“The best surface gravel to showcase the potential of our cars, where we benefit the most,” recalled Hot-Albin, the leader of the championship, which won two of three rounds (in Monte-Carlo and Croatia). Eight points ahead of Belgian Theory New (Hyundai) and ten points ahead of his British teammate at the Toyota Elphin Evans.

However, when you are not disabled to lead in front of your opponents in Match Day 1, Ogier will be back, however a dark spring will allow him to minimize breaking.

“It has rained a lot in recent weeks and as a result, the ground is very perfect,” the seven-time French world champion noted during the break.

“We’re waiting for the dry conditions to start, so it’s always hard to estimate the penalty for opening the road, but I’m the type to be confident,” continues the man who shared five achievements with Finnish Mark Allen. Pass the test.

New co-pilots

Another different factor discovered by Ozier, Newville and 2019 champion Estonian Ode Tenak (Hyundai): Pirelli tires were used in gravel for the first time this season, apart from the private test.

The Belgian driver said, “No one knows exactly how to manage them. I think there will be some surprises, especially as conditions will be very different between practices, spacing and race. We all do not have experience, but we have the means. “

To finish with the championship favorites, Denak (the 2020 edition was canceled due to the Covit-19), the event’s last winner in 2019, is pointed 21 units behind the leader, which is only one length longer than Finn Kale Rowanberg (Toyota), 20 years old.

At Hyundai, Spaniard Danny Sordo (under the guidance of a new co-driver, Borja Rosada) comes to Newville and Denok’s aid, 27 points behind the “toys” in the builders’ positions.

Frenchman Pierre-Louis Lupet (Hyundai 2C competition) is associated with a new co-driver, Florian Hot-Labertote, in an attempt to record the first points of the season after a difficult start.

His comrade Adrian Formax first discovered the M-Sport Ford in late April with a fifth place finish in first class in Croatia. “I expect a big challenge because no one here knows the path when others have experience”, did not hide the person involved.

Not to be respected behind closed doors

Having completed twenty stages and a time of 337.51 km, Rally Portugal is the longest so far this year.

Focusing on Matosinhos, near Porto, this fourth event provides fast and technical dirt roads in the north and center of the country, sand, rock and coarse during the first lanes.

Check out Friday Scraping: It is necessary to cover two loops of three specials without mechanical assistance. Twenty years after the Mordecai Special, the stage will end after a dual super-special at the Raleigh Cross Circuit.

On Saturday, lead the Cabrera Mountains, run twice with three specials, and then head to the urban E.S. near Porto. The last five specials are on Sunday’s show, which includes two columns of the famous Fafin, one of the audience’s options, which will act as a power stage.

Because despite the Govt-19 epidemic, there will be spectators. On public roads, this is “inevitable,” organizers and health officials admit, as demonstrated by the rally in Croatia, its closed door was not respected.