XVIII Rally de Portugal Histórico
23rd to 28th of October, 2024
Resisting everything and everyone, Yves Deflandre applied all his experience, precision and reliability to the Porsche 911 he knows so well, guaranteeing an impressive and unique result: his fifth victory — the third in a row — in the Historic Rally of Portugal. Alongside Jennifer Hugo once again, the Belgian's dominance was felt in the 18th edition of the ACP - Automóvel Club de Portugal event and he emphasised his desire to return to the country every year: "This is still one of the most beautiful rallies in the world, even without the sun", said Deflandre. At the same time, this was the 13th victory for a version of the 911, the 11th in a row.
Spaniards Marcos Adan and Adolfo Almuiña were the main pursuers of the Belgian victory, at the controls of a small 1990 Peugeot 205 GTi. The Ourense duo maintained a firm position until they reached the Sintra controls, which threatened to alter the final classification. Paulo Marques and João Martins had their sights set on third place, but some physical problems on the last stage meant that the last spot on the podium went to Frenchman Christophe Baillet, the 2021 winner, and Belgian Jean-Marc Piret — at the wheel of a Porsche 911 SC.
Finally, and in good Portuguese, Luís Carvalho and Sancho Ramalho had the best Portuguese race and a sixth place in the overall standings with a 1970 BWM 2002.
XVII Rally de Portugal Histórico
2nd to 7th of October, 2023
Even in heat that was hard to ignore, the Historic Rally of Portugal kicked off the autumn season with another edition of what is considered one of the best regularity rallies in Europe. From 2 to 6 October, the event passed through the landmarks of the old Rally of Portugal and through regions so typical of our country. In the end, first place was won by Yves Deflandre and Jennifer Hugo, in a historic victory for both, which not only equalled the number of Portuguese triumphs - 7 for each language - but also marked the fourth time that Deflandre had topped the podium.
But the thrills weren't just reserved for the first-placed driver: Luís Cavaco and João Serôdio, at the wheel of a Ford Escort RS, put in an ever-improving performance and managed to take an impressive second place, leaving behind the duo Johnny Delhez / Pyck Aswin, who occupied the last place on the podium respectively.
Portuguese drivers Paulo Marques and João Martins took the 1969 BMW 1600 to 4th place overall, with Spaniards Joaquim Muntada and Jan Rosa rounding off the top 5. In category C, normally filled with the oldest cars in the race, victory went to Lithuanians Karolis Raisys and Ovidius Meilunas, with a 1961 Jaguar Mk2, just ahead of the 1964 Volvo Amazon of Frenchmen Dominique Bairelle and Georges Denuziere. These true time machines spread charm over the five days of the race.
The 17th edition of the Historic Rally of Portugal tested the endurance of machines and drivers over more than 2000 kilometres, divided into 4 stages and 43 regularity specials. The 81 teams entered faced, as always, a challenge unrivalled among European events.
XVI Rally de Portugal Histórico
3rd to 8th of October, 2022
Rally de Portugal Histórico hit the road for another edition full of history, class and, above all, competition. Seven dozen registered teams, most of them foreign, took on the various challenges proposed by Automóvel Club de Portugal's organisation over 2,000 kilometres, on some of the most beautiful roads in the country.
This year was essentially marked by new records and familiar faces. Belgian driver Yves Deflandre, accompanied by navigator Jennifer Hugo, aboard the famous Porsche 911, won the race for the third time, equalling João Mexia Leitão's record of victories.
During the early stages of the race, Christophe Baillet was the most prominent driver, gaining a fast lead over the other competitors. He was therefore seen as the main opponent. However, his dreams of a victory like the one in 2021 were dashed when the Belgian was delayed on Thursday's stage through Barroso.
From now on, each route proved to be challenging and unique in its own way. Mortágua was no exception: the scene of an essential battle for the podium, it was here that Deflandre took first place and managed to maintain that position until arriving at the Casino Estoril Gardens.
Christophe Berteloot, navigated by Gengoux Baptiste, managed to maintain a consistent race throughout the various sections and, despite not being able to resist the Deflandre pass, secured an impressive second place.
Finally, in third place were the Portuguese Piero dal Maso and Sancho Ramalho, also at the wheel of a Porsche 911 SC. This was a memorable position, as it was not only the duo's first podium in the Historic Rally of Portugal, but also the first Portuguese presence on the event's podium since the 2018 edition.
