ROUND 3  FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - 24/27 March 2011Rally Route

The route covers familiar territory in the Serra do Caldeirão hills above the Algarve coastline.  Estádio Algarve, built on the edge of Faro for the 2004 European Soccer Championships is again the base. 

It hosts the single service park, but the super special stage inside the arena which started and closed the event will not be used.  Instead the rally journeys 300km north to Lisbon on Thursday for the start ceremony and opening speed test over asphalt roads bordering the Jerónimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Once back in Faro, competitors face three long legs, each comprising two identical loops of stages.  The only significant changes are the reintroduction of roads in the final leg last used in 2007.  That 31.04km test is the longest of the weekend and the second pass will form the live TV Power Stage, with bonus points on offer to the fastest three drivers.  Competitors tackle 17 stages covering 385.37km in a route of 1363.55km.

Thursday 24 March: Day 1 Lisbon - Lisbon

Start   Lisbon                  15.35 SS1     SSS Lisboa                        3.27km        15.40 Finish  Lisbon                          15.50

Friday 25 March: Day 1 (continued) Faro - Faro

Start   Lisbon                          08.00 SS2     Santa Clara 1                   22.99km 09.05 SS3     Ourique 1                       20.27km 09.53 SS4     Felizes 1                       21.31km 11.06 Serv A  Algarve Stadium (30 mins)                       12.50 SS5     Santa Clara 2                   22.99km 14.25 SS6     Ourique 2                       20.27km 15.13 SS7     Felizes 2                       21.31km 16.26 Serv B  Algarve Stadium (45 mins)                       17.55 Finish  Algarve Stadium                 18.40

Total                              132.41km

Saturday 26 March: Day 2 Faro - Faro

Serv C  Algarve Stadium (15 mins)                       09.00 SS8     Almodovar 1                     26.23km 10.17 SS9     Vascäo 1                        25.26km 11.10 SS10    Loulé 1                 22.56km 12.00 Serv D  Algarve Stadium (30 mins)                       13.30 SS11    Almodovar 2                     26.23km 15.02 SS12    Vascäo 2                        25.26km 15.55 SS13    Loulé 2                 22.56km 16.45 Serv E  Algarve Stadium (45 mins)                       18.00 Finish  Algarve Stadium                 18.45

Total                      148.10km

Sunday 27 March: Day 3 Faro - Faro

Serv F  Algarve Stadium (15 mins)                       07.10 SS14    Silves 1                        21.39km         08.14 SS15    Santana da Serra 1              31.04km 09.07 Serv G  Algarve Stadium (30 mins)                       11.16 SS16    Silves 2                        21.39km         12.35 SS17    Santana da Serra 2              31.04km 13.28 Serv H  Algarve Stadium (10 mins)                       14.59 Finish  Algarve Stadium                 15.09 Total                           104.86km Rally total                         385.37km