WRC Portugal Overhauls Schedule After Driver Backlash

WRC, Sportrik Media - The organisers of Rally Portugal have introduced major schedule changes for the 2026 event following sustained criticism from drivers over excessively long and physically demanding rally days during last year’s edition.

At the 2025 Rally Portugal, Friday’s competitive running stretched beyond 15 hours, interrupted only by two short remote service breaks. After completing an intense sequence of stages, crews were still required to prepare for the following day, leaving many drivers with only a few hours of sleep. The extreme workload quickly became one of the most widely criticised aspects of the event.

In response to the backlash, organisers have opted to distribute the workload more evenly across the rally week. According to Autosport Portugal, the shakedown will now take place on Wednesday afternoon instead of Thursday morning, easing the logistical and physical strain that previously compressed multiple obligations into a single day.

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Last year, crews faced shakedown duties on Thursday morning, followed by media commitments and a lengthy transfer from the rally hub near Porto to Coimbra. The day concluded with a public super special stage held on Thursday evening in the coastal city of Figueira da Foz, creating an unusually long and demanding opening phase.

For 2026, competitors will travel to Coimbra on Thursday, where the ceremonial start will take place in the afternoon. The rally action will then begin with two forest stages, before concluding the day with the traditional public stage in Figueira da Foz. This revised structure is designed to reduce cumulative fatigue ahead of the main competitive days.

As a result, Friday’s itinerary is expected to be significantly more manageable. The previous marathon-style schedule, which featured ten special stages packed into a single day, has been abandoned. Organisers believe the new format will allow crews to operate at a higher and more consistent performance level throughout the event.

The changes are also closely linked to new World Rally Championship sporting regulations introduced for the 2026 season. Under the updated rules, mandatory rest periods have been enforced, requiring rest time to be at least equal to the number of competitive hours, except on the opening day. Daily rest must be a minimum of 10 hours, with one day featuring a continuous rest period of at least 12 hours.

The final route for the 2026 Rally Portugal will be confirmed at a later date. The event is scheduled to run from 7 to 10 May and remains one of the most demanding rounds on the WRC calendar, with the revised timetable expected to improve safety, recovery, and overall competitive quality.