Rally of Portugal returns to the center zone in 2019

ACP President Carlos Barbosa stressed the return to territories that had been removed from the competition since 2001 and he hoped this year’s organization “increase the economic return” of 138 million euros generated in the previous edition, despite considering “exceptional “the magnitude of last year’s numbers.

The Portuguese Rally 2019 will return to the Central zone of the country, with the departure in Coimbra and passes through Lousã, Góis and Arganil, announced today the organizer Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP).

ACP President Carlos Barbosa stressed the return to territories that had been removed from the competition since 2001 and he hoped this year’s organization “increase the economic return” of 138 million euros generated in the previous edition, despite considering “exceptional “the magnitude of last year’s numbers.

“This year the Rally will be exceptional because we will finally go to the Centro area, which was a great ambition of the Rally of Portugal for a number of years. With the departure of three chambers from the North – Caminha, Viana do Castelo and Ponte de Lima – we were able to make the section of Góis, Lousã, and Arganil. We are very happy to be able to return to the Center and get closer to the old Rally of Portugal, “he said.

The program of the Rally has a route of 1,463.55 kilometers, of which 311.59 were timed during 20 special classifications. The shakedown takes place on May 30 in the circuit of Baltar in Paredes, followed by the departure of the iron gate of the University of Coimbra.

For day 31 are foreseen passages by Coimbra, Lousã, Góis, Arganil, and Lousada. The next day (01), the Rally is already fully installed in the North, with specials in Vieira do Minho, Cabeceiras de Basto, Amarante, and Vila Nova de Gaia. Finally, on June 2, Montim, Fafe, and Luílhas welcome the final stages, before the consecration of the winners in Matosinhos.

“The Rally of Portugal has been an essential stage of the world rally and is the most seen in the world championship. It is mainly for the passion around the Rally that the ACP works to bring to the fans more spectacle and more emotions,” stressed the leader. of the organizing body, while pointing out “the difficulties to obtain public support”.

Among the news scheduled for this edition of the Rally are also areas for assistance only for tires and service areas for other repairs and the imposition of the cars cannot be repaired at the end of the Rally, being sealed and following in the state they are for the next race, the Rally of Italy.

Finally, Carlos Barbosa launched an appeal to the fans, asking for exemplary behavior in defense of the continuity of the World Rally Championship on Portuguese soil.

“It is fundamental that the behavior of the public be rigorous because it does not make sense tomorrow the president of the Commission of the World Rally Championship is Portuguese and he is himself to take the Rally of Portugal for security reasons,” he said.

The 53rd edition of the Rally of Portugal, the seventh stage of the World Rally Championship (WRC), runs between May 30 and June 2.