News
TER Round 3 Azores Rallye entries open
07.03.2023
Iconic Portuguese classic stars for first time in the series
A welcome new entry in the calendar of the newest concept of Rally series, Azores Rallye, round 3 of the 2023 TER Series, will be held on March 31st – April 1st.
The 57th edition of the event, based on the island of São Miguel, will feature a revised format and some changes to the itinerary, focused on iconic gravel stages with the breathtaking backgrounds of the island.
After the teams' presentation ceremony at Praça Gonçalo Velho in downtown Ponta Delgada, in the evening of Thursday March 30th, sporting action will kick off the following morning.
On the morning of Friday, March 31st, Qualifying Stage and Shakedown will be the first chance to see the crews in action. The rally will start at 13:00, with the opening leg comprising two passes over the Feteiras and Sete Cidades stages, as well as the first run over the Grupo Marques test, with the first car due to arrive in Ponta Delgada at 19:40 after a long leg in which the absence of a mid-day service will add to the challenge the crews will have to face.
The second day of competition, on Saturday April 1st, will see the crews tackle the Tronqueira, Graminhais and Ribeira Grande stages twice, interspersed by the second passage over Grupo Marques. The final podium of Azores Rallye will once again feature Praça Gonçalo Velho in Ponta Delgada, from 18:45.
2023 Azores Rallye itinerary unfolds over a total length of 442.80 km, with 12 special stages for just over 107 kms of great challenges on the world famous gravel roads of the island.
Paulo Leal, Azores Rallye Clerk of the Course, said: “The Azores Rallye 2023 will certainly be a top-class sporting spectacle. We expect a fierce fight for the podium places and we are making a significant effort so that everything is prepared for another fantastic edition. The 57th Azores Rallye will continue to have its headquarters at Portas do Mar, in the heart of Ponta Delgada, and will keep the essence of a demanding and challenging race. The ingredients for another successful edition of one of the best rallies in the world are gathered. I invite you to come to São Miguel, on 31 March and 1 April, and enjoy our welcome, our gastronomy, our landscapes and a remarkable sporting spectacle, which will be – I am sure – the Azores Rallye, which is by all Azoreans and for all Azoreans. See you soon!”
Entries for Azores Rallye will be open until March 20th. More information on the event, as well as the Rally Guide, is available HERE
