A determined Kris Meeke overcame unpredictable weather and ever-changing stages to kick off his Portuguese Rally Championship title defence in style alongside co-driver Stuart Loudon.
Just four weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) from a flat track moto accident, Meeke returned to competition, securing victory despite wearing a specially designed carbon and titanium leg brace.
Making his competitive debut in Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Yaris Rally2 with the Sports & You team, the 45-year-old stormed to a commanding 32.2-second win over Dani Sordo, driving a Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Sordo had replaced Meeke at Team Hyundai Portugal following his departure.
Early in the rally, Latvian driver Martins Sesks posed the biggest challenge, briefly taking the lead before his M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 was forced out with power steering failure.
“It was a crazy rally,” Meeke admitted. “The weather was unbelievable, and the last two stages—woah—I don’t think I’ve ever driven in conditions that muddy and slippery.
“Our tyre doesn’t have the same open tread pattern as some of the others, which made things even trickier, but it was still a great weekend. I’m delighted with the car—Toyota Gazoo Racing has designed a fantastic chassis, and I’m happy to be behind the wheel of it alongside Stuart Loudon.”
McLaughlin Secures Long-Awaited Northern Ireland Rally Championship Win
Meanwhile, back home, Aaron McLaughlin finally ended his long wait for a Northern Ireland Rally Championship victory with a dominant performance at Bishopscourt on Saturday.
Driving his ageing Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 with Darren Curran as co-driver, McLaughlin took the win by nearly 16 seconds over former champions Stuart Biggerstaff and Derek McGarrity, both competing in Ford Fiesta Rally2 cars.
Reigning champion Jonny Greer’s campaign got off to a disastrous start, as he crashed out in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 debut, leaving his participation in the upcoming West Cork Rally—Round 1 of the Irish Tarmac Championship—in doubt.
“We’ve been the bridesmaid at this event for four years, so we’re absolutely thrilled to finally get the win in the Northern Ireland Rally Championship,” said McLaughlin.
“This result puts us in a strong position for the next few rounds, so fingers crossed.”
