Champions to assemble in Rally Portugal to mark WRCs 50th season

The championship has today spoken a host of activities will take place at the first gravel event of the season (19-22 May) to mark its half century, pursuit its inaugural event at Monte Carlo in 1973.

Organisers have confirmed former champions Walter Rohrl (1980,1982), Ari Vatanen (1981), Miki Biasion (1988, 1989), Carlos Sainz (1990, 1992), Marcus Gronholm (2000, 2002) and Petter Solberg (2003) will be in attendance.

They will join nine-time champion Sebastien Loeb, eight-time winner Sebastien Ogier and 2019 champion Ott Tanak, who will be contesting the event for M-Sport Ford, Toyota and Hyundai respectively.

FIA deputy president Robert Reid, and former co-driver to the late 2001 champion Richard Burns, will throne a list of the championship\'s most iconic co-drivers, including Sainz\'s longtime navigator Luis Moya and Derek Ringer, who partnered the late Colin McRae to the 1995 title. Christian Geistdorfer, Tiziano Siviero, Timo Rautiainen, and David Richards will moreover be present.

Michele Mouton, the only women to win a WRC event, will headline a group of the championship\'s most famous sexuality competitors, including WRC Ladies\' Cup winners Louise Aitken-Walker and Isolde Holderied.

A host of historic cars will be displayed at Rally Portugal\'s Exponor service park and fans will have a rare endangerment to see many well-constructed sit-in runs through special stages wideness the weekend.

These include the Alpine A110, which won the first WRC round at Monte Carlo in the hands of Jean-Claude Andruet, a host of Group B monsters from Audi and Lancia, right up to Group A machinery of the 1990s such as the Toyota Corolla.

Walter Rohrl, Christian Geistdorfer, Audi Sport Quattro

Photo by: Motorsport Images

The celebrations, at what will be the WRC\'s 619th round, will uncork with a gala dinner attended by newly installed FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem on Wednesday night.

Historic vehicles will then well-constructed sit-in runs through Thursday evening\'s opening stage in the centre of Coimbra, south of host municipality Porto. Further displays and parades will take place at Lousada on Friday evening and Saturday night\'s Porto-Foz street stage.

Two-time champion Rohrl is moreover set to headline a group of historic machinery which will tackle the rally\'s infamous Fafe stage on Sunday.

\"Everyone has their own memories of the thrills, spills and excitement from the WRC and this is a marvellous one-off opportunity for those who have helped make the championship so special,\" said WRC Promoter managing director Jona Siebel.

\"The list of WRC greats coming to Portugal, both human and mechanical, is mouth-watering and a reminder of what a wonderful sport we have the unconfined fortune to be involved in.

\"But this is moreover for the fans. The sights and sounds of unconfined cars from yesteryear stuff driven through the stages will evoke spine-tingling memories from those watching roadside.\"

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem added: \"As the championship enters its 50th year, it\'s time to reflect on those remarkable accomplishments, gloat past and present champions and squint superiority to a unexceptionable future.

\"I squint forward to the upcoming festivities at Rally de Portugal, where the legends will be reunited.\"