XV Rally de Portugal Histórico
4th to 9th of October, 2021
After a year of interruption due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19, the Rally de Portugal Histórico hit the road again for its long-awaited 15th edition. As always, the itinerary was secretive and selective, despite passing through some of the most emblematic places in the country, which were, in previous times, a landmark of the Rally de Portugal.
The sense of competitiveness and determination functioned as the premisse for this year's Rally. Throughout the five days, five was also the number of commanders who took control and eight the changes of leaders — suggesting to the attendees that the usual adrenaline was alive and kicking. Two teams finished tied in the lead, during a time where more than 60% of the total distance had been covered. After the Belgian duo Deflandre/Jennifer Hugo, driving a Porsche 911, had dominated the second stage, the French team Christophe Baillet/Pierre Colliard, driving the exact same model, started a remarkable recovery throughout the day and shared the lead at the arrival in Viseu, leaving open, however, the question of who would be at the top of the podium.
The spectator's eagerness and curiosity only calmed down once a winner was crowned. In the end, after more than 1850 kilometres of race, it was Christophe Baillet who secured not only the title, but his first victory in the Rally's history. The course wasn't easy — in fact, Baillet had some problems in his gearbox —, but once he managed to get a significant distance from Deglandre, who was right behind him, he only had to manage his pace and concentration, particularly through the treacherous Sintra sections.
Philippe Fuchey climbed the podium and secured a third place, also represented by a Porsche 911. It is also important to highlight the duo Rodrigo Teixeira/João Azeiteiro, in a BMW E30 325i, who conquered the fifth position and the overall best result among Portuguese drivers. The national team dominated the race, giving the impression that the Rally could count on another Portuguese victory; however, they were overtaken by the Austrian brand, and also by the Renault 11 Turbo of the Spanish duo Alvaro Ochagavias/Manuel Macho.
In the end — and despite the unpredictability that the last two years have left the world with — the Rally de Portugal Histórico ended in a familiar way: with the final arrival at the gardens of the Casino Estoril, where spectators were there in large nubers, and with the prize giving lunch at the Estoril race tracks.
5th to 10th of October, 2020
As a result of the pandemic, Automóvel Club de Portugal did not hold the annual Rally de Portugal Histórico in 2020, as "conditions were not in place to ensure that the race could be experienced and enjoyed in full safety for all". The edition scheduled for October 5th to October 10th, part of the Estoril Classics, was postponed to the following year so that, in the meantime, appropriate prevention measures required for this type of event could be put together.
XIV Rally de Portugal Histórico
7th to 12th of October, 2019
The 14th edition of the Rally de Portugal Histórico got underway without any major surprises. With everything in its place, the well-known Casino Estoril, in Lisbon, was the place where the race started, with a squad of 85 teams registered for one of the toughest rallies of the European circuit. However, in spite of the calm start, there was still some novelties this year.
The first was the return of the Fátima's Kar Track. The race for the podium started and first place was everybody's game. The passage through Mondego, paired by the sunset, was made with Paulo Marques/João Martins on the lead, driving a 1969 BMW 1600. Behind the Portuguese team, there was Christophe Berteloot/ Baptiste Gengoux, in a Porsche 911 SC, with only a minimal distance.
The 2019 edition ended victoriously for Philippe Fuchey, his first victory. The French driver never let his eyes off a possible lead, spending almost ten classifications oscillating between ninth and fourth place. Fuchey assertively took the lead in Arganil and kept it until the end of the race. Who was shadowing him was Michel Decremer. The Belgian offered a great fight, but left the scene before the first passage through Lagoa Azul, having problems with the head gasket. Decremer ended up dropping out of the race.
Marco Fernandez Adan benefited from this withdrawal. Driving a Ford Escort, the Spaniard started the race from the back to the front, gradually moving up and down in the top 10. He finished in second place, making his way into the podium in Vouzela. It's interesting to point out that the first three positions were marked by neighbouring countries from the old Continent, with the third place being reached by the Spanish duo Dacal — Ricardo and Pablo — who overcame Paulo Grosso and Susana Cordeiro, the Portuguese drivers who conquered fourth place, the best national classification.
