With mud and slippery conditions to contend with after yesterday’s storms, today’s shakedown session proved to be a real workout for the 2014 Vodafone Rally de Portugal drivers. While the rain has been thankfully absent, the conditions left as a result have been less than favourable – a huge departure from the normally dry and dusty stages.
Despite the uncharacteristic conditions for Portugal, Volkswagen Motorsport’s Jari-Matti Latvala set the fastest time using just two of his available four runs, completing the session in 3:05.2.
Henning Solberg recorded the second fastest time through shakedown in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC, though unlike Jari-Matti, Henning was the only driver of the day who opted to use all four runs through the shakedown stage. It was tactic that worked, reducing his time from 3:15.7 to an impressive 3:06.
Third fastest was secured again by a Volkswagen Motorsport car thanks to previous Rally de Portugal winner, Sebastien Ogier. Much like his teammate, Ogier completed only to runs with a fastest time of 3:07.
Dani Sordo secured a close fourth in his Hyundai i20 WRC after completing two runs and securing a time of 3:07.8 despite the tricky conditions caused by yesterday’s heavy rain.
With mud and slippery conditions to contend with after yesterday’s storms, today’s shakedown session proved to be a real workout for the 2014 Vodafone Rally de Portugal drivers. While the rain has been thankfully absent, the conditions left as a result have been less than favourable – a huge departure from the normally dry and dusty stages.
Despite the uncharacteristic conditions for Portugal, Volkswagen Motorsport’s Jari-Matti Latvala set the fastest time using just two of his available four runs, completing the session in 3:05.2.
Henning Solberg recorded the second fastest time through shakedown in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC, though unlike Jari-Matti, Henning was the only driver of the day who opted to use all four runs through the shakedown stage. It was tactic that worked, reducing his time from 3:15.7 to an impressive 3:06.
Third fastest was secured again by a Volkswagen Motorsport car thanks to previous Rally de Portugal winner, Sebastien Ogier. Much like his teammate, Ogier completed only to runs with a fastest time of 3:07.
Dani Sordo secured a close fourth in his Hyundai i20 WRC after completing two runs and securing a time of 3:07.8 despite the tricky conditions caused by yesterday’s heavy rain.