The second day – Saturday 23 May - of full stages for the 2015 Vodafone Rally de Portugal will bring with it many battles as well as many different tactical approaches to simply ensure the cars make it to the end!
With the tough conditions of the previous day’s stages setting the tone for what has to be one of the toughest rallies on the calendar, the drivers will have to work hard to find the perfect balance between pace and tyre preservation.
The first stage will be the 18.75km run through Baiäo, followed by the more gruelling 26.46km Marão stage. The final stage of the morning will be the even longer 37.67km Fridão, which serve as a means for the teams and drivers to put tactics to use, hopefully bringing their cars over the line without incident.
The first pass through the latter stage will be a true test for cars, drivers and teams. The previous day’s stages saw many cars suffering punctures and other damage, yet none were as long as the stage here. The midday service will be a welcome and much-needed reprieve, but only for those who manage to make it to the end.
Despite troubles earlier in the previous day, Ford’s Elfyn Evans will return to take on the stages in his Fiesta RS WRC, care of a new throttle, which had been the cause of a retirement from SS2.
Times for first car:
Parc ferme out/service in 07:30
SS8 – Baiäo 1 08:54
SS9 – Marão 1 09:35
SS10 – Fridão 1 11:02
Service in 13:00
SS11 – Baiäo 2 14:39
SS9 – Marão 2 15:20
SS10 – Fridão 2 16:47
Flexi Service in 18:35
Parc ferme closed 23:00