After the ceremonial start adjacent to the iconic Porta Férrea at Coimbra University on Thursday evening, the serious business of the special stage action gets underway with the opening 12.03km Lousã test from 09.05hrs on Friday morning.
Leg one of the 56th Rally of Portugal will be contested over eight special stages and 121.25 competitive kilometres in a day’s route of 641.96km.
There will be no midday return to Exponor in Matosinhos for the customary regroup and service. Instead, crews will be able to take advantage of a tyre fitting zone and then a regrouping in Arganil after the morning’s loop of three special stages – Lousã, Góis (19.33km – 10.05hrs) and Arganil (18.72km – 11.05hrs).
The three timed speed tests will then be repeated in the afternoon from 13.35hrs, 14.35hrs and 15.35hrs, respectively, before teams embark upon a single pass through the 18.15km of the Mortágua special from 17.05hrs
Friday’s action concludes with a televised 2.94km super special stage at Figueira da Foz, with the first car due at the start line at 19.05hrs.
With no service allowed until competitors return to Matosinhos in the evening, except for running repairs by the crews themselves using tools carried in their cars, mechanical problems could prove decisive. This will be especially relevant to teams tackling the day’s round of the Portuguese Rally Championship.