M-Sport Ford’s Martins Sesks set the fastest time in Thursday morning’s shakedown stage at Rally Portugal. Sesks completed the just over five-kilometre stage in 3:52.3, beating Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä by 0.6 seconds. Sesks is contesting his second WRC rally of the season on the gravel roads of Portugal. He was last seen in action in the World Rally Championship back in February on the snow of Sweden.
Rovanperä held the top spot for some time, but the Latvian Sesks overtook the Finn on his fourth and final run.
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville was third fastest, 0.9 seconds behind Sesks’ benchmark time.
Rovanperä’s teammate Sébastien Ogier was fourth fastest, the Frenchman trailing Rovanperä by 1.1 seconds. Hyundai’s Ott Tänak posted the fifth fastest time.
Championship leader Elfyn Evans was sixth quickest. He was 1.4 seconds slower than his teammate Rovanperä and two seconds behind Sesks.
Toyota’s Sami Pajari finished tenth. Of the full-time top-class drivers, only M-Sport Ford’s Grégoire Munster ended up behind the Finn.
Rally Portugal begins with a short 2.94-kilometre spectator stage at 20:05 (CET). The rally gets properly underway on Friday with a long day of action featuring no fewer than ten special stages.
Rally Portugal shakedown results:
| POS | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Martins Sesks | Ford | 3:52.3 |
| 2. | Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota | +0.6 |
| 3. | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | +0.9 |
| 4. | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | +1.7 |
| 5. | Ott Tänak | Hyundai | +1.8 |
| 6. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +2.0 |
| 7. | Josh McErlean | Ford | +2.6 |
| 8. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +2.7 |
| 9. | Adrien Fourmaux | Hyundai | +3.2 |
| 10. | Sami Pajari | Toyota | +3.7 |
| 11. | Gregoire Munster | Ford | +4.0 |
Rally Portugal itinerary (CET):
Thursday 15 May
20:05 SS1: Figueira da Foz (2.94 km)
Friday 16 May
08:35 SS2: Mortágua 1 (14.59 km)
10:05 SS3: Lousã 1 (12.28 km)
10:53 SS4: Góis 1 (14.30 km)
11:41 SS5: Arganil 1 (14.41 km)
12:31 Remote service (20 min)
14:05 SS6: Lousã 2 (12.28 km)
14:53 SS7: Góis 2 (14.30 km)
15:41 SS8: Arganil 2 (14.41 km)
16:31 Remote service (20 min)
18:05 SS9: Mortágua 2 (14.59 km)
19:35 SS10: Águeda / Sever (15.08 km)
20:20 SS11: Sever / Albergaria (20.24 km)
Saturday 17 May
08:35 SS12: Vieira do Minho 1 (17.69 km)
09:35 SS13: Cabeceiras de Basto 1 (19.91 km)
11:25 SS14: Amarante 1 (22.10 km)
13:46 Service break (44 min)
16:05 SS15: Vieira do Minho 2 (17.69 km)
17:05 SS16: Cabeceiras de Basto 2 (19.91 km)
18:55 SS17: Amarante 2 (22.10 km)
20:05 SS18: Lousada (3.52 km)
Sunday 18 May
07:43 SS19: Paredes 1 (16.09 km)
08:48 SS20: Felgueiras 1 (8.81 km)
09:35 SS21: Fafe 1 (11.18 km)
10:58 SS22: Paredes 2 (16.09 km)
12:03 SS23: Felgueiras 2 (8.81 km)
14:15 SS24: Fafe 2 (11.18 km) *Power Stage
