A measure of the quality of the IRC field attracted by the challenge of Rally Portugal can be seen from the fact that two-time World Champion Marcus Gronholm, who retired only last year, is driving the zero car. In total there are 30 registered Intercontinental Rally Challeneg competitors, including 15 Super 2000 cars.
The first car off the ramp next week will be Francois Duval, one of Belgium's most promising young drivers and the winner of the 2005 Rally Australia. This will be Duval's second outing at the wheel of a Super 2000 Abarth, having previously won the Condroz Rally back home in Belgium with a similar machine.
Another highlight of the entry list will be Didier Auriol: the 1994 World Champion who captured the record for the highest number of victories in one season.
Manfred Stohl – a regular World Championship competitor who finished fourth in the 2006 series – will also be present. The Austrian will be making his debut behind the wheel of a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 machine.
Another well-known Austrian – Andreas Aigner – will also be taking the start in Portugal. Aigner, who recently claimed his first Production Car World Championship win in Argentina, will drive a Group N Mitsubishi Lancer in Portugal.
Some tough opposition will come from flying Finn Juho Hanninen and Italian ace Paolo Andreucci, also at the wheel of Mitsubishi Lancers.
Other local Mitsubishi drivers who are sure to be strong include Bernardo Sousa (Aigner's team mate on the World Championship) and the experienced Armindo Araujo: a former winner of the Portugal Rally two years ago.
As well as this incredible range of drivers making a guest appearance in Portugal, all the regular IRC competitors will be trying to make their mark. Luca Rossetti, who won the opening round of this year's IRC in Istanbul (as well as Ypres and Sanremo last year) will be trying to extend his series lead on the Portuguese stages.
The regular Abarth team of Giandomenico Basso and Anton Alen are sure to be contenders for victory, as well as the Peugeot Belgium line-up of Freddy Loix and Nicolas Vouilloz.
The team has an extra member in Belgium: Miguel Campos, who has a third factory Peugeot drive courtesy of the BFGoodrich drivers' team.
The rally takes place from 8 to 10 May.
Marcus Gronholm, 2000 and 2002 World Rally Champion:
"I think it should be good fun to drive the zero car on this event. Portugal has always been a nice rally, which I have enjoyed competing on. As zero car my priority is to stay on the road, but it should be a really interesting rally: I've looked at the entry list and there is Didier (Auriol) and some other very interesting people there. It's really hard to predict what will happen, but it is sure to be a good event."
Didier Auriol, 1994 World Rally Champion, Abarth driver:
"I am looking forward to the challenge, although I have really no idea how I will go against these young drivers who are all used to Super 2000 cars. For me it is mostly fun, but of course I would like to do well: the feeling of competition never goes away..."