The passage through Sintra was — as tradition dictates — a heated moment since it was one of the most anticipated stages, but also because the weather itself provided a typical summer night, without any rain or great winds. At this time, Ari Vatanen and Mikko Hirvonen did the honours of opening the way through the long roads of Sintra, with a perfect spin by Hirvonen.
XII Rally de Portugal Histórico
2nd to 6th of October, 2018
The 13th edition of the Rally de Portugal Histórico was marked essentially by new conquests and new roads. After the traditional start from the gardens of the Casino Estoril, towards Figueira da Foz, the drivers had the opportunity, for the first time, to tread the dirt and gravel of Lousada and Fafe, which made their debut on the second day of the race circuit.
Another news alluded to the enrolment list, which this year had 87 teams — a lower number when compared with the hundreds of participants past editions had. Regardless, the emotion and passion were present throughout the several days of the competition, either from those behind the wheel to those watching the action from the stands. Important names, such as Mikki Biasion, 3-time Rally de Portugal winner, and Stig Blomqvist, World Champion, were there, accompanied by a Lancia Delta and an Audi Quattro respectively.
The victorious team was, in fact, the duo João Vieira/João Serôdio, driving a 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera 3,2. The two men not only reached the top of the podium for their first time, but also established an improvement from past results — a third place in 2016, followed by a second in 2017. Vieira Borges turned out to be the right man, in the right place, at the right time, when Philippe Fuchey, who was taking the lead during a short period of time, made two mistakes on SS13, that resulted in the end of any chance of reaching the podium.
Behind this classification was Yves Deflandre, whose co-driver is Jennifer Hugo. Deflandre is a known figure and his history in this race is unparallel: four participations, two victories and two second places. Third place went to Michel Decremer and Patrick Lienne in an impressive debut for the duo, after an unfortunate performance that caused them to lose the clutch of he car at the halfway point.
Portuguese drivers Paulo Marques and João Marques finished fourth, a position that slightly shied away rom the record of third places that this duo set in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
As tradition says, Sintra was once again the highlight of the race, especially in 2018, with the return of the Estoril Autodrome Slalom. And since traditions can't be made without people, many were the sections that were well attended by the public, who supported the drivers all the way.
XII Rally de Portugal Histórico
2nd to 8th of October, 2017
With almost 100 participants, the 12th edition of the Rally de Portugal Histórico took to the road a course with almost 2.000km, and also some new features. After the traditional start at Casino Estoril, the cars headed to Figueira da Foz for what was the race's first visit to the city since 2011. From there, the route drove the pilots to Arganil, Viseu, Lamego, Douro Vinhateiro, Aguieira, Leiria and, of course, the two night specials in Sintra, before arriving again at the Casino Estoril gardens.
The arrival at Mondego was made with Paulo Marques, driving a 1969 BMW 1600-2, leading the race, but with a scarce margin foresaw a very lively competition. Yves Deflandre, 2016 winner, took the lead in his 1972 Porsche 911 the very next morning and never let it out of his sight. But the rest of the race was no walk in the park. The Belgian driver was confortable in first place, but in Sintra he saw his margin halved. A small scare almost took the victory away from him, but he won with a impressive performance. João Vieira Borges, the man behind the 1985 Porsche Carrera 911, didn't take long to reach the podium, ending up in second place.
The third place was a big suprise. At the end of the day, after a second passage through Sintra, Paulo Grosse and Dirk van Rompuy were eye to eye, competing for the last place in the podium. Their time difference was not very big; however, surprisingly, after a very complicated race, van Rompuy had serious technical problems and saw his advantage vanish, finishing up in fourth place.
As for the remaining winners, Pedro Camilo was the best in the H4 class, taking his 1976 Fiat 127 to 64th place overall. In C1, the victory was Christian Roussel's, who placed 49th the 1961 Volkswagen 1200. Pedro Mendes Alves took the 1964 Alpine Renault A-110 to victory in C2, with 66th place, and Neil Revington drove his 1962 Triumph TR4 to victory in C3, with 55th place overall. As for Teams, the triumph was for Maquisard, made up of cars number 30, 33, 34, 65 and 82.
