55 RallyRACC, day by day
21/06/2019
From the 24th to the 27th of October, the 13th and penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship will be held, the 55 RallyRACC CATALUNYA-COSTA DAURADA, Rally of Spain 2019. The rally presents a unique route, unifying special stages of gravel and tarmac, the only WRC rally in doing it. The total mileage will be 1,278.86 km, of which 325.08 will be timed, distributed in 17 timed stages. This year some of the stages will have new features, combined with many of last year that already had a great acceptance.
Thursday, 24 October: Shakedown and start in Salou
Thursday is always the test day, with the Shakedown stage and the day of the official start in Salou. The dress rehearsal for drivers and teams will start at 9.00h on Thursday 24 October, in a location that will be defined in the coming weeks. The ceremonial start will also take place on that same day, at 19.00h on the usual podium in Salou, located at Passeig Jaume I.
Friday, 25 October: 6 gravel and mixed stages
This day is made-up of a loop with three stages run twice: Gandesa, La Fatarella-Vilalba and Horta-Bot, that will be changing its format and lead to a Passage Control in Horta de Sant Joan. Both ‘Gandesa' (7 km) and the long and mixed ‘La Fatarella-Vilalba' (38.85 km) are exactly the same as in 2018; two superb stages, that were redesigned last year and are therefore not going to be changed this year. It is a long, difficult and highly selective special stage, with several surface changes, from gravel to tarmac, and, as last year, with different, very large spectator areas, including Vilalba del Arcs, which is safe and with an extraordinary visibility.
In between the two passages of the 3 stages, the teams will make a stop at PortAventura World, with a 15' regrouping and 40' service. The participants will also have four chances to refuel during the day, two in the central service park and two at the restaurant Coll del Moro. At the end of the day, the teams will have 1h 45' to adapt the cars to the asphalted surface. The timed kilometres of that day will be 129.70 km.
08.00h Start from PortAventura World
09.23h SS1 ‘Gandesa 1' (7 km, gravel)
10.00h SS2 ‘Horta-Bot 1' (19 km, gravel)
11.10h SS3 ‘La Fatarella-Vilalba 1' (38,85 km, mixed gravel-tarmac)
13.05h Regrouping (15') and service (40') in PortAventura World
15.23h SS4 ‘Gandesa 2' (7 km, gravel)
PC Horta de Sant Joan
16.00h SS5 ‘Horta-Bot 2' (19.00 km, gravel)
17.10h SS6 ‘La Fatarella-Vilalba 2' (38.85 km, mixed)
19.20h Passage through the podium in Salou and short parc fermé in PortAventura World
19.35h Service park in PortAventura World (1h.15')
20.50h Parc fermé in PortAventura World
Saturday, 26 October: 7 special stages on tarmac
Both Saturday and Sunday are days run completely on asphalt, and Saturday will be identically structured as in 2018, with 3 stages run twice: ‘Savallà' (14.12 km), which was run for the first time in 2017; ‘Querol' (21.26 km), which returned to the route last year after a couple of years; and ‘El Montmell' (24.40 km). As usual, the day will be closed with ‘Salou' (2.24 km), a great urban special stage that always arises the interest of the public.
In between the two passages, the vehicles will have a 40' service in PortAventura World, in addition to 15' minutes right after the start of the day and 45' after the finish. Moreover, the teams will have 5 refuelling chances, three in the service park and two in Santa Coloma de Queralt. The timed kilometres of that day will be 121.72 km.
07.30h Start from PortAventura World
09.05h SS7 ‘Savallà 1' (14.08 km)
09.46h SS8 ‘Querol 1' (21.26 km)
10.38h SS9 ‘El Montmell' (24.40 km) (live TV)
12.03h Regrouping (10') and service (40') in PortAventura World
14.05h SS10 ‘Savallà 2' (14.08 km)
14.46h SS11 ‘Querol 2' (21.26 km)
15.38h SS12 ‘El Montmell 2' (24.40 km) (live TV)
17.12h Regrouping in Salou (15'), before the urban stage
17.30h SS13 ‘Salou' (2.24 km)
17.50h Short parc fermé in PortAventura World (10')
18.00h Service parc in PortAventura World (45')
18.45h Parc fermé in PortAventura World
Sunday, 27 October: Two stages run twice
In recent seasons, Sunday has been a thrilling day until the very last kilometres, and the name of the winner -even the composition of the podium- was not decided until the finish. The day is structured by two stages run twice, ‘La Mussara' (20.48 km) and ‘Riudecanyes' (16.35 km), two twisty and technical special stages, which are expected to provide for the same selectivity as the rest of the tarmac specials of the previous day. It has to be highlighted, that ‘La Mussara' was staged for the last time in 2014 and that ‘Riudecanyes', the Power Stage, which provides for additional points, offers the best natural scenario to let spectators enjoy the final battle for the victory with an excellent visibility at the famous roundabout. This stage will be broadcasted live on TV.
This time, there will also be an intermediate passage through the service park in PortAventura World, with 40' to refresh the machines before the definitive loop. Moreover, the teams will have a 15' service right after the start of the day, and additional 10' before the final podium in Salou. The cars will have two chances to refuel in the morning, one during the morning park and another after the service, both in PortAventura World. Before the Power Stage there will be a 35' regrouping in order to adjust the schedule to the live TV broadcast of the second passage of ‘Riudecanyes'. The day will have 73.66 timed km.
06.45h Start from PortAventura World
07.45h SS14 ‘La Mussara 1' (20.48 km)
08.38h SS15 ‘Riudecanyes 1' (16.35 km) (live TV)
09.20h Regrouping (8') and service (40') in PortAventura World
10.53h SS16 ‘La Mussara 2' (20.48 km)
11.25h Regrouping in Les Borges del Camp (35')
12.18h SS17 ‘Riudecanyes 2' (16.35 km, Power Stage) (live TV)
13.03h Parc Fermé (3') and service (10') in PortAventura World
13.26h Final time control in Salou (before the finish podium)
