SSS1 – Off to a flying start in front of thousands of fans

The first, superspecial stage of the 2015 Vodafone Rally de Portugal began in style, with thousands of spectators flocking to the Lousada rallycross track to the east of Oporto to see the crews go head-to-head to kick proceedings off.

There was a strange sense of déjà vu to the results though, with a repeat of those from this morning’s shakedown stage. Volkswagen Motorsport II’s Andreas Mikkelsen took the stage win, with reigning champion Sebastien Ogier through second-fastest, just 0.5 seconds behind his team-mate.

Third-fastest was Jari-Matti Latvala, a further 0.3 seconds adrift of the stage winner, with Robert Kubica the first of the new Ford Fiesta RS WRCs 1.4 seconds slower than Mikkelsen. Fifth-fastest was Thierry Neuville in the first of the Hyundai i20 WRCs with Kris Meeke sixth in the first Citroen.

There was drama as they field went through though, with Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari’s Ford Fiesta R5 developing a small fire in the stage following a fuel leak but that was soon extinguished and he continued back towards the overnight parc ferme at Matosinhos.

Things didn't go so well for Eric Camilli though, the Frenchman crashing his Fiesta R5 on the first corner of the stage and losing two wheels on the sharp corner.