XI Banco BIC Rally de Portugal Histórico
3rd to 8th of October, 2016
For the third time, the Rally de Portugal Histórico had the support of Banco BIC. The 2016 edition had a total of 120 teams registered to take a route that, as always, portrays the history of the Rally de Portugal, passing this time by Tomar Aguieira, Espinho, Lamego, Viseu, Arganil, Leiria and the unavoidable night specials of Sintra.
With a cautious start, João Mexia, the winner of the three previous editions, was very well-positioned, but started having problems at the beginning of the second stage and shortly after was out of sight for the victroy. Meanwhile, the Belgian duo Yves Deflandre/Joseph Lambert, driving a Porsche 911, rode in an excellent way to dethrone the first leader of the race, Dirk van Rompuy, in an Opel Ascona, who, alongside Jens Vanovershelde, ended up down to third, behind Decremer and Abert.
Thus, the competition gained new heights with the rivalry between Deflandre and Decremer, who managed to maintain their lead on the Race's third day, while Rompuy was losing relevancy. However, the harsh conditions the drivers have to endure continued to be the major factor on the last day — strong weather, treacherous trails and a great amout of unpredictability. Deflandre was the only one able to resist and ended up winning.
Drecmer fell to fifth and Fuchey to fourth, thus opening the doors for Dominique Holvoet and Bjorn Vanoverschelde (Toyota Celica 2.7) to climb to the second place and João Borges and Jorão Seródio (Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2) to the third.
X Banco BIC Rally de Portugal Histórico
5th to 10th of October, 2015
Celebrating the 10th edition of the Rally de Portugal Histórico was the premisse of the 2015 race. A total of 102 teams registered was also a good start and on the 6th of October, the machines started their engines at the gardens of the Casino Estoril.
João Mexia, who won in 2014, took the lead of the race but winning his third consecutive triumph was no easy task. Unfortunately, the Portuguese pilot started to have various problems in his Porsche, falling quickly to second place, right behind Yves Deflandres. However, losing was not on Mexia's plans and started to recover.
On the last day of the race, the Belgians got lost in Freita, which was crucial for the rest of the pilots. Alone at the front, João Mexia and Nuno Machado took advantage and, in their 1973 Porsche, came out in first place, right behind Michel Decremer e Albert Yannick (Opel Ascona de 1981) and Juan Dacal Feijoo e Pablo Dacal Franco (Porsche 911-T, de 1968), in second and third place respectively.
José Carvalhosa Dias and Nuno Rodrigues (1965 Porsche 911) were the Classics Class 2 winners, taking eighth place overall, while Christian Roussel and Fredéric Bastat (1961 Volkswagen 1200) triumphed in the Classics Class 1, 48th overall. With Mexia winning the Históricos Class 6 and Decremer the Históricos Class 5, the triumph in Historic Class 4 went to Pedro Black and José Segarra Marques, who placed the Datsun 1200 (1972) in 15th place of the general classification.
IX Banco BIC Rally de Portugal Histórico
6th to 12th of October, 2014
João Mexia Leitão and Nuno Sales Machado, driving a 1973 Porsche 911, were always in the top seven and once they started to climb to the top of the classification in the second Section, they never stopped. After a first passage at first place after the 4th Section, the Portuguese duo definitively placed themselves in the first position, winning with a 109,4 seconds margin over their closest rival.
Behind them came Dominique Holvoet/Bjorn Vanoverschelde. The two Belgians secured the second place still in the morning of the 4th Stage. After positive results among the first five for most of the race, they presented a more modest performance during the night, especially in the Sintra Moutains, which it did not endanger the intermediate of the podium.
At the bottom of the podium was another national duo in what seems to be a new trend in the Banco BIC Rally de Portugal Histórico, with the drivers imposing themselves more in the race after a few years of French domination. Paulo Marques and João Martins repeated last year's result by finishing in third place. The men of the BMW 1600 (1969) also proved to be very strong on the last day, managing very well the advantage they held over their opponents to finish 51 seconds behind the Belgians and 76.1s ahead the fourth place of Michel Decremer/Yannick Albert (Opel Ascona, 1981).
VII Rally de Portugal Histórico
7th to 11th of October, 2013
After four editions with foreign winners, 2013 marked the return of a Portuguese victory. The duo João Mexia/Nuno Machado, driving a 1973 Porsche 911 Coupé, won the race and gave a new motive to the national competition.
