Kris Meeke put a potentially disastrous time penalty behind him to lift the Portuguese Rally Championship with a top-three performance on Rallye Vidreiro Centro de Portugal with team-mate, Stuart Loudon.
An initial disqualification by rally stewards on the grounds Meeke failed to stop at a new tyre marking zone was downgraded to a three-minute time penalty before a successful appeal by Team Hyundai Portgual reduced this to a minute and 15 seconds.
A late change to the road book meant Meeke and Loudon failed to stop at the new tyre marking zone – an offence punishable by expulsion – but a series of facts ensured they remained in the competition.
Meeke was scathing of the way Rallye Vidreiro Centro de Portugal organisers handled a mistake that almost scuppered his chance of winning the Portuguese Rally Championship.
As a result it sent Meeke into overdrive. Claiming stage wins in 4, 8 and 9 respectively to finish third overall and take the title.
Armindo Araujo (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) led the main field home, the difference between him and the Citroen C3 Rally2 of Jose Pedro Fontes less than two seconds after nearly 70 competitive miles.
