One driver spotted doing the recce for this year’s Vodafone Rally de Portugal yet not on the entry list for the event was Esapekka Lappi, the Skoda Motorsport driver.
Many drivers complete the recce without contesting the event to build a set of pace notes for the future and it would appear Lappi is no different.
When asked whether he will be driving for a manufacturer in 2017, he replied; “I think I should have a job for 2017 but at the moment, I do not know who it will be with.”
When pressed on whether it might be with Toyota, returning to the WRC in 2017, he replied; “Right now, I have nothing. Ask my manager…”
One of the most important elements of success on the Vodafone Rally de Portugal is tyre choice; in recent years, tyre choice and management has been one of the biggest talking points and major influences on the outcome of the event.
The tyres manufacturers – Pirelli, Michelin, Hankook and DMACK – accordingly take their trade seriously. Pirelli, for example, has some 600 tyres prepared for the nine to ten cars running on its products this weekend.
A spokesman for Korean manufacturer Hankook, said; “This year, the stages seem to be slightly softer than last year. This might be because there was rain in the area of the rally the week before.
“If the ambient temperature remains slightly lower than last year, then the softer tyre might work better. It may be a case of soft tyres in the morning and harder examples in the afternoon.
“However, if the temperature rises past around 25 degrees C, then drivers using the soft tyres will probably begin to have problems.”
The current weather forecast suggests Friday could be the warmest day, with temperatures expected to reach low to mid-20s while cooler days on Saturday and Sunday – 19 and 18 deg respectively – are predicted. There is currently a 50% chance of rain on Saturday night, which could affect the stages for the final leg of the rally.