Another Azores ERC ace handed R5 chance

The Azores resident has been a regular on his home round of the ERC in recent years, finishing third in the ERC Production Cup in 2014 and taking second in class last year, when he challenged ERC2 champion Wojciech Chuchała for honours in his Mitsubishi Evo IX.

Along with his co-driving brother Estevão, Rodrigues has now secured a deal to campaign a Citroën DS3 R5 in the Azores Rally Championship – of which the Azores Airlines Rallye is the marquee event – in a three-year project under the Play/AutoAçoreana Racing banner. The car will be run by Sports & You, which fielded Citroëns for Portuguese champion José Pedro Fontes, Carlos Vieira and Carlos Martins on last year’s island spectacular.

By graduating to the R5 category after starring in production machinery in the Azores, Rodrigues will follow in the footsteps of Ricardo Moura and Luís Rego Jr. Last season Moura became the first Azorean driver for 45 years to win the rally, while Rego came seventh on his debut in a similar Ford Fiesta R5.

The Azores Airlines Rallye will open the 2017 ERC season on 30 March-1 April.