“Portugal Rally 2021: Drivers Gather for Family Photo at Joanina Library in Coimbra”

The starting gun for this year’s Portugal Rally is given, with a late afternoon and early evening in Coimbra that generated great curiosity and enthusiasm among thousands of rally fans and which allowed the capture of an image for posterity: drivers and co-drivers of the WRC main category gathered for a family photo at the Joanina Library, at the University of Coimbra, which dates from the 18th century. The euphoria began by being perceptible by the public’s adherence to the autograph session, where the protagonists had their hands full, and later by the atmosphere created next to Porta Férrea, where the official starting ceremony took place, before the official entities linked to the organization of the event. There was much applause as the main names in the sport made it to the global stage, with the special moment of Kris Meeke’s rise to the podium. The Briton was invited by Hyundai Portugal to take the place of Craig Breen (deceased almost a month ago in an accident, in Croatia) in the Portugal Rally Championship, with James Fulton as co-driver, who was Breen’s navigator and left the event unharmed. accident.

“For many reasons, this will be a special rally”, summed up Kris Meeke, who already won the Rally de Portugal, in 2016, at the time representing Citroën.

The protagonists will spend the night in the central zone, as this Friday morning the actual competition in the Rally of Portugal begins, with stages in Lousã, Góis, Arganil, Mortágua and the novelty of the super special stage in Figueira da Foz. The action starts at 9:05 am, with the first passage through Lousã.

Toyota’s Elfyn Evans will open the road during this Friday’s specials, as he is tied with Sébastien Ogier at the top of the drivers’ championship, with 69 points, and Ogier is not competing in the Portuguese race.