Elfyn Evans took the top spot in the 2025 Rally de Portugal after winning Thursday’s Super Special stage.
The British driver clocked 2:18.1 minutes on the 2.94-kilometer Figueira da Foz circuit,
beating teammate Sébastien Ogier by 0.2 seconds and Estonian Ott Tänak by the same margin.
A tight top five
Adrien Fourmaux finished fourth, 0.4 seconds behind Evans,
while reigning world champion Thierry Neuville rounded out the top five,
0.6 seconds off the lead.
All five drivers completed the stage within a second of Evans’ time,
showcasing the competitive field.
The Super Special stage saw significant improvements over last year’s time,
with all top 12 drivers beating the 2024 time of 2:24.20 minutes.
This year’s Rally1 cars, without the hybrid system that added up to 100 extra horsepower,
proved to be faster on this stage.
Tänak noted the impact of the new tire change rule, saying “this year we could be faster
because we changed tires and didn’t need to save them like in 2024.”
Friday’s long stage ahead
As the current championship leader, Evans will be the first to hit the road on Friday,
a potentially tough task in the first stage with 10 timed sections.
“It’s going to be a tough day,” Evans said.
“Opening the road isn’t my specialty.”
The first stage is expected to be a grueling one, with over 13 hours of competition planned.
Drivers will face an early start, with the first special stage at 7:35 AM.
Sébastien Ogier expressed concerns about the long day,
saying it would require a lot of energy and a very early start.
Kalle Rovanperä, Ogier’s teammate, also anticipated a challenge,
stating, “It’s going to be a big challenge… I’m not very happy about it.”
Other competitors shine
Kris Meeke led the Portuguese Rally Championship (CPR) competitors,
finishing 11th overall, 5.5 seconds behind Evans.
José Pedro Fontes was the top Portuguese driver,
completing the Super Special stage 11.5 seconds off Evans’ pace.