Lisbon’s spectacular Super Special Stage will continue to be included in the itinerary for next April’s Vodafone Rally de Portugal - albeit with a difference.
Rather than take place on Thursday afternoon as had been the case in 2011 and 2012, the stage will now run - in reverse order - at 18:15hrs on Friday 12 April. The move is an effort by event organisers to further increase the spectacle of the all-asphalt test, which is held in the grounds of the Praca do Imperio, Jeronimos Monastery and Centro Cultural de Belem.
Another significant change for 2013 is the inclusion of the new Almodovar stage, which measures 52.3 kilometres in length and brings together the existing Ourique and Almodovar stages. It will form the Power Stage, where bonus points will be on offer to the fastest three crews, when it is run for the second time at 13:38hrs local time on Sunday 14 April.
In total, 15 stages over a competitive distance of 386.73 kilometres make up the mainly gravel event, round four of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship. The rally begins with a ceremonial start in Vilamoura’s marina on Thursday 11 April, the first time since the picturesque venue has been used since Portugal’s world championship candidate rally in 2006.