Portugal’s good at launching things. It’s the place that launched Sébastien Ogier’s career with a maiden World Rally Championship win 14 years ago. And then there’s Fafe, one of planet earth’s most recognizable launch pads. Sunday was Portugal’s latest launch.
Introducing Rally Series.
Rally Series is an entirely new… rally series. It’s the brainchild of André Lavadinho, a man who’s spent his entire working life watching rally cars through the lens of a camera. But Lavadinho and his team are now shooting to show the sport through a different lens.
Launched at the Baltar track on Sunday and presented by Portuguese driver Bernardo Sousa, Rally Series is a competitor-friendly offering which brings the sport to the people. Five rounds all in Portugal are planned through 2025, with Lavadinho picking up the motivation and explanation.
“Rally series,” he said, “will innovate through a more accessible and compact model for enthusiasts, spectators and professional teams and drivers with the goal of boosting the state of rallying nationally and internationally.
Rally Series events will take place entirely within a set arena
“It will cater to the needs of fans and competitors by keeping the essence of rallying that brought us here, while making it simpler and less of a challenge to spectate.
“Accessing a traditional stage can inhibit families. Rally Series makes it easier to bring families, partners and sponsors to attract more exposure.
“We want to provide the solution for teams and drivers when it comes to representing brands and welcoming those supporting their projects, not only by giving easy access to service areas and the action in a comfortable fashion but also creating a proper networking area for brands, teams and drivers.”
Introducing new people to rallying is a key purpose of Rally Series
Based within an arena containing the main stage action, the service area, food and family zones, the competitive aspect will run between two and three miles – with additional roads used outside the arena to build an itinerary containing between 25 and 30 competitive miles.
Sporting and organizing director of the series Emanuel Moreira added: “Bringing the show to the general audience, families and drivers’ sponsors is the aim of our Arenas and these can be implemented in a purpose-built circuit as well as a city centre or an industrial area. The Arena stage will be repeated over the event and run staggered with a more conventional, longer stage.”
The five 2025 Rally Series events will be streamed live with a significant focus on media and marketing of the new venture. The first event will run out of the Baltar circuit and be based loosely around the same stage set-up as the Rally of Portugal shakedown stage.
