After setting the best time in yesterday’s prologue, Colin McRae and his Nissan Pickup took the lead of the overall classification today, over five minutes ahead of Carlos Sousa. A satisfactory first day of competition for the Nissan Rally Raid Team.

With both the sun and (numerous) spectators in attendance, the first real day of racing took place today in the Portalegre area. The schedule included two special stages, 185 and 201 km long respectively.

After winning yesterday’s prologue and having chosen to start first, Colin McRae was therefore opening the stage. Throughout the first sector, which was generally quite fast, he was therefore spared the problem of driving in anyone else’s dust. The route, with a number of jumps and water splashes, suited the Scottish driver perfectly. It allowed him to pull out a good lead from Carlos Sousa, until they entered the service area. With a three-minute lead over his nearest rival, Colin decided to stop and change his tyres, unlike Sousa, who continued on his way. Sousa therefore won this first special stage by just ten seconds…

Totally unperturbed, Colin McRae took advantage of the time between the two stages to relax : “The car behaved well, despite a few minor worries with the steering, but nothing too serious. We stopped to change our tyres, but it was more for the practice than from real necessity. This stage reminded me of the Safari Rally, although the pace was generally slower. It is always good to put in some kilometres in race conditions. Our main aim in coming here is to drive as much as possible. We will continue at our own pace…”

As during the first stage, the Nissan driver soon took the advantage during the second timed sector. A narrow and rather bumpy track, laid out through magnificent landscape, was to confirm the morning’s tendency. Gradually pulling away, Colin McRae and Tina Thörner crossed the finish line with a lead of 5 minutes and 35 seconds over Carlos Sousa.

Asatisfactory first day for the Nissan Rally Raid Team, as the Team Manager, Gilles Martineau, confirmed : “This evening, we are satisfied with the performance of both the car and the driver … We are using this race to gauge the Pickup and to give ourselves an opportunity to correct some teething problems. It is also very good for the organisation of the team, which, it should be reminded, is also new. People learn to work together in race conditions, which are significantly different from test sessions. This result is gratifying in terms of the work which has already been accomplished, and encouraging for the future. But the finish will take place tomorrow, and not before…”

Tomorrow will see a third special stage, 78 km long, before the finish at Portalegre, which will bring to an end the 2004 season of the European Bajas Cup. The overall winner, Carlos Sousa, already secured his crown after the Baja Aragon.