WRC Rally Portugal
ERC - Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras
- 11 - 14 May 2023
- Matosinhos, Portugal
- Total Distance - 1636 kms
- Stage Distance - 329 kms
- 11 - 12 March 2023
- Parque da Cidade – Fafe
- Stage Distance - 180 kms
Rally Portugal 2023 Results
WRC
WRC 2
1 . Kalle Rovanperä
2. Dani Sordo
3. Esapekka Lappi
1. Gus Greensmith
2. Oliver Solberg
3. Andreas Mikkelsen
Rally Portugal was included in the inaugural WRC calendar in 1973 and is held on fairly fast technical gravel roads. The weather in Portugal can be changeable in May when the rally is usually held, making the surfaces soft, revealing rocks that can catch drivers out.
For 2023 Rally Portugal is the 5th round of the World Rally Championship and the Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras is back as the 1st round of the European Championship Calendar. The ERC round uses stages from the WRC and is often used by WRC crews to gain extra preperation and milage in the car.
Rally Portugal hosts some of the most iconic stages of the WRC including Amarante, Arganil and the infamous Pedra Sentada jump on the Fafe stage. The atmosphere on the stages of Rally Portugal is amazing with passionate fans and most of the viewing places getting very busy. They are however well controlled and regulated, unlike in the late 80’s early 90’s when the cars had to weave through the crowds!
Rally Portugal 2023 has two super special spectator stages this year, the fan favourite Lousada (a rally x track) and Figueira da Foz both street stages. The latter stage is close to Coimbra and replaces last years stage in the city, there is no Porto – Foz stage (in Matosinhos) this year.
The super special stages are all held in the evening and are fun to watch, especially if you can find somewhere to stay nearby.
Fridays Rally Portugal route features double passes of Lousa, Gois and Arganil, with the two loops separated by a remote tyre fitting area in Arganil. The day ends with a single run through Mortagua and the super special Figueira da Foz making a return for the first time in 26 years. There is no service until the cars return to Mastosinhos in the evening, any mechanical problems could prove costly.
On Saturday the crews face two loops through Vieira do Minho, Amarante and Felgueiras with a service between loops. The cars then head to the Lousada Rallycross circuit where the cars race head to head setting off in pairs around a figure of 8 stage.
Sunday consists of four stages to end the rally. The first of the day is Paredes followed by Fafe, Cabeceiras de Basto then a second run through Fafe, the latter being the Wolf Power Stage. Undoubtedly the highlight of the day (and possibly the rally) is the enormous Pedra Sentada jump at the end of the Fafe stage and the huge crowds it attracts. If you want to watch this stage you will need to arrive very early to get a good viewing position.
Rally Portugal 2023 will, again, be hosted Portos coastal area, Matosinhos
Tickets
Tickets are not compulsory for any of the stages of Rally Portugal 2023 apart from shakedown (15 Euros) and the 2 super special stages, Figueira Da Foz (27 Euros) and Lousada (30 Euros).
Rally Passes are available, which offer added value with access to things such as seated viewing areas and shuttle buses. These range in price from 65 euros for Lousada only to 433.50 Euros for access to Arganil, Felgueiras and Fafe over the 3 days of the rally. Tickets are available from the official website.
Getting there
Although Porto is a reasonably sized airport and many airlines fly there, it is a regional airport. As such, most countries have an airport serving Porto, though it is usually the larger airports.
Accommodation at Rally Portugal 2023
Portugal is a large tourist destination. Accommodation for the rally is easy to find for virtually any budget and group size. Porto, Matosinhos (where the service park and a super special stage are hosted) and Coimbra have an abundance accomodation including hostels, appartments and hotels.
One place which doesn’t have much accomodation is Lousada, where the Rally X super special is hosted. Rally Portugal generally heads north from here, so look for accomodation around the Felgueiras area.
WRC Itinerary - May 11 - 22
| 9.01 | Baltar (Shakedown) |
| 20.30 | Coimbra – CEREMONIAL START |
| 9.05 | SS 1 – Lousã 1 |
| 10.05 | SS 2 – Góis 1 |
| 11.05 | SS 3 – Arganil 1 |
| 13.35 | SS 4 – Lousã 2 |
| 14.35 | SS 5 – Góis 2 |
| 15.35 | SS 6 – Arganil 2 |
| 17.05 | SS 7 – Mortágua |
| 19.05 | SS 8 – Figueira da Foz (SSS) (Live TV) |
| 7.35 | SS 9 -Vieira do Minho 1 (Live TV) |
| 9.05 | SS 10 -Amarante 1 |
| 10.35 | SS 11 – Felgueiras 1 |
| 15.05 | SS 12 – Vieira do Minho 2 (Live TV) |
| 16.35 | SS 13 – Amarante 2 |
| 18.05 | SS14 – Felgueiras 2 |
| 19.05 | SS 15 – Lousada (SSS) (Live TV) |
ERC - Rallye Serras de Fafe Itinerary - March 20 - 22
| 11.30 | Shakedown (montim) |
| 21.05 | Fafe |
| 8.09 | SS2 – Boticas / Vale do Tâmega 1 |
| 8.59 | SS3 – Boticas / Senhor do Monte 1 |
| 10.27 | SS4 – Cabeceiras de Basto 1 |
| 11.40 | SS5 – Vieira do Minho 1 |
| 14.39 | SS6 – Boticas / Vale do Tâmega 1 |
| 15.29 | SS7 – Boticas / Senhor do Monte 2 |
| 17.02 | SS8 – Cabeceiras de Basto 2 |
| 18.15 | SS9 – Vieira do Minho 2 |
| 19.36 | Service C – Fafe – 45 Min |
| 6.50 | Service D – Fafe – 15 Min |
| 7.32 | SS10 – Luílhas 1 |
| 8.24 | SS11 – Seixoso 1 |
| 9.14 | SS12 – Santa Quitéria 1 |
| 10.05 | SS13 – Lameirinha 1 |
| 11.34 | Service E – Fafe |
| 12.31 | SS10 – Luílhas 2 |
| 13.23 | SS11 – Seixoso 2 |
| 14.13 | SS12 – Santa Quitéria 2 |
| 14.53 | Regroup – Fafe |
| 16.05 | SS13 – Lameirinha 2 |