Driving a Porsche 991 GT3, the duo Hugo Lopes and Magda Oliveira are the surprise entrants for the final round of the Portuguese Rally Championship (CPR), the Vidreiro-Centro de Portugal Rally.
The young driver from Viseu promises to “put on a show and try to surprise in the faster stages, which are those that best suit the Porsche’s characteristics.”
The Vidreiro-Centro de Portugal Rally was never part of Hugo Lopes’s current season schedule. “But since I have the car with AMSPORT (the family company), I chose not to watch the rally from the sidelines. I even considered participating in the Hyundai I won the Rally Constálica Viseu Dão Lafões with. Still, since I didn’t meet the necessary conditions, I decided to go with the Porsche,” says the driver.
Although its image and power leave no one indifferent, Hugo Lopes is aware that “it’s on the track, not in rallies, that a Porsche is in its comfort zone. Therefore, I know I won’t be able to fight for the top spots, but I admit that, in one or two stages, especially the fastest ones, I might surprise. But, above all, I’ll try to put on a show and excite the large crowd that’s expected.”
Another goal “is to repay the support of our sponsors, without whom it wouldn’t have been possible to have the season we did.” But the Rio native also makes a point of “wishing the Hyundai team good luck. Magda and I will be supporting them with all our enthusiasm,” he concludes.
Organised by the Marinha Grande Automobile Club, the rally has two stages and four sections, crossing the municipalities of Alcobaça, Marinha Grande, and Pombal. Nine special qualifying races will be contested, all on asphalt, totalling 102.8 km under timed conditions.
The race begins on Friday with the starting ceremony at the Alcobaça Monastery and three qualifying stages, including the Pombal Super Special. On Saturday, six more stages will take place, concluding with the innovative super special within the service park at the Pombal Expocentro.
The rally concludes with the podium ceremony in the late afternoon at the Expocentro Arena.
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