Event information - Vodafone Rally de Portugal (April 2-5), round 4 of 12
· Surface: gravel

· Host town: Vilamoura

· Practical information: Rally HQ, the service park and the Media Centre are all located in the Estadio Algarve in Almancil, 8km from Faro. There is a one-hour time difference between Portugal (GMT+1) and Continental Europe (GMT+2). When it is 7am in Portugal it is 8am in France. Sunrise on Day 1 of the rally (Friday April 3) is 7.16am. Sunset is 7.56pm.

· Technical matters: The three Citroën C4 WRCs will have new engines which will go on to compete in Argentina and Italy. One spare gearbox, one spare set of differentials and one spare turbo are permitted per driver for Portugal and Argentina. Steering racks and subframes will be sealed before the start of the Rally de Portugal and will then be used again in Argentina.

· Tyres: each crew will have 46 hard compound Pirelli Scorpion 205/65 tyres for the event. Competitors may carry two spares, but the ’re-cutting’ of tread patterns is not authorised.

· Recce: Tuesday March 31 (8.00am to 8.00pm) and Wednesday April 1 (8.00am to 6.00pm). The maximum authorised speed is 70kph (or lower, depending on local restrictions).

· Shakedown: Thursday April 2 (8.00am to 12 noon) near Vale Judeu.

· Press conference: Thursday April 2 (1.30pm), Media Centre.

· Start ceremony: Thursday April 2 (from 4.45pm).

· Route length: 1,164.99km, including 361.36km divided into 18 stages (12 different).

· Day 1 (Thursday April 2 and Friday April 3): 429.19km, including 136.21km divided into 7 stages (4 different). Thursday April 2: SS1 (SSS Estadio Algarve 1, 2.21km). Parc ferme (17.00). Friday April 3: Service A (09.10, 15 minutes). SS2 (Ourique 1, 23.42km), SS3 (Silves 1, 21.54km) and SS4 (Malhao 1, 22.04km). Regroup (13.20, 15 minutes). Service B (13.35, 30 minutes). SS5 (Ourique 2, 23.42km), SS6 (Silves 2, 21.54km) and SS7 (Malhao 2, 22.04km). Service C (18.00, 45 minutes). Last car due into parc ferme at 21.00.

· Day 2 (Saturday April 4): 467.30km, including 145.18km divided into 6 stages (3 different). Service D (08.40, 15 minutes). SS8 (Santa Clara 1, 22.61km), SS9 (Almodovar 1, 27.18km) and SS10 (Vascao 1, 22.80km). Regroup (13.05, 15 minutes). Service E (13.20, 30 minutes). SS11 (Santa Clara 2, 22.61km), SS12 (Almodovar 2, 27.18km) and SS13 Vascao 2, 22.80km). Service F (18.00, 45 minutes). Last car due into parc ferme at 21.00.

· Day 3 (Sunday March 15): 268.50km, including 79.97km divided into 5 stages (3 different). Service G (06.50, 15 minutes). SS14 (Loulé 1, 22.65km) and SS15 (S. Bras Alportel 1, 16.23km). Service H (10.01, 30 minutes). SS16 (Loulé 2, 22.65km), SS17 (S. Bras Alportel 2, 16.23km) and SS18 (Estadio Algarve 2, 2.21km). Rally finish (14.10).

· Podium: Sunday April 5 (from 2.45pm).

· Post-rally press conference: Sunday April 5 (3.30pm), Media Centre.

· New: although the event uses the same facilities, the route has been extensively modified. Silves (SS3/6) is new, but Ourique (SS2/5) and Malhao (SS4/7) have been modified. On Day 2, Santa Clara (SS8/11) and Almodovar (SS9/12) have been modified, while Vascao (SS10/13) is new at WRC level. On Day 3, only S. Bras de Alportel (SS15/17) is identical to 2007. Loulé (SS14/16) is a new version.

· The crews’ WRC statistics before this rally: Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena: WRC debut: Catalunya 1999 (Saxo Kit-Car, retired). WRC starts: 116. First WRC win: Germany 2002 (Xsara WRC). WRC wins: 50. WRC titles: 5 (2004 to 2008).

Dani Sordo: WRC debut: Catalunya 2003 (18th). WRC starts: 62. Junior title: 2005 (C2 S1600).

Marc Martí: WRC debut: Catalunya 1992 (21st). WRC starts: 128. Junior title: 2005 (C2 S1600).

· The crews’ Rally de Portugal statistics before this rally:
Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena: second participation: 2007 (C4, 1st).
Dani Sordo: second participation: 2007 (C4, 3rd).
Marc Martí: fourth participation: 2007 (C4, 3rd), 2000 (retired) and 1998 (20th).

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