The 2013 Rally de Portugal Histórico was fueled by a competitive edge, with six different leaders and 16 winners throughout the 46 Specials for the eight edition of the race.
After nine changes at the front of the classification, until the middle of the 3rd Stage, the Rally had, for the second time, two drivers tied for certain moments at first place — until the duo João Mexia/Nuno Machado definitely put the Porsche 911 Coupé (1973) in the first position and immediately started to distance themselves from the other rivals to carry out a very calm end of the race.
But this was not the only determining factor for the final result. An error by the Belgian-Luxembourg duo Yves Deflandre/Joseph Lambert (1972 Porsche 911) was also decisive for the final result. The runners-up of the 2013 Historic Portugal Rally lost 105.3 seconds to the frontrunners, dashing any aspirations they had of winning.
Final standings: 1st, João Mexia/Nuno Machado (Porsche 911 Coupé, 1973), 487.3 pts; 2nd, Yves Deflandre/Joseph Lambert (Porsche 911, 1972), 592.1 pts; 3rd, Paulo Marques/João Martins (BMW 1600, 1969), 753.4 pts; 4th, Marcos Fernandez/Victor Manuel Carballo Otero (Porsche 911 SG GR4, 1982), 844.1 pts; 5º, Cipriano Antunes/António Serrão (Audi Quattro, 1981), 886.0 pts; 6º, José Carvalhosa Dias/Nuno Rodrigues (Porsche 911, 1965), 1371.6 pts 7º, Aníbal Rolo/João Botequilha (Datsun 1200, 1974), 1682.6 pts; 8º, Álvaro Ochagavias Temino/Eduardo Ansotegui Sarasqueta (Porsche 911T, 1973), 1914.0 pts; 9º, Berteloot/Collovald Raymond (Porsche 914. 6/GT, 1973), 1952.9 pts; 10th Didier Corvi/Vincent Legenne (Renault 5 Alpine Turbo, 1982), 2523.1 pts.
VII Rally de Portugal Histórico
10th to 15th of October, 2012
For the last four years, José Lareppe left his mark on the Rally de Portugal Histórico making things double. Two second places in 2009 and 2010, a victory in 2011 and a second victory in this edition. The former European Regularity Champion started the day in the fourth position of the general classification, but by the end of the second stage, Lareppe completely annulled every possible delay and passed to the leadership with a margin that couldn't stop growing.
Meanwhile, his compatriot Daniel Reuter, in a 1970 Porsche 914/6, did the opposite course, ending the Rally in the second position — in which he finished with a confortable advantage over José Otegui and his 1981 Audi Quattro.
The best national driver was João Mexia Leitão, who finished in fourth place with his 1973 Porsche 911 Coupé, this after having finished the first day of the Rally in 16th position.
Final standings: 1st, José Lareppe/Joseph Lambert (Opel Kadett GTE - 1978), 475.9 points; 2nd, Daniel Reuter /Robert Vandevorst (Porsche 914/6 - 1970), 650.8; 3rd José Otegui/Jose Miguel Otegui (Audi Quattro - 1981), 804.8; 4th João Mexia Leitão/Nuno Sales Machado (Porsche 911 Coupé - 1973), 829.8; 5º Marcos Fernández Adan/Gaspar Sierra Osorio (Porsche 911 T - 1969), 856,3; 6º Philippe Fuchey/Frederic Cancel (Porsche 911 SC - 1978), 1034,5; 7º Cipriano Antunes/António Caldeira (Audi Quattro - 1981), 1246,3; 8º Rafael Fernandez Cosin/Julen Martinez Huarte (Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV - 1973), 1280,8; 9º Raul Aranda Martin/Iker Reketa (Mercedes- 450 SLC 5. 0 - 1979), 1400,3; 10º João Vieira Borges/João Serôdio (BMW 635 Csi - 1980), 1489,8.
VI Rally de Portugal Histórico
11th to 15th of October, 2011
After two seconds places in the last two editions of the Rally de Portugal Histórico, José Lareppe, driving a 1978 Opel Kadett GTE, finally managed to put his name on top of the list and climbed to the top of the podium. The Belgian not only scored his first win in this race in particular, but ensured why he was already the European Champion in regularity races.
