WRC rallies to be organised. In the beginning, the cars would race across a mix of paved roads but, these days, the race takes place on dirt trails. This type of ground makes the race more exciting, however, there is one drawback: due to bad weather the race can be cancelled, which was the case in 2001, when the rally lost its place in the world calendar. This year, the Rally celebrates its 53rd edition.
It has been named “The Best Rally in the World” five times and its popularity just keeps on growing. This year’s programme includes a 909.4-mile (1,463.55-km) circuit with 20 timed qualifiers. The “shakedown” will take place on the 30th of May at the Baltar circuit, in Paredes, and the official start will be made from the Iron Gate (“Porta Férrea”) of the University of Coimbra.
There are scheduled stops in Coimbra, Lousã, Góis, Arganil and Lousada on the 31st May. The next day the Rally goes to the north of the country, with qualifiers in Vieira do Minho, Cabeceiras de Basto, Amarante and Vila Nova de Gaia. Finally, on the 2nd of June, Montim, Fafe and Luílhas receive the final qualifiers that culminate with the crowning of the winner in Matosinhos.
The organisation is hard at work to make sure this edition, which is the 7th stage of the World Championship, is the best to date. Among the new features that you can find at the Rally, there are new assistance areas dedicated to tyres and other areas for repairs. Also, the rule is that the cars must not be repaired after the race: they must be sealed and sent to the next stage of the World Championship, the Italian Rally, in their current state.
2019 WRC Rally de Portugal is a great opportunity to see some of the most beautiful cities in the north and centre of Portugal while feeding your love of race cars, competitions and speed.
If you want more information about the programme and where to buy tickets, you can visit the official page of the 2019 WRC Rally de Portugal.
Start your engines and may the best WRC racer win!
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