WRC Portugal: Jari-Matti Latvala's Volkswagen fastest on shakedown
Volkswagen driver Jari-Matti Latvala set the fastest time on Wednesday's Rally of Portugal shakedown stage
Shakedown is running a day ahead of its usual Thursday morning slot due to the organisers' decision to move the ceremonial start north to Estoril, after which the crews will tackle the event-opening superspecial stage in Lisbon.
Latvala's time of 3m05.2s through the 2.26-mile stage was 0.8 seconds faster than his nearest rival Henning Solberg.
Solberg's effort was impressive as this is his first gravel outing in a World Rally Car since the 2011 Rally GB.
The Norwegian returnee, whose 2014 World Rallycross drive with Eklund Motorsport was also announced on shakedown day, is running Pirellis on his Ford.
Latvala's team-mate and last year's Portugal winner Sebastien Ogier was third fastest with Dani Sordo's Hyundai fourth.
All except Solberg in the top four took advantage of a new regulation that dictated that they only had to complete a minimum of two - rather than four - runs at the shakedown test.
Most drivers were running a soft tyre to suit the still-damp conditions, but they were aware that they only have four sets of softs to last the event.
Mikko Hirvonen ran the harder Michelin on his M-Sport Ford, softening the set-up in an effort to get more traction from the tyres. The Finn was fifth fastest and one of three drivers within three tenths of a second: Hyundai men Juho Hanninen and Thierry Neuville were right behind him.
Robert Kubica was eighth fastest in his Fiesta with Mads Ostberg and Andreas Mikkelsen rounding out the top 10.
Britons Kris Meeke and Elfyn Evans were 12th and 14th respectively.
Leading shakedown times: Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Jari-Matti Latvala VW 3m05.2s 2. Henning Solberg M-Sport Ford 3m06.0s +0.8s 3. Sebastien Ogier VW 3m07.1s +1.9s 4. Dani Sordo Hyundai 3m07.8s +2.6s 5. Mikko Hirvonen M-Sport Ford 3m08.3s +3.1s 6. Juho Hanninen Hyundai 3m08.4s +3.2s 7. Thierry Neuville Hyundai 3m08.5s +3.3s 8. Robert Kubica M-Sport Ford 3m10.2s +5.0s 9. Mads Ostberg Citroen 3m10.3s +5.1s 10. Andreas Mikkelsen VW 3m10.5s +5.3s
Follow the Rally of Portugal as it happens on AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live from 10am UK time on Friday April 4
World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier takes Fafe Rally Sprint win
WRC Rally of Portugal: Heavy rain disrupts recce
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause
How Rovanpera overcame rallying royalty in Portugal to extend his WRC lead
Although the Rally Portugal entry list featured World Rally Championship royalty in Sebastiens Loeb and Ogier, victory was secured by rallying's rising star in Kalle Rovanpera. Here's the story of his 2022 hat-trick, as his key rivals faltered among the gravel and asphalt ahead of them
The former WRC star playing the unsung hero role for Rovanpera
Kalle Rovanpera’s 2022 World Rally Championship displays have been spectacular, with the Toyota driver benefitting from a secret weapon in his crew to win two of the opening three rallies. But while the former challenger to Sebastien Loeb won’t take credit for his fellow Finn's performances, a key bond has been formed which could prove key to Rovanpera’s title charge
How Rovanpera's Croatia turnaround sent a message to his WRC rivals
After a dominating Rally Croatia, a wrong tyre choice on the final day looked to have undone all Kalle Rovanpera's hard work and left him with a mountain to climb heading into the power stage. That he emerged the winner all the same has surely quelled any lingering doubts that the Finn is the man to beat in the 2022 WRC
How M-Sport's faith in Loubet led to a WRC reprieve after a dismal 2021
It's fair to say 2021 was a year to forget for Pierre-Louis Loubet. A maiden full World Rally Championship season offered hope but soon turned into a nightmare that ended in hospital, after being hit by a car in a road traffic accident. Now handed a lifeline by M-Sport, the Frenchman is desperate to rebuild his career
Why WRC mechanics deserve more respect
The drivers get the glare of attention, but it’s the mechanics who are key to the operation of any World Rally Championship car. Autosport donned a set of overalls and joined M-Sport on a Belgian national rally event to get an inside look into the trials and tribulations of a rally mechanic
The African McRae aiming to become a WRC pioneer
Taking his first step into the Junior World Rally Championship category, McRae Kimathi - named after 1995 world champion Colin - found himself in the unfamiliar climes of Sweden's snow and ice. Having impressed, Kimathi hopes to blaze a trail to the top level of WRC and help other African drivers to step onto the ladder