RALLY DE PORTUGAL

2022

By Hanni Gharib

August 8^th, 2023

So, two-and-a-half years and a pandemic later, seeing a live rally was long overdue. My previous rally outing took me to the forests of Penmachno, the streets of Colwyn Bay and the cliffs of the Great Orme. But for my second rally outing, I decided to exchange wet, windy North Wales with the warmer climate of the Iberian Peninsula and Rally de Portugal .

SS1 Coimbra

I'm honestly not a huge fan of the ultra-short special stages (SS) that take place entirely within urban areas. But I do understand the need for the WRC to showcase and introduce the amazing motorsport that is rally, to new fans and to people who don't have the possibility of going out on the stages. Most, if not all, of the stages of a gravel rally require some walking to get there and aren't accessibility-friendly due to the nature of the terrain. That being said, for me it's in the mountains and the forests and the countryside that rallying is at its best. Nothing beats the combination of rally cars in their natural "habitat": between peaks, over hills, past vineyards, through forests and along coastlines.

Here are a few shots from the opening stage in downtown Coimbra - and later in the post from downtown Lousada.

Classic rally cars were also present at this edition of Rally de Portugal as the 2022 season marked the 50th running of the World Rally Championship.

Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe who placed 5th at 2022 Rally de Portugal.

SS3 Goís

SSS9* Lousada

Head-to-head rally action and passionate fans at the rally circuit in Lousada.

*SSS = Super Special Stage. A stage comprising of a closed circuit where two drivers compete head-to-head as opposed to the majority of stages where one car runs at a time.

WRC winners of Rally de Portugal Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen - and eventual 2022 Drivers' Champions.

SS15 Amarante

Despite spending the morning traversing the 516 Arouca - the world's longest suspended pedestrian bridge - and the Passadiços do Paiva walkway, I decided to hoof it up more steep terrain just for kicks. Just outside Porto, SS15 Amarante offered an amazing backdrop to the world rally cars blasting by. The sound of their engines at 5500 rpm echoing through the valley before they were even visible, was something truly special.

4x4's and motocross bikes were the best mode of transportation to the spectator areas up top. But a solid hike up the steep gravel roads got the job done too, bringing the grand total for the day to 26,000 steps.