The 2025 edition of the Vodafone Rally de Portugal begins today with the starting ceremony in Coimbra and a super special in Figueira da Foz.
The event organized by the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP) has the best entry list of the year in the World Rally Championship – 12 cars from the Rally1 category are present – and a relentless battle is expected in the most iconic WRC qualifying stages, which reinforces the idea of Ott Tänak, 2019 world champion: “The Rally de Portugal is a great event in many ways. It has excellent roads, a lot of history and the atmosphere is fantastic. It is everything you could ask for in a rally”.
The event is divided into three stages and has 24 special qualifying stages, totaling 344.5 km under timed conditions, with speed and strategy being decisive for the drivers aspiring to victory. Toyota has won all four events this year, with three different drivers, but Hyundai and M-Sport Ford are looking to end the Japanese brand’s dominance in the world rally championship.
World champion Toyota is fielding a top quartet, entering four GR Yaris Rally1s: Elfyn Evans, Sébastien Ogier, Kalle Rovanperä and Takamoto Katsuta, although only the top three will count towards the constructors’ championship. Also noteworthy is the debut of Finnish driver Sami Pajari, the 2023 WRC2 champion, in a GR Yaris prepared by Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2.
Eight-time world champion Ogier remains motivated: “It’s a rally with a unique atmosphere and lots of fans. Last year was a good year to take our sixth win, and it would be incredible to repeat that result in 2025.” Evans, the world championship leader, emphasises: “Portugal has excellent qualifying stages and we will try to take advantage of them. Being first on the road is a penalty on the first day, but I hope to be competitive until Sunday”. On the other hand, Kalle Rovanperä says: “I like the sections in Portugal and I hope to be fast. We return to the dirt tracks, where I am still working to feel as comfortable as on asphalt”.
Hyundai responds with a strong trio. Thierry Neuville, current world champion, Ott Tänak and Adrien Fourmaux line up in the official Hyundai i20 N Rally1 and set off with renewed ambitions to challenge Toyota’s dominance this season.
Belgian Neuville approaches the race with a certain caution: “Very abrasive roads can cause greater tire wear if we are too demanding”, says the i20 N Rally1 driver. At the Vodafone Rally de Portugal, the drivers will face very technical and demanding sections, as Tänak acknowledges: “There is no doubt that the rally will be difficult. There are very long days and tough conditions in the second stage”. A feeling that is also shared by Adrien Fourmaux: “It is a great challenge. It is always hot, and managing the tires is a complicated task”.
M-Sport Ford is reinforcing its presence in this stage of the world championship, with four Ford Puma Rally1 drivers registered. The regulars Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean are joined by the Latvian Martiņš Sesks and the Portuguese Diogo Salvi, who is making his debut in the main category. “It is a gift that I give myself”, confesses the 55-year-old Portuguese businessman in the information technology sector.
M-Sport Ford is also entering the fight for the top spots, with renewed confidence after the tests before the race. “The team has already shown that the car can be competitive here, so we will fight for a good result”, admits Grégoire Munster.
WRC2 is more competitive than ever. In Portugal, the entry list includes 55 drivers, promising an intense battle and an exciting spectacle throughout the stages. Names such as Oliver Solberg (Toyota GR Yaris), Gus Greensmith (Skoda Fabia RS), Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Toyota GR Yaris), Nikolay Gryazin (Skoda Fabia RS), Jan Solans (Toyota GR Yaris) and brothers Yohan and Léo Rossel (Citroën C3) are natural candidates for victory, but in such a balanced category, there is always room for surprises.
Also noteworthy is the presence of two well-known figures from the WRC: Kris Meeke (Toyota GR Yaris) and Dani Sordo (Hyundai i20 N), who now compete with Rally2 cars in the Portuguese Rally Championship. This category is where the main Portuguese drivers are concentrated, with Armindo Araújo, Ricardo Teodósio, José Pedro Fontes, Pedro Meireles, Pedro Almeida and Gonçalo Henriques leading the way. In addition to scoring crucial points for the CPR, they will have the opportunity to test their strengths against the best drivers in the world.
The Vodafone Rally de Portugal is also part of the WRC3 and FIA Junior WRC championships.
The first stage also counts towards the Brazilian Rally Championship.
The Vodafone Rally de Portugal is also part of the WRC3 and FIA Junior WRC championships.
The first stage also counts towards the Brazilian Rally Championship.
Vodafone Rally de Portugal Program
Thursday, May 15
SS 1 Figueira da Foz (2.94 km) – 7:05 p.m.