Lareppe made the best of the course while passing between Viseu and Cascais by exchanging positions with his compatriot, Raymond Horgnies, and then by building up an advantage that allowed him to reach Sintra's night, where he was able to perfectly control the rest of the race and maintain the first place. Sintra was once again the main point of attraction of the Rally, that brought again thousands of people that relived the glorious moments once marked by the Rally de Portugal.
It is worth highlighting a special note to Paulo Marques/João Martins, the Portuguese team who did very well in the connection between Viseu and Cascais, managing to reach third place, swapping with Daniel Reuter and interfering in the clear domain of the Belgian pilots.
Final standings: 1º Lareppe/Lambert (Opel Kadett GTE/, 480,5 pontos; 2º Horgnies/Hayez (Porsche 911), 554,7; 3º Marques/Martins (BMW 1600), 703,9; 4º Reuter/Vandevorst (Porsche 914/6), 713,5; 5º Delhez/Gully (Ford Escort), 801,6; 6º Cordeiro/Martins (Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV), 1013,2; 7º Otegui/Otegui (Audi Quattro), 1070,8; 8º Antunes/Serôdio (Audi Quattro), 1269,7; 9º Pereira/Albino (Renault 5 Turbo), 1507,7; 10º P. Grosso/Cordeiro (Ford Escort), 1533,8.
V Rally de Portugal Histórico
12th to 16th of October, 2010
After a Belgiam team ended, in 2009, the Portuguese hegemony in the Rally de Portugal Histórico, it seemed that foreign dominance came to stay in the fifth edition of the race: this time, the podium was conquered by our next door brothers, the Spanish duo Ricardo Alonso/Moises Alvarez, in a Ford Escort RS, who got the best of the competition by being the most regular throughout the 44 qualifying races.
In fact, the superiority of visiting teams was hard to ignore, monopolising this year's podium places, with José Grosso being the best Portuguese driver, in the fifth position. Only two other Portuguese drivers — João Vieira Borges and Cipriano Antunes — entering the top ten.
Ricardo Alonso always drove very well and cemented his advantage in the connection between Arganil and Viseu, being later able to defend that advantage very well. He did lost his lead during the last instances of the race, but in the end, Alonso got a fair victory. His main threat was José Lareppe, who finished in second place, 60.4 points behind, after a less successful second stage. Marcos Adan secured the third place, mainly due to his high level of regularity and consistency throughout the five days of the race.
Final standings: 1.º Ricardo Alonso/Moises Alvarez (Ford Escort RS), 1645,4 pontos; 2.º Jose Lareppe/ Joseph Lambert (Opel Kadett GTE), a 60,4pt; 3.º Marcos Adan/Gaspar Osorio (Porsche 911), a 82,4pt: 4.º Gustavo Martel/Nicolas Sanchez (Porsche 911 T), a 95,7pt; 5.º José Grosso/João Sismeiro (BMW 2002), a 112,5pt; 6.º Javier Ortega/Secundino Infiesta (Lancia Fulvia), a 146,7pt; 7.º João Vieira Borges/João Serôdio (BMW 635 CSi), a 224,2pt; 8.º Iñaki Presa/German Gonzalez (Ford Escort), a 284,5pt; 9.º Jhony Delhez/Eddy Gully (Ford Escort RS), a 327,7pt; 10.º Cipriano Antunes/Vicente Antunes (Audi quattro), a 594,5pt; etc.
IV Rally de Portugal Histórico
6th to 19th of October, 2009
2009 was a crucial time for the Rally de Portugal Histórico: the interest for the race was exponentially expanding. In 2009, ACP Motorsport gathered a record breaking number of entries — 128 in total: 94 foreigners, coming from several parts of Europe, and 34 national teams.
In fact, this edition marked the first victory by a foreign team. The duo Raymond Horgnies/Christophe Hayez came in first while José Lareppe/Joseph Lambert ended up in second. Both these teams are from Belgium and the classifications helped them gain notoriety and motivation for future editios of the Rally. The team João Mexia Leitão/Nuno Machado, in a Porsche 911 Carrera, was able to achieve a third place, the best position for a Portuguese team.
The course itself was rather unreliable and instable. During the 2009 edition, rain was a undeniable factor, that complicated the course of the race and the dexterity of the pilots.
