RallyRACC, Shakedown: The show has kicked off

24/10/2019

Kris Meeke (Toyota), the fastest in Shakedown

RallyRACC calls for one minute's silence for flood victims

The thirteenth round of the FIA World Rally Championship began this morning with the Shakedown in the Emprius area, close to Salou's town center. Drivers went back to the same location as in the last few years for a mixed dirt-asphalt 2 km leg. Teams were making their final adjustments for the second-to-last event of the season, a turning point in the quest for the drivers' world title between three candidates: Ott Tänak (Toyota), Sébastien Ogier (Citroën) and Thierry Neuville (Hyundai).

Kris Meeke/Sebastian Marshall (Toyota Yaris WRC) clinched the fastest time on 1:31.6 in his third and final pass. Dani Sordo/Carlos del Barrio (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC), followed closely in (1:31.9), with Jari-Matti Latvala/Mikka Anttila (Toyota Yaris WRC) closing the top trio on 1:32.3. Most Priority 1 drivers made three passes except for a couple, who added a fourth pass: Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC), and also Takamoto Katsuta/Daniel Barritt (Toyota Yaris WRC), who sits at the wheel of a WRC for the second time this season.

Minute of silence for flood victims
The ceremonial start for the RallyRACC Catalunya-Costa Daurada, Rally de España 2019 is scheduled for 7pm, in Salou's waterfront. Participants will then move to PortAventura World service park.

Prior to this, a one-minute silence will be observed in tribute to the victims of last Tuesday's floods in the Tarragona area. The Rally's organizers would like to express their condoleances to their loved ones and show their solidarity to the storm-ravaged region. 

The race kicks off on Friday
Tomorrow, Friday 25 October, action will begin with a first run through Gandesa (7 km), Horta-Bot (19 km) and La Fatarella-Vilaba (38.85 km) stages. It will be mostly a gravel day (except for a couple of short bits of tarmac in the final stage) covering 589.22 kilometers overall, 129.70 of which will be timed sections. The 55 RallyRACC will finish on Sunday.