Everyone agrees on the quality of the Vodafone Rally de Portugal. Without exception, all the drivers admit their enthusiasm for the Portuguese event, not only because of the quality of the sections, the organisational details and the remarkable safety, but also because of the wonderful scenery and the people who welcome everyone with open arms. Sébastien Ogier, a lifelong fan of our rally, testified that his 7th victory in Portugal was the highlight of his duel with Ott Tanak, another recognised admirer of the Rally.
While the fight between Ogier, the big winner, and Tanak, who was in the lead for 15 qualifying stages, was one of the highlights of the race, which ended up emphasising the eternal duel between Hyundai and Toyota in the WRC, other records also deserved to be highlighted, such as Armindo Araújo's, who was the best Portuguese driver in the Vodafone Rally de Portugal for the 14th time, seven times in a row. For the Portuguese Rally Championship, it was even a Portuguese duo who won, with Pedro Almeida and António Costa triumphing. Oliver Solberg completely dominated the WRC2 class, achieving his 7th victory in the category, and he didn't hide his praise for the event organised by the ACP and for the vibrant crowd throughout all the stages.
The art of hospitality and organisational ingenuity were once again the highlights of the rally, where the differences between the three teams on the podium were minimal, with Sébastien Ogier once again putting his stamp on quality and Ott Tanak completely dominating a ‘Super Sunday’ with victory in the Power Stage included.