Iconic rally locations: A jump into Portugal

The Portuguese event features several memorable locations, but one in particular stands out. It attracts fans from all over the world, some of whom even camp overnight to secure the best viewing spots. This is the special stage near the town of Fafe, traditionally serving as the ceremonial finale of the rally. It is run as the Power Stage, where not only overall classification times matter, but additional bonus points are awarded to the five fastest crews—raising the stakes significantly for all competitors. 

It is at the very end of this final special stage in Fafe where some of the most iconic, poster-worthy, images in rallying are captured—the legendary Salto da Pedra Sentada jump. This is where WRC cars quite literally take flight. Driven by the prospect of extra points, drivers keep their foot firmly on the throttle, producing some of the most committed and aggressive jumps of the season. The drama is further intensified by the placement of the finish line just beyond the horizