Video: Petter Solberg, Rally Portugal 2011

After Rally Mexico opened up the series of gravel events, later this month World Rally Championship crews and teams will meet up again in Portugal for round four of the season.

Stages in Portugal are interesting due to their mixed configuration, offering fast sections of open road combined with tricky and twisty sections. It’s not uncommon that transitions from fast to slower sections is pretty abrupt and this will put driver’s concentration and ability to adapt to the test.

Another important factor in Portugal will be tyre wear, and as we saw in Mexico, rubber is very sensitive to punctures this year, although it remains to be seen how 2012 tyres will perform in Portugal with regards to wear.

For a little taste of what crews can expect later this month here’s a footage taken onboard Petter Solberg’s car during 2011 Rally Portugal.