Friday, May 16
SS 2 Mortágua 1 (14.59 km) – 7:35 a.m.
SS 3 Lousã 1 (12.28 km) – 9:05 a.m.
SS 4 Góis 1 (14.30 km) – 9:53 a.m.
SS 5 Arganil 1 (14.44 km) – 10:41 a.m.
SS 6 Lousã 2 (12.28 km) – 1:05 p.m.
SS 7 Góis 2 (14.30 km) – 1:53 p.m.
SS 8 Arganil 2 (14.44 km) – 2:41 p.m.
SS 9 Mortágua 2 (14.59 km) – 17:05
SS 10 Águeda/Sever (15.08 km) – 18:35
SS 11 Sever/Albergaria (20.24 km) – 19:20
Saturday, May 17
SS 12 Vieira do Minho 1 (17.69 km) – 07:35
SS 13 Cabeceiras de Basto 1 (19.91 km) – 08:35
SS 14 Amarante 1 (22.10 km) – 10:25
SS 15 Vieira do Minho 2 (17.69 km) – 15:05
SS 16 Cabeceiras de Basto 2 (19.91 km) – 16:05
SS 17 Amarante 2 (22.10 km) – 17:55
SS 18 Lousada (3.36 km) – 7:05 p.m.
Sunday, May 18
SS 19 Paredes 1 (16.09 km) – 6:43 a.m.
SS 20 Felgueiras 1 (8.81 km) – 7:48 a.m.
SS 21 Fafe 1 (11.18 km) – 8:35 a.m.
SS 22 Paredes 2 (16.09 km) – 9:58 a.m.
SS 23 Felgueiras 2 (8.81 km) – 11:03 a.m.
SS 24 Fafe 2 – Power Stage (11.18 km) – 1:15 p.m.
Official Drivers’ Comments (Rally1):
Elfyn Evans (Toyota)
“If the weather is dry, it will be challenging to start first on Friday. The tests were on wet surfaces, so the preparation was not ideal, but the feeling was good and I’m confident.”
Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota)
“I like the stages in Portugal and I hope to be quick. We’re back on the gravel tracks, where I’m still working to feel as comfortable as I am on asphalt. There’s always less grip, and with the new tyres I’m still looking for the ideal set-up. We worked hard last week, and I hope to find a good pace and be consistent to score points in this event.”
Sébastien Ogier (Toyota)
“I haven’t done a gravel rally since Chile in October last year, and the car and tyres have changed since then. I encountered challenging weather conditions in testing, but I’m lucky to have a great team around me, and I hope we can continue with the start of the season. I’ve always loved Portugal.”
Thierry Neuville (Hyundai)
“In Rally de Portugal, as in any other gravel rally, it is important to take advantage of the road position and manage the temperatures, especially in the Amarante area. Sunday’s stages are softer, and it is possible to push the pace on the last day. The team needs a good result, but to do so, we have to be stronger than the Toyotas, and we need to beat Elfyn, who has a big lead in the championship.”
Ott Tänak (Hyundai)
“Whenever we go to a rally, we aim to fight for the win, but we haven’t been strong enough. We have to keep a cool head and work to get back to the top. This is the fifth rally in which we have had new tyres and we need to make the most of them.”
Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai)
“The Rally of Portugal is a big challenge. It’s always hot and tyre management is a difficult task. There are sections where the attack is total, but we have to be careful with the tyres, and other areas where we have to be cautious, but where it’s possible to create big gaps. We have to end Toyota’s dominance and get a good result with all three cars. I want to get back on the podium.”
Grégoire Munster (Ford)
“I had a very good feeling during testing, and the team is motivated to bounce back after the Canary Islands. Portugal always has two types of stages: some with soft surfaces, like Fafe, and others that are rougher and have a hard base.”
Josh McErlean (Ford)
“It’s great to be back at Rally de Portugal, I have fond memories of the race. I can’t wait to race again, this time in a Rally1. It’s the start of the gravel season, and there’s no better place to start. The fans, the atmosphere and the roads – everything is just fantastic in Portugal.”
Martiņs Sesks (Ford)
“I raced in Portugal in the WRC Junior in 2021, some of the sections are similar, and I hope that helps. I’ve done two Portuguese championship rallies with Past Racing, which should also be helpful. I prepared well for the race, but I know all the drivers are committed to getting a good result here. My goal is to keep improving and be consistent. I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do this year on gravel.”
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