The second day of Vodafone Rally De Portugal 2024 has come to a close. Kalle Rovanperä took the event lead after the day’s eight stages.
SS2, Mortágua 1
Takamoto Katsuta kicked off the first full day of action with a stage win. As the Japanese driver set a time 1.2 seconds faster than Thierry Neuville. Ott Tänak finished third fastest on the stage, 2.1 seconds slower than Katsuta and 0.9 seconds slower than Neuville. Elfyn Evans was fourth fastest on the stage, 1.8 seconds slower than Tänak. Kalle Rovanperä and Adrien Fourmaux rounded out the top five on the stage, with both drivers finishing 1.8 seconds slower than Evans.
SS3, Lousã 1
Dani Sordo took home the stage win on the third stage of Vodafone Rally De Portugal 2024. As the Spaniard posted a time 3.2 seconds faster than Kalle Rovanperä to claim his first stage win of the weekend. Ott Tänak once again finished third fastest on the stage, 4.2 seconds slower than Sordo and one second slower than Rovanperä. Takamoto Katsuta set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 0.6 seconds slower than Tänak. Elfyn Evans rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 0.6 seconds slower than Katsuta.
SS4, Góis 1
Dani Sordo also claimed the stage win on the fourth stage of the event. With a time 1.8 seconds faster than Kalle Rovanperä to become the first driver to win more than one stage this weekend. Adrien Fourmaux was third fastest on the stage, 2.1 seconds slower than Sordo and 0.3 seconds slower than Rovanperä. Sebastien Ogier set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 0.4 seconds slower than Fourmaux. Takamoto Katsuta rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 0.3 seconds slower than Ogier.
SS5, Arganil 1
Thierry Neuville capped off the morning loop with his first stage win of the day. As the championship leader set a time 2.2 seconds faster than Kalle Rovanperä to win the stage. Takamoto Katsuta was third fastest on the stage, finishing 2.3 seconds slower than Neuville and 0.1 seconds slower than Rovanperä. Sebastien Ogier finished fourth quickest on the stage, 0.7 seconds slower than Katsuta. Ott Tänak rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 1.4 seconds slower than Ogier.
SS6, Lousã 2
Sebastien Ogier took his first stage win of Vodafone Rally De Portugal 2024 on the sixth stage of the event. As the Frenchman posted a time 1.1 seconds faster than Kalle Rovanperä to win the stage. Dani Sordo finished third fastest on the stage, finishing 2.2 seconds slower than Ogier and 1.1 seconds slower than Rovanperä. Ott Tänak set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 1.3 seconds slower than Sordo. Takamoto Katsuta rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 0.6 seconds slower than Tänak.
SS7, Góis 2
Dani Sordo took his third stage win of the weekend on SS7. With a time 1.1 seconds faster than Sebastien Ogier to top the stage. Kalle Rovanperä finished third fastest on the stage, 2.5 seconds slower than Sordo and 1.4 seconds slower than Ogier. Takamoto Katsuta set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 2.6 seconds slower than Rovanperä. Ott Tänak rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 2.9 seconds slower than Katsuta.
SS8, Arganil 2
Kalle Rovanperä took home his first stage win of the event on SS8. With a time 0.1 seconds faster than Ott Tänak to take the stage win. Takamoto Katsuta finished third fastest on the stage, 0.8 seconds slower than Rovanperä and 0.7 seconds slower than Tänak. Sebastien Ogier set the fourth fastest time, 2.5 seconds slower than Katsuta. Dani Sordo rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 4.1 seconds slower than Ogier.
SS9, Mortágua 2
Sebastien Ogier took home the stage win on the final stage of day one at Vodafone Rally De Portugal. With a time 3.2 seconds faster than Kalle Rovanperä on the stage. Ott Tänak finished third fastest on the stage, 4.9 seconds slower than Ogier and 1.7 seconds slower than Rovanperä. Takamoto Katsuta set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 6.9 seconds slower than Tänak. Thierry Neuville rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 8.4 seconds slower than Katsuta.
A Close Battle
Kalle Rovanperä ends the second day of Vodafone Rally De Portugal 2024 with a one-second lead over Sebastien Ogier. Takamoto Katsuta sits third overall at the end of the day, 4.7 seconds behind Rovanperä and 3.7 behind Ogier. Ott Tänak sits just 0.7 seconds behind Katsuta in fourth. Dani Sordo rounds out the top five to tend the day, 17.9 seconds behind Rovanperä and 12.5 behind Tänak.
What To Expect From Day Three
The third day of Vodafone Rally De Portugal is also the longest, as drivers will contest 145.02 km across another eight stages. The third day’s longest stage is the monster 37.24 km Amarante stage which will push drivers to their limits. While the shortest stage is the 8.69 km Montim stage. The day will feature a single 44-minute service between the two loops. Grégoire Munster will be first on the road as he is last in the Rally1 class. Elfyn Evans will once again be second on the road after a puncture cost him valuable time. Adrien Fourmaux will be third on the road.
Day One Recap