John Floyd First gravel event of the year promises to be a belter. Going to the weekend s Rally Portugal, Thierry Neuville (53 points) and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe are second in the Drivers’ title battle. Picture: Hyundai
This week 81 teams move to the Iberian Peninsula for the fourth round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), the Rally de Portugal, the first gravel event of the 2021 season.
The Portuguese Rally was one of the founding events on the inaugural WRC calendar in 1973 and has been voted the “Best Rally in the World” five times. The rally returns this year, following its 2020 cancellation due to Covid-19 and promises to be an extremely challenging three day event with many of the early stages back on the schedule.
Portugal premiere for Pirelli gravel tyre
Pirelli’s range of Scorpion KX gravel tyres will make their debut on factory World Rally Cars at this week’s Vodafone Rally de Portugal (20 - 23 May).
The opening dirt road round of the FIA World Rally Championship season presents drivers with the first opportunity to sample the Scorpion rubber in earnest following the Italian company’s return as exclusive supplier to the series this year.
Pirelli’s rally manager Terenzio Testoni said the Matosinhos-based event would offer the first true indication of where the pace is likely to sit among the cars through the 2021 season – with six of the 12 rounds running on gravel.
Sébastien Ogier chases a record sixth victory at Vodafone Rally de Portugal this weekend in what could be his final appearance in the country where he scored his maiden world rally win 11 years ago.
Hard and soft compounds available on first gravel date of 2021Rocky base together with soft and sandy surface to test the tyres Junior WRC again joins WRC2 and WRC3 among support classesMilan, May 17, 2021 – The FIA World Rally Championship moves onto gravel for the first time this season at the Rally de Portugal, which means a debut appearance .