The Belgian Neuville will defend the lead in the World Championship during the Portugal Rally

This time, in addition, Neuville will have a star-studded line-up against him, the current team number one in Toyota colors and the 2021 lead Evans will be complemented for the first time in the season by the driving champion Kalle Rovanper from Finland and the eight-time world champion Frenchman Sbastien Ogier, who only competes in the selected leads of the series .

Neuville will thus be an elite rider who can be found in Portugal. The 20-year-old Rovanper will be aiming for his third triumph in a row, the seventeen-year-old Ogier has won the rally four times in his career, and if he manages to do it once, he will become independent at the top of the all-time table from Markko Aln from Finland.

The rush in Portugal depends on the same factors as always. We need consistency, good setup and a door in the car. The condition of the track and the starting position will also have a big influence on its performance; when it’s raining, we’ll be fast, if it’s dry, we’ll suffer, said Neuville, who will be the first to set out on the Ottoline track in the evening and will cover the tracks with the volley. Even the 5-year-old Belgian managed to win in Portugal in 2018. Last year, Neuville pt.

Toyota enters the rally with great expectations. We wanted to put all three of our drivers on at least one rally and this was a good opportunity to do it, said Jari-Matti Latvala. In addition to Evans, Rovanperho and Ogier, the Japanese Takamoto Katsuta will also appear in the rally. Those of them managed to win in Portugal, plus Taka was also very fast there, noted Latvala. He added, however, that Evans will focus mainly on the battle with the competition in the overall ranking of the World Cup.

Rovanperho’s first start at the amphitheatre this season, he won last time in Kenya after an unreleased race. To Portugal with tm. It’s a rally that mm really rd. There are always a lot of fans and a great atmosphere, said Rovanper. It seems to suit me quite well here. Of course we will try to win again, but that is never easy. All peak pilots here know it, pointed out the world champion from Pedel for two years.

Ogier did not disappoint in Portugal last year, but this year he will. He died in Monte Carlo, he won in Croatia. Now he will aim for the jubilee 60th career triumph. I am excited to return to Portugal. It is a country that we have a lot of good memories of, maybe a little more from the time when the rally was held in the south and not in the north, said Ogier, but the last triumph was in 2017. Under normal circumstances, we should not be at a disadvantage considering to our starting position, maybe she could benefit from it. But it’s too early to say anything, because there’s a lot going on, added Ogier.

Esk Motorsport will also be represented at the Portugal Rally. Martin Prokop will fight for points in the WRC2 category, Jan ern will try to make it in the WRC3 category. After the fourth opening speed test, the 1st stage will continue on Friday, until Sunday the 22nd test with a total of 337 less kilometers.