Prior hours of the Rally of Portugal 2016

¡The WRC is already in Europe! After a visit to Mexico and Argentina,
the Championship of the World Rally returns to the old continent to face a
phase of the season based on the evidence of gravel. The first exponent is the
Rally of Portugal, one of the most appreciated by the riders and teams
because of its history, difficulty and human warmth. Thousands of fans fill every
one of the sections played in the surrounding area of Matosinhos, being the maximum
exponent of this trend is the stretch of ‘Fafe’. The test has won many
integers with the change to the north of the country.

The Rally Portugal is one of the historical evidence of the
WRC, to such an extent that this year it is celebrated its 50th edition. A nice
anniversary for a rally that began as a test of local,
vying for its first six issues away from a World that still do not
there was. Since 1973, the Rally of Portugal formed part of the WRC so
unbroken until 1995. He returned a year later for five seasons and
since 2009 he has become part of the calendar. The pilot more successful in the
Rally of Portugal is Markku Alén with five wins.

After making the change to the north of the country, the organizers
the Rally of Portugal have opted for continuity. The tour of this 50th
edition is identical to the 2015 except for 6,52 km. The pilots
they will have to face a rally with 368 km against the clock
divided into four days. While the Thursday will be played the shakedown and
a small special to open the mouth in the streets of Oporto, the test itself
it is formed by three stages with very different characteristics, on
if we talk about the gravel that makes up the special.

In this way, during the stage of the Friday pilots
face a loop of three stages that will be repeated on two occasions, to what
add at the end of the day two passes through the urban stretch of Porto. This
the first day is played very close to the border with Spain and is
characterized by loose soil in the stretch ‘Caminha’, a condition that can
be less important in other sections. The stage of the Saturday is the longest, and that
account with special hardest and most complex, , while the Sunday ‘Fafe’ is
the great protagonist of the rally.

Three are the keys that define the Rally of Portugal and in the
all they have to do with the same fact. The proof of the neighbouring country
characterized by great variability in their sections with areas of loose soil and
other with gravel more compact. This fact is fundamental because it bounded all
the strategies of the drivers and teams. Choose the tire which is perfect in the
right time is something basic to be able to fight for the positions of head,
always and when punctures respect to the participants, because also
tend to be usual in this quote.

Sections and schedules of the Rally of Portugal 2016*

Thursday, may 19, 2016

Friday, may 20, 2016

Saturday, may 21, 2016

Sunday 22 may 2016

* Schedules in Spain. In Portugal 1 hour less.

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