2011 Rally Azores
The Sata Rallye Açores 2011 was the sixth round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge 2011 and also belonged to the Portuguese Rally Championship. The rally was to 16 July 2011, São Miguel, the largest island of the Azores, taking place from 14.
Background
The paddock was located in Ponta Delgada, the capital of the Azores. The program consisted of 17 special stages on gravel roads. The first three tests took place on July 14, nine tests should follow on July 15 and another five on July 16. The total distance including all planned stages should be 205.09 km. However, since the second day, two stages were canceled, after only 179.32 timed kilometers were run on 15 stages. 42 teams were launched, of which 18 reached the target.
Course
After the first special stage initially sat Andreas Mikkelsen to the top. Due to a defective power steering but then he lost time and to enhance the management of Juho Hänninen. This was after the first day a lead of 4.3 seconds to Bruno Magalhães and 5.7 seconds Mikkelsen.
On the second day, the Škoda -driver Hanninen and Mikkelsen gave a close slugfest and made the best times among themselves. WP5 was canceled because there was a herd of cattle on the slopes. At the sixth examination Guy Wilks was eliminated due to a defective front suspension of his Peugeot. Also WP9 could not be discharged because beside the road were still some stranded vehicles, which represented a security risk, together with the fog. The last three stages of the day secured Mikkelsen, the resulting residue was reduced to its Hänninen to 1.3 seconds. For third, Magalhães and Jan Kopecký delivered a duel, but both were already 50 seconds behind the leader.
Mikkelsen took over at the beginning of the third day the lead briefly. Kopecký pushed with a best time to WP13 on Magalhães over third place. In the following test, however Magalhães had to retire due to a gearbox damage. Meanwhile, Hänninen took back the lead from Mikkelsen. With a best time to WP15 Mikkelsen came though again a little closer, Hänninen extended his lead but then further. Finally, Hänninen won 42.3 seconds ahead of Mikkelsen and 1:46 minutes on Kopecký. With his victory Hänninen took back the lead in the IRC.