M-Sport Ford has given many drivers their top-flight debuts in the World Rally Championship – not least in the Rally1 era.
In fact all four of M-Sport’s drivers this weekend in Portugal have started their Rally1 journeys with the team.
But while Grégoire Munster, Josh McErlean and Mãrtiņş Seskş are known quantities, who exactly is the driver piloting a privateer, fourth car this weekend?
Who is Diogo Salvi?
Starting his career back in 1989 in a Renault 11 Turbo, the Portuguese has been a regular on his home round of the WRC since 2014.
Competing in WRC2 for every season since, the 55-year-old hasn’t been the most fortunate with eight retirements from 10 starts. His further two WRC starts fell in Turkey 2018 where he placed seventh in WRC2, and Acropolis 2022 where he was 19th.
Salvi has a wealth of rallying experience in Portugal's top domestic series, having driven R5/Rally2 cars for over a decade
But for his home round this year, Salvi has elected to hire a Puma Rally1 and therefore make his very first start at rallying’s top level – running in his own, distinctive bright-blue livery.
What should we expect?
More of a Jourdan Serderidis performance than a Mãrtiņş Sesks, if we’re honest.
Salvi did benefit from a test ahead of rally week, with guidance from Sesks, but will likely be targeting filtering somewhere near the head of the Rally2 pack.
His debut in rallying was as a 20-year-old but he didn’t start competing regularly until almost 20 years later, after his telecommunications business had gone big time and allowed him to indulge in his favorite hobby.
That means, by his own confession, that his driving is likely to be spectacular for the spectators to watch but inefficient when it comes to achieving fast times.
Salvi is unlikely to be troubling the top of the timesheets – but his participation is a welcome boost to the Rally1 entry list regardless
“I don’t know how to drive [the Puma], you slide a lot,” said Salvi at shakedown. “That’s the plus! The minus is it’s very demanding physically; I have a problem!
“But apart from that it’s a great experience. And good for the show!”
He is expected to start the opening leg of the rally 12th on the road alongside co-driver Axel Coronado.
