Juho Hänninen has extended his lead of Sata Rallye Açores to 19.9s over Bruno Magalhães after winning the Grupo Marques superspecial.
Going up against Škoda Motorsport team-mate Jan Kopecký in a head to head battle, the Finn was 1.2s faster than Andreas Mikkelsen, who is nursing his damaged M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 following his collision with a cow on stage 14.
Crews are heading back to service in Ponta Delgada before the final three stages of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier.
Overall positions after SS16:
| Pos. | Team | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Hänninen Juho / Markkula Mikko | Škoda Fabia S2000 | 1h55m02.8s |
| 02 | Magalhaes Bruno / Magalhaes Carlos | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +19.9s |
| 03 | Kopecký Jan / Starý Petr | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +22.3s |
| 04 | Meeke Kris / Nagle Paul | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +1m13.3s |
| 05 | Mikkelsen Andreas / Floene Ola | Ford Fiesta S2000 | +1m23.1s |
| 06 | Sousa Bernardo / Silva Nuno | Ford Fiesta S2000 | +2m27.3s |
| 07 | Moura Ricardo / Eiró Sancho | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | +4m17.1s |
| 08 | Vale Pedro / Medeiros Rui | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII | +8m13.2s |
| 09 | Peres Pedro / Ferreira Tiago | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | +8m51.9s |
| 10 | Silva Sérgio / Leal Paulo | Subaru Impreza STI | +9m03.3s |
| 11 | Pascoal Vítor / Castro Mário | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +10m57.7s |
| 12 | Carmo Ricardo / Reis Justino | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | +11m39.7s |
| 13 | Torres Rui / Martins Marco | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | +12m02.6s |
| 14 | Rego Paulo / Carreiro Abel | Subaru Impreza STI | +12m32.5s |
| 15 | Maciel Paulo / Gouveia Filipe | Citroën Saxo VTS | +13m45.2s |