Final standings: 1º Raymond Horgnies/Christophe Hayez (Porsche 911), 775,9 pontos; 2º José Lareppe/Joseph Lambert (Opel Kadett GTE), 934,3 pt; 3º João Mexia Leitão/Nuno Machado (Porsche 911 Carrera), 1077,4; 4º Ricardo Alonso/Moises Alvarez (Ford Escort RS), 1085,2; 5º Reuter/Vandevoret (Porsche 914-6), 1104,9pt; etc.
III Rally de Portugal Histórico
8th to 12th of October, 2008
The 2008 edition of the Rally de Portugal Histórico was marked, once again, by a foreign presence: from the 115 entries, 62 were from teams from all over Europe and only 53 were national. This outcome showed that the race is still an interesting way to showcase the natural beauty of our country that is spread throughtout the its various routes. Based on the successful experiences of the first two editions, the route was this time over 1690km long. Being this a true regularity competition, 39 special classification competitions were held, adding more 527,82 km.
José Grosso/João Sismeiro, in a 2002 BMW, were the winners, managing to defend themselves in the best way against the main opponents' attacks, as well maintaning an impressive adjustement to the natural, and sometimes harsh, conditions of the course. The team was able to keep the advantage they had won on the second day, which proved to be a precious asset for the further development of the race.
Final standings: Classificação final: 1º José Grosso/João Sismeiro (BMW 2002Tii), 434,8 pontos; 2º Aitor Peneda/Victor Garay (Alfa Romeo GTV 1750), a 437,4pt; 3º Nuno Rodrigues/Ana Queirós (BMW 2002), 460,7pt; 4º Jose Zarate/Diego Gonzalez (Porsche 911 Carrera), a 462,7pt; 5º Pedro Jerónimo/Carlos Hipólito (Porsche 911 Carrera), a 464,2pt; etc.
II Rally de Portugal Histórico
3rd to 7th of October, 2007
From 90 to 120 competitors in total, the interest and curiosity for this race grew impressively since the first year of the Rally de Portugal Histórico.
With a departure from Braga, over 1600 km, 38 classification races and 280 controls were expecting all the teams, that faced a more difficult and competitive race. The conviviality spirit was, however, the same, showing that Portugal is so much more than sun and beaches. Once again, the social aspect and the beauty of the course impressed the competitors, who, in the end, praised the safety of the race and the quality of the organisation.
A winner was only found in the last race of the Rally: in the Cascais Marina circuit, Pedro Jerónimo/Carlos Hipólito, with many constraints and unpredictable surprises, came in first riding a Porsche 911 Carrera. It's interesting to highlight how the brand waited until 2007 to register its name as the winner of the Rally.
Final standings:
1º Pedro Jerónimo/Carlos Hipólito (Porsche 911 Carrera), 625,4 pontos; 2º João Mexia Leitão/Nuno machado (Porsche 911), 634,3pt; 3º Verano Miguelangel/Moises Pestana (Opel Kadett), 646,7pt; 4º Gonzalo Rico-Avello/Secundino Suarez (Ford Escort MK1), 655,6; 5º Paulo Grosso/Susana Cordeiro (Ford escort), 759,5pt; etc
I Rally de Portugal Histórico
4th to 8th of October, 2006
When Automóvel Club de Portugal had the idea of creating the Rally de Portugal Histórico, the premise was not only to focus attention on its competitive side — but to showcase a touristic view of the country, promoting both conviviality and solidarity.
4 stages, 1700 km of road, 39 regularity tests and 240 controls were the menu served to 90 competitors who, after traveling the roads of the central part of Portugal — which have become part of the history of many of the World Championship's editions —, competed in Sintra's mountain range, in the mythical sections of this region, for the victory in the first historic edition.
The mixture of competitiveness, tourism and social conviviality left everyone wanting to come back in 2007.
Final standings: Classificação final: 1º Camilo Figueiredo/António Caldeira (Datsun 240Z), 524,15 pontos; 2º João Queiroz/Marta Queiroz (Porsche 924 Turbo), 567,94pt; 3º Nuno Rodrigues/Ana Queiroz (BMW 2002), 582,99pt; 4º Eric Van Peer/Joseph Lambert (BMW 2002), 641,15pt; 5º José Luís nunes/Sara nunes (Alfa romeo 2000 GTV), 653,49pt; etc.
