Meeke has already won four rallies in Portugal this season, but this time luck was not on his side in the event held around the city of Chaves, in the far north of Portugal. Meeke and his co-driver Stuart Loudon went off the road already on the opening stage.
According to Meeke, the cause of the off was a puncture, which in turn had damaged the brakes to the extent that the car would no longer stop.
“Over and out at Rali da Agua. Disaster of a rally for us from the beginning. Puncture 1st stage this morning. Rubber damaged a brake pipe. No tools to fix. Caught out on a downhill braking.
And here we are. I own it. My mistake. Stuart and I are fine,” Meeke said on social media.
A photo of the scene of Meeke’s crash has been published on social media. Based on the picture, the impact was far from minor. The front of the car was left in very rough shape in the collision.
See the photo of the incident via this link.
Meeke’s crash spiced up the fight for the Portuguese Rally Championship title. Meeke is battling for the crown against local veteran Armindo Araújo and another former WRC star, Dani Sordo.
With the Northern Irishman, driving Toyota machinery, forced to retire, it was Sordo in a Hyundai who took the spoils, also winning the rally’s closing Power Stage. As a result, Meeke’s significant lead in the championship melted away and Araújo moved into first place, despite not having won a rally this season. Araújo, however, has steadily racked up podium finishes.
Sordo, meanwhile, closed to within a single point of Meeke with his second victory of the season, while Meeke has taken four wins so far this year.
“The feeling is amazing, because we really needed this win. Thank you to everyone for the support. Victory in both the rally and the Power Stage keeps us in the championship fight,” Sordo summed up.
The final round of the Portuguese Rally Championship will be held around the city of Marinha Grande, north of Lisbon, in mid-October.
