Speaking in Figueira da Foz, at the signing of protocols with the regional tourism entity and the six municipalities in the Centro region that will host the 2024 edition of the World Rally Championship (WRC) on 9 and 10 May, Carlos Barbosa considered the rally very dangerous and criticised the costs of policing by the GNR.

"The rally is very dangerous and, therefore, [I appeal] that people comply with the safety rules imposed by the very expensive GNR, which takes our hide and hair every year to keep the event safe and, above all, by the 'marshals' [organisation volunteers] too, who help to make this rally happen", said Carlos Barbosa.

Speaking to Lusa, the president of the ACP estimated the costs of policing by the GNR at 605 thousand euros, which are borne by the event's organiser.

On the sidelines of the session, when asked by Lusa about the importance of safety in maintaining the Portuguese stage of the World Rally Championship, Carlos Barbosa noted that, nowadays, "it is the public itself that ensures the safety of the public, which is very important".

"People are fully aware that, if there is an accident, we lose the rally. At the moment, there are six countries that want to join the world championship in Europe [the European continent currently hosts 10 of the 13 World Rally Championship rallies] and, therefore, we cannot allow any risk whatsoever in the Rally of Portugal and that [this] could lead to us losing the rally because of someone who is not aware of the danger that the rally represents", he argued.

According to Carlos Barbosa, currently, with the combination of the special stages in the Norte and Centro regions, Portugal "has the ideal rally".

"The rally has been improved every year in terms of the route, to make it more spectacular and, above all, it is very important for us to accommodate the public. The public must have easy access to the rally and be properly accommodated. And, increasingly, the Show Zones [ZE, there are 39 this year] are designed with this in mind, so that people can watch the rally safely, calmly and have easy access to enter and leave", stressed the president of the ACP.

Another aspect that attracts the attention of international entities, namely the FIA (International Automobile Federation), has to do with the environmental sustainability of the WRC events and the Rally of Portugal, in this regard, has the maximum score (three stars) in environmental terms and intends to continue like this.

"This year we have a new inspection to maintain the three FIA stars and this is one of our concerns. If you notice, 24 hours after the rally passes through a section, the public area does not have a single piece of paper on the ground, everything is spotlessly clean", he observed.

In terms of sport, Carlos Barbosa did not predict any favourites to win the Rally of Portugal.

Among several reasons for interest, the Portuguese event, which takes place between 9 and 12 May, has the largest entry list to date and will feature seven previous winners.

The Finn and two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera is chasing a third consecutive victory in Portugal (he could equal the feat of the Italian Miki Biasion), while his Toyota team-mate, the Frenchman Sebastien Ogier, if he wins, will break the record of five victories in Portugal that he currently holds jointly with Markku Alen. On the other hand, Portugal could see a fifth different winner of the season, after the victories of Neuville, Lappi, Rovanpera and Ogier in the first four rallies.

"The Rally of Portugal is a box of surprises, every year any of them can win and will be well received", emphasised Carlos Barbosa.

Read Also: ACP wants Rally of Portugal to be funded again by the central government (Portuguese version)