Rallye Açores
The Rallye Açores, known originally as the Volta à Ilha de São Miguel is an international rally racing event based on the Portuguese island of São Miguel Island in the Azores. The event has been a long running round of the European Rally Championship and the Portuguese Rally Championship as well as spawning its own championship in the Azores. It has also in the recent past been a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and the ERC derivative series, the European Rally Cup West. Unlike other international events held on Atlantic Ocean islands that it is frequently paired with, the Rali Vinho da Madeira and the Rally Islas Canarias it is a gravel event.
The rally was first run in 1965 as locals gathered for a race called Volta à Ilha de São Miguel, which translated means Round the Island of São Miguel. This was six years after the establishment of the Rali Vinho da Madeira on the Portuguese island of Madeira, much closer to Africa.
Despite its isolated location, over 1500 kilometres from the coast of Portugal (the Azores are actually closer to Canada), it has since the early 1970s been a part of Portugal's national championship and has been an international event since 1992 when it was first included in the European Rally Championship. The rally was demoted to the European Rally Cup West in 2004 and dropped entirely in 2006. In 2008 the rally regained international standing with the European Rally Cup South series and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge the following year. After the death of the IRC in 2012 the European Championship returned in 2013.
Portuguese drivers have dominated the event. A non-Portuguese driver did not win the event until the first international event in 1992 was won by Yves Loubert. Portuguese drivers though would continue to dominate though with Fernando Peres winning the rally seven times in the international era. Carlos Bica has won the event four times.
List of winners
Season | Winner | Car | Report |
---|---|---|---|
1965 | Fiat 1500 | ||
1966 | Ford Cortina GT | ||
1967 | Ford Cortina GT | ||
1968 | Renault 8 Gordini | ||
1969 | Porsche 911 S | ||
1970 | BMW 2002 | ||
1971 | BMW 2002 | ||
1972 | Porsche 911 S | ||
1973 | Porsche 911 S | ||
1974 | not held | ||
1975 | Opel 1904 SR | ||
1976 | Ford Escort RS2000 | ||
1977 | Ford Escort RS1600 | ||
1978 | Ford Escort RS1600 | ||
1979 | Opel Kadett GT/E | ||
1980 | Ford Escort RS | ||
1981 | Datsun Violet 160J | ||
1982 | Ford Escort RS | ||
1983 | Ford Escort RS | ||
1984 | Ford Escort RS | ||
1985 | Renault 5 Turbo | ||
1986 | Toyota Corolla GT | ||
1987 | Renault 11 Turbo | ||
1988 | Lancia Delta HF | ||
1989 | Lancia Delta HF | ||
1990 | Lancia Delta HF | ||
1991 | Lancia Delta Integrale 16V | ||
1992 | Toyota Celica GT-Four | ||
1993 | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth | ||
1994 | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | ||
1995 | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | ||
1996 | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | ||
1997 | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | ||
1998 | Ford Escort WRC | ||
1999 | Subaru Impreza 555 | ||
2000 | Subaru Impreza WRC | ||
2001 | Subaru Impreza WRC | ||
2002 | Ford Focus WRC | ||
2003 | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | ||
2004 | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII | ||
2005 | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII | ||
2006 | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII | ||
2007 | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | ||
2008 | Peugeot 207 S2000 | ||
2009 | Peugeot 207 S2000 | Report | |
2010 | Peugeot 207 S2000 | Report | |
2011 | Škoda Fabia S2000 | Report | |
2012 | Škoda Fabia S2000 | Report | |
2013 | Škoda Fabia S2000 | Report | |
2014 | Ford Fiesta RRC | Report | |
2015 | Peugeot 208 T16 R5 | Report | |
2016 | Ford Fiesta R5 | Report | |
2017 | Škoda Fabia R5 | Report | |
2018 | Ford Fiesta R5 | Report | |
2019 | Škoda Fabia R5 | Report |
References
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-05-31. Retrieved 2013-09-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)