Both top categories in Rally Portugal witnessed dramatic exits on Saturday morning, as both Kalle Rovanperä and Oliver Solberg crashed out of the competition in sensational fashion.
Rovanperä’s misfortune occurred as he rolled his car out of the rally lead on the Montim stage. Just moments later, Solberg added to the spectacle by rolling his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 a mere 100 meters past Rovanperä’s stranded Toyota.
Rovanperä’s day had started with promise, clinching a stunning stage win on Felgueiras and extending his lead over Sébastien Ogier. However, a miscalculated maneuver on Montim saw him overshoot a corner, careening into the trees and rolling his car onto its side.
Remarkably, Solberg’s accident unfolded in the wake of Rovanperä’s crash, highlighting the chaotic nature of the rally. Leading WRC2 before the incident, Solberg’s rally came to an abrupt halt as he clipped a bank, sending his car into a barrel roll.
The Montim stage proved treacherous for many competitors, with Thierry Neuville damaging his Hyundai’s front bumper and stalling after overshooting a hairpin turn. Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta also faced setbacks, both spinning at the same corner but managing to avoid significant position losses.
Despite the chaos, Ogier emerged victorious on the stage, extending his lead over Ott Tänak. Meanwhile, Rossel took over the lead in WRC2, closely followed by Gus Greensmith.
The dramatic crashes of Rovanperä and Solberg rattled Greensmith, affecting his rhythm on the challenging course. Nonetheless, he maintained a cautious approach, recognizing the gravity of the situation on a demanding rally day.