The second pass through the iconic Fafe stage would decide the outcome of numerous battles waging down the leader board. The leading WRC2 crews were into action first and road-opening duties in improved weather conditions fell to seventh-placed Nikolay Gryazin, who led all his rivals but had opted not to register for championship points in Portugal.
Jan Solans held his nerve to seal victory in WRC2 by 3.2 seconds from Josh Mcerlean, despite the Irishman beating him by 3.15 seconds on the Wolf Power Stage. It marked the first victory for the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Finn Lauri Joona finished third.
A flying Kalle Rovanperä laid down the Rally1 Power Stage gauntlet with a run of 6min 25.958sec and that bettered the previous stage record he had set last year. Takamoto Katsuta, Elfyn Evans, Dani Sordo and Adrien Fourmaux were unable to match the Finn.
But Thierry Neuville ran fastest with a time of 6min 23.725sec to set a new stage record. Ott Tänak slotted into second with a run of 6min 23.892sec
The three-way fight for ‘Super Sunday’s’ seven bonus points went in Tänak’s favour with Neuville claiming five additional points for the Wolf Power Stage win.
Sébastien Ogier’s consolation was becoming the most successful driver in the history of the Rally of Portugal with six wins. His success also gave Toyota a record-breaking seventh win on the event.
Previous stage record – Rovanperä (Toyota - 2023): 6min 26.5sec
Car 11. NEUVILLE/WYDAEGHE
“We had a really clean run. I tried to push as hard as I could. My tyres were not the best. Thanks to the team. We knew it was not going to be an easy weekend.”
Car 16. FOURMAUX/CORIA
“It’s good points. We have lost one position in the championship and maybe two but it could help us in Sardinia. Really happy, the pace was coming. The car has been perfect, so thanks to the team.”
Car 8. TÄNAK/JÄRVEOJA
“Definitely it has been a demanding weekend. We tried our best. Normally it doesn’t work out like this in rallying. If you go full attack and you don’t feel good in the car it doesn’t normally pay off.”
Car 69. ROVANPERÄ/HALTTUNEN
“It was much more loose than I was expecting. We are opening the road for the big cars behind. It was a good run for us. Big thanks to the team for fixing the car yesterday and sorry for losing them points. Now it’s time for the summer holiday...”
Car 18. KATSUTA/JOHNSTON
“It’s huge disappointment and huge shame I retired yesterday. I lost a very important person in my family on Monday. It was very difficult to focus. My family is also fighting so I have to fight as well. I wanted to achieve a good result for him.”
Car 17. OGIER/LANDAIS
“One more time. Nothing against being tied with Marrkku Alén – he is a legend. Now it finally happened. It has been a great weekend but not fantastic for the whole team. It is a good feeling. I was crying from the concentration and the dust in the eyes but the emotion is still there.”
Car 6. SORDO/CARRERA
“Today was little bit difficult. The first two legs were quite fine. The conditions this morning, we didn’t want to make a mistake. I was out of the pace in those conditions.”
Car 21. ROSSEL/DANAND
“I am a bit disappointed. For sure, when you can fight for the win and you finish fifth it is not easy to say it is a clean weekend. It was a good weekend for me with the car on gravel. I think I’m a bit behind Oliver (Solberg) and we need to work for more. Let’s see.”
Car 24. PAJARI/MÄLKÖNEN
After setting several fastest WRC2 times, the Finn crashed out of the rally on SS21.
Car 25. GRYAZIN/ALEKSANDROV
“Now it feels much more confidence. I feel that we can go much faster with this car. I feel we could be a top team in this car.”
Car 28. SOLANS/SANJUAN
“It is absolutely amazing and the first win for the Toyota Rally 2 and the first for a Spaniard to win in the history.”
Car 29. JOONA/HUSSI
First WRC2 podium for the Finn. “It has been an incredible weekend for me. It is like a win. I have to thank everyone who has been with me, my family, sponsors, co-driver…obrigado.”
Car 38. MCERLEAN/FULTON
“It’s been unbelievable – an incredible weekend for us. Fair play to Jan and the whole team. They did an incredible job. A first podium. We definitely have something to celebrate.”
Car 36. ZALDIVAR/DER OHANNESIAN
Personal best fourth place in WRC2. “We’ve been working quite a lot and we are slowly getting there. We will see what we can do at home before Sardinia. It was a long weekend and very tough. It was a great weekend after everything.”