Why WRC drivers expect Portugal to deliver a rally that has “everything”

Motorsport photo Rough gravel stages, long periods without service, changeable weather and increased competition will make Rally Portugal a challenge that will have “everything”, according to World Rally Championship drivers. The first pure gravel rally of the season looks set to offer up one of the biggest tests of 2026 for crews and teams, and perhaps the hardest-fought rally of the campaign to date. The reason is down to a number of factors that have combined to make this edition of Rally Portugal particularly challenging.

Rally organisers have made changes to the itinerary this year following criticism from drivers after a packed Friday leg that saw drivers spend 15 hours behind the wheel. It prompted the FIA to introduce mandatory rest periods for 2026. A minimum of 10 hours per day must be dedicated to rest, with one leg featuring at least 12 hours.

As a result, Rally Portugal has now added an extra day of competition to avoid a repeat of last year. While the rally distance remains more or less the same – 344km of stages and approximately 1500km of road sections – it will be spread across four days more evenly. “There will be everything I think.

It is not like Africa, but here the speed is higher. I would expect a very close battle and changing positions," Toyota’s Oliver Solberg told Motorsport. “I think a lot can happen with punctures and tyres.