The 2023 World Rally Championship season continues this weekend with round five, Vodafone Rally De Portugal. Below I will preview the WRC2 class drivers.
Championship Rundown
Yohan Rossel (FRA) Benjamin Boulloud (FRA) of team PH SPORT are seen racing during the World Rally Championship Croatia in Zagreb, Croatia on April 23, 2023 // Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool
Yohan Rossel currently leads the WRC2 Drivers’ Championship standings. Rossel currently sits 9 points above reigning WRC2 champion Emil Lindholm heading into Vodafone Rally De Portugal. Oliver Solberg sits third in the championship, a single point behind Lindholm. Nikolay Gryazin sits fourth in the championship, 5 points back from Solberg. Gus Greensmith rounds out the top five in the championship standings, sitting one point behind Gryazin heading into Vodafone Rally De Portugal. This weekend should be a fun one for the WRC2 class of drivers. As 4 out of the top 5 drivers will be at the event. There is also a chance Adrien Fourmaux who currently sits sixth could move into a top-five spot. As Fourmaux currently sits just 4 points behind his former M-Sport Ford teammate Gus Greensmith.
To Honour Breen
Kris Meeke will return to the WRC this weekend. Meeke last competed in the WRC in 2019 with the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team. Meeke will drive a Hyundai i20 R5 this weekend. Craig Breen’s former co-driver James Fulton will join Meeke this weekend at Vodafone Rally De Portugal. Meeke and Fulton will look to honour their late friend Craig Breen. Since his last WRC appearance, Meeke has competed in Nitro RX, finishing ninth in the championship. Meeke would also help Skoda test the new Skoda Fabia Rally2 car.
Mikkelsen Returns
Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR) Eriksen Torstein (NOR) Of team TOKSPORT WRT 2 are seen performing during the World Rally Championship Portugal in Porto, Portugal on 11,May. 2023 // Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool
Andreas Mikkelsen will make his WRC2 return this weekend at Vodafone Rally De Portugal. Mikkelsen will pilot a new Skoda Fabia R5 run by Toksport WRT 3. Mikkelsen would finish third in the WRC2 championship last season.
Team Rundowns
Toksport World Rally Teams
Nikolay Gryazin Konstantin Aleksandrov Of team TOKSPORT WRT 2 are seen performing during the World Rally Championship Portugal in Porto, Portugal on 11,May. 2023 // Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool
Toksport will run three different teams this weekend. With Sam Pajari alone on the first Toksport World Rally Team this weekend. Nikolay Gryazin and Marco Bulacia are on the second Toksport World Rally Team. Andreas Mikkelsen and Gus Greensmith are on the third Toksport World Rally Team. Each team will qualify for WRC2 teams championships under their respective team numbers. Oliver Solberg will also be driving a Toksport run Skoda this weekend, but will not be racing for WRC2 teams points under any team.
M-Sport Ford WRT
Adrien Fourmaux (FRA) Alexandre Coria (FRA) Of team M-SPORT FORD WORLD RALLY TEAM are seen performing during the World Rally Championship Portugal in Porto, Portugal on 11,May. 2023 // Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool
Adrien Fourmaux and Grégoire Munster will drive for M-Sport Ford this weekend. Both drivers will look to move up the WRC2 driver’s championship rankings and M-Sport Ford up the WRC2 teams’ standings or at least close the 5-point gap between them and Toksport WRT 2.
Hyundai Motorsport N
Teemu Suninen (FIN) Markkula Mikko (FIN) are seen performing during the World Rally Championship Portugal in Porto, Portugal on 11,May. 2023 // Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool
Teemu Suninen and Fabrizio Zaldivar will both drive for Hyundai Motorsport N this weekend. Much like the M-Sport Ford crew, they will both look to move up the WRC2 drivers’ rankings and move Hyundai up the WRC2 teams standings.
Vodafone Rally De Portugal Preview WRC1