Castrol Portugal Rally Series bolsters standing with positive feedback from municipalities, drivers, and partners
Based on a concept that prioritizes proximity to the public, resource optimization, and high competitive intensity, the Rally Series has established itself as a modern and sustainable alternative to traditional formats, with a recognized impact both on and off the special stages.
Municipalities: Territorial Impact and a Winning Bet
The host municipalities have been unanimous in highlighting the Rally Series’ direct impact on regional promotion.
Vila Velha de Ródão: Mayor António Carmona described the event as “an unprecedented moment in the history of local motorsport,” calling it a “clearly winning concept” and expressing a full commitment to ensuring its future continuity.
Vale de Cambra: Mayor André Martins reinforced the event’s strategic value, noting it represents “a unique opportunity to establish the municipality as a benchmark destination for motorsport,” contributing to territorial value and the local economy.
Castanheira de Pera: Mayor António Henriques highlighted the connection between the event and local identity, pointing to the “O Neveiro e a Lã” stage as “a bridge between the region’s historical heritage and the passion for motorsport, with a direct impact on the municipality’s national profile.”
Lousada: Mayor Nelson Oliveira emphasized the Rally Series’ ability to bring the sport closer to the people, considering it “a different kind of race that traverses the municipality and directly involves the community.” He stated it was the event Lousada was missing, adding, “I have no doubt it will be an absolute success and a landmark for the future.”
Drivers: More Balance, More Future
Among the drivers, the consensus is clear: the Rally Series format meets the current demands of the sport.
Gil Antunes, celebrating a 20-year career, highlighted the format’s impact on personal and professional management, noting that concentrating the event into two days “doesn’t take away from workdays or family life. Our children can leave school on Friday and join us to celebrate these 20 years.”
Veteran driver Adruzilo Lopes pointed to the Rally Series as “a very good format for drivers, sponsors, and the public,” considering it a model with a bright future on the national scene.
Young Spanish driver Iago Gabeiras emphasized the global experience, noting that the public can follow the action “comfortably and much more frequently,” while sponsors benefit from enhanced visibility—factors he considers decisive for the series’ growth.
From a competitive standpoint, Miguel Carvalho, one of the series’ ambassador drivers, reinforced the concept’s appeal, describing the Castrol Portugal Rally Series as “a winning bet.” He added that the concept is “fabulous, and people and drivers join with great availability; that’s why we see different cars, even from higher categories, because the reduced costs provide that opportunity.”
Partners: Visibility, Activation, and Real Returns
For partners, the impact of the Rally Series translates into concrete, measurable results.
Filipe Brandão of Grupo Martins, the regional representative for Castrol (the series’ title sponsor), highlighted the direct return provided by the format, citing proximity to the public, activation in the Arenas, and continuous visibility as key success factors.
“The proximity to the public, the activations in the Arenas, and the visibility throughout the event and the entire year between events allow us not only to strengthen the brand but also to generate business and customer relationships. It is a different, closer platform with real results. We have seen increased demand for Castrol products accompanied by inquiries from customers across the country—a reality we hadn’t seen before. The Rally Series, beyond the event itself, is a very strong communication tool for brands.”
Same Competitive DNA, Closer to the Fans
The Rally Series format draws positive feedback from various stakeholders. The promoter’s goal is to maintain the DNA of rallying while modernizing the traditional model into a concept that combines competitive stages with a Central Arena. This creates a continuous meeting point over two days where the public can experience the rally up close with family and friends.
“Why the Central Arena in addition to the traditional competitive stages?” asks André Lavadinho, CEO of the Rally Series Promoter.
“It’s the union of two essential points: maintaining the competitive essence of the rally with pure special stages, while simultaneously creating a space that generates engagement, proximity, and interest for the entire audience.”
