In only their 2nd outing in Portugal together, Kris Meeke & James Fulton where the victors in Rali de Castelo Branco on Saturday.
The 43-year-old was a convincing winner of the event, finishing it 36.9 seconds quicker than Bernardo Sousa’s Citroën C3 Rally2. José Pedro Fontes rounded out the top three in his Citroen C3 Rally2.
Meeke also recorded scratch times on nine of the eleven special stages. Leading from start to finish with his Irish co-driver, no other driver could match Meeke’s pace.
This is also Meeke’s second event win of the championship having won the Rali Terras d’Aboboreira, Portugal. Co-driven on the event by Andreas Mikkelsen’s former co-driver Ola Fløene, the pair dominated the event from start to finish to win the event by over 15 seconds.
Meeke agreed to start the event and every remaining round of the Portuguese Rally Championship this year following the sudden death of Breen in a pre-Croatia Rally testing accident in April.
Additionally this is Fulton’s first event win since March when he & the late Craig Breen won Rally Serras de Fafe, the opening round of the Portugese Rally Championship.
