Sata Acores Portugal 2009 Live

This year the Sata Rallye Acores becomes an addition to the full championship in 2009, last year being only a supporter event. It's part of the Intercontinental Rally Championship and it takes place on a course of mostly soft gravel roads in Portugal May 7^th – 9^th.

This event is one of the most interesting all year as the weather can vary in that part of the country, and the track's tendency to differ with the variable weather conditions and changing surfaces can challenge drivers. Tire choice will be vital to coming out ahead on this challenge, but the drivers won't know if they made the right one of not until they are in the midst of the flying gravel of the track.

The top Portuguese driver is Bruno Magalhaes and he took first in 2008 in the Azores driving a Peugeot Portugal 207. The Azores islands will play host to a total of forty-nine crews which includes Freddy Loix – the driver who currently leads the IRC standings. Freddy Loix will be one of six drivers piloting the Peugeot 207 52000s including Kris Meeke, Vitor Pascoal, Nicolas Vouilloz and Conrad Rautenbach.

Also competing in the event will be Juho Hanninen the winner of the first IRC event this year in Monte Carlo along with his teammate Jan Kopecky. Representing Abarth will be Anton Alen and Giandomenico Basso driving Grande Puntos and Portugal's Bernardo Sousa will also be racing. You can watch the entire race with your membership by clicking on the links above or below.