Neuville sets the pace in Rally Portugal shakedown

Thierry Neuville topped the timesheets during the pre-event shakedown for Rally Portugal, the sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Driving for Hyundai, the Belgian posted a 3:51.2 on his third run over the 5.72km gravel course, narrowly beating Toyota’s Sami Pajari by 0.3 seconds.

Pajari, arriving in Portugal following a string of four consecutive podiums, showed strong pace throughout the session. M-Sport Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux completed the top three, finishing just 0.5 seconds behind the benchmark. Further down the order, Mārtiņš Sesks and Elfyn Evans shared the fourth-fastest time, while Oliver Solberg rounded out the top six.

Drivers expect a challenging weekend as the rally returns to gravel. Neuville noted the potential for unpredictable weather and varying surface conditions, warning that muddy sections could prove particularly treacherous. Similarly, Pajari noted that the stages, while currently clean, are likely to become significantly rutted during the second passes.

The competitive action commences Thursday with three opening stages, including the Figueira da Foz super special. The event will span 23 stages over the weekend, totaling 344.91 competitive kilometers before concluding with Sunday's Wolf Power Stage.