Traditionally, the Vodafone Rally de Portugal features a huge entry list and this year is no different. As the first mainland European gravel rally of the season, the 2014 edition has no less than 85 crews on the entry list.
However, just as impressive is the number of Fords that make up the field. According to M-Sport, the company that develops and runs Ford rally cars in the WRC, there are 42 cars featuring the famous blue oval badge in the Algarve this weekend.
The main team will be fielding six Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Cars, there will be five Fiesta Regional Rally Cars (RRCs), two Fiesta Super2000s, 14 Fiesta R5 cars and 15 Fiesta R2 two wheel-drive cars, including the 12 cars which make up the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy.
This represents 49% of the field competing in Fords, an astonishing figure.
The wait is over! The 2014 Vodafone Rally de Portugal hits the road today! After transportation from the Algarve Stadium, the Rally cars will enter the Pre-start holding area at the Casino Estoril gardens from 11:30am.
The autograph session will be held from 2pm with the main drivers, while the Official Start will take place at 3pm.
Meanwhile, and to warmup spectators, the Classic Cars will be running the qualifying hits, with the WRC drivers starting the Lisbon SSS1 Recce (two laps around the stage with the competition cars) around 3:40pm. Once Recce is over, the Classic Cars will be back in action for the Final.
The SSS1 will start at 6:01pm, with the first 20 doubling up and running in reverser order for about an hour with live TV broadcasting. After that, drivers will compete in trios and in ascending order.
The arrival of the first car at the Algarve Stadium is schedule for 9:45pm, with the day ending with the Section 3 Start list publication.
Local time: GMT +1
Day’s millage
Kms in SS: 3,27
Kms in Liaison: 310,48
Total kms: 313,75
Weather forecast:
Algarve Stadium
Estoril (Official Start)
Lisbon (SSS 1)