The Automóvel Club de Portugal event revives iconic stages from the old Rally of Portugal, taking 68 teams across various regions of the country from September 24 to 28. Sintra is the base for the event, which features legendary rally classics.
The challenge of reliving the history of the Rally of Portugal in a 1,900-kilometer regularity rally, driving models that have captivated generations of fans worldwide, is the hallmark of the Historic Rally of Portugal. The event starts next Tuesday and concludes in the early hours of Saturday.
Although the details of the route are kept secret, as per regularity rally rules, Sintra hosts the base for this year's event. Competitors will gather next Monday at the Vila Galé Hotel in Sintra for document checks, with the official start taking place the following day at the natural setting of Praia do Magoito. The first of four stages will take the teams to Figueira da Foz, covering 243.23 kilometers (including 43.88 kilometers of regularity stages).
Wednesday's stage connects Figueira da Foz to Viseu, a route covering 259.82 kilometers (183.28 kilometers of special stages), with teams arriving in Viriato’s city at night. Thursday brings one of the new features of this edition compared to 2023: the stage starting and ending in Viseu, which takes competitors to the Eurocircuito da Costilha in Lousada and includes sections through Fafe (with a regrouping in the city), Régua, and Lamego, before returning to Viseu. This stage spans 333.23 kilometers (146.60 kilometers of special stages), traversing some of the most famous locations from the Vodafone Rally of Portugal.
The fourth and final stage of the Historic Rally of Portugal also brings back memories of the old Portuguese rally: starting from Viseu, passing through Caramulo and Mortágua, and stopping in Coimbra—a new addition. In the afternoon, teams will compete on the Leiria Sobre Rodas circuit, another fresh feature, and in the evening, a large crowd is expected for the famous Sintra night stage, reminiscent of the massive spectator turnouts that used to line the Sintra mountains during the Rally of Portugal.
In the early hours of Saturday, after exactly 1,899.93 kilometers of endurance and precision, competitors will enter the parc fermé in Sintra, with the awards ceremony taking place over lunch at the Vila Galé Hotel.
Timeless machines
In a field featuring cars built between 1957 and 1990, historic models abound, such as the 1988 Lancia Delta Integrale, the 1974 Lancia Stratos, the 1989 Mazda 323 GTX 4WD, and the oldest car in the competition, a stunning Austin Healey 100/6.
Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis and a dedicated classic rally enthusiast, will be driving a 1985 Porsche 911 3.2.
The international nature of the Historic Rally of Portugal is also evident, with most teams coming from abroad, notably from Spain, France, and England.
Event Schedule
Stage 1 | September 24
- 2:00 PM – Departure from Sintra (Praia do Magoito)
- 7:30 PM – Arrival in Figueira da Foz (Avenida do Brasil)
Stage 2 | September 25
- 8:00 AM – Departure from Figueira da Foz (Avenida do Brasil)
- 1:35-3:30 PM – Regrouping in Arganil (Antiga Cerâmica Arganilense)
- 3:40 PM – Montalto Hill Climb
- 7:30-11:30 PM – Arrival and service in Viseu (Montebelo Viseu Congress Hotel & Spa)
Stage 3 | September 26
- 8:00 AM – Departure from Viseu (Montebelo Viseu Congress Hotel & Spa)
- 11:10 AM – Lousada Circuit SS
- 11:22 AM – Passage by Lousada City Hall
- 1:00-3:00 PM – Regrouping in Fafe (Quinta do Gadeão)
- 7:15-8:45 PM – Regrouping in Lamego (Paraíso do Douro)
- 9:00 PM – Lamego Hill Climb
- 11:00 PM – Arrival in Viseu (Montebelo Viseu Congress Hotel & Spa)
Stage 4 | September 27
- 8:00 AM – Departure from Viseu (Montebelo Viseu Congress Hotel & Spa)
- 1:00-2:30 PM – Regrouping in Coimbra (Estádio Universitário)
- 6:30-9:00 PM – SS Leiria Street Circuit (Estádio Municipal Dr. Magalhães Pessoa) and regrouping
- 11:55 PM – Passage through São Pedro de Sintra
- 12:35 AM – Regrouping in Sintra (Palácio Municipal)
- 1:27 AM – Arrival in Sintra (Hotel Vila Galé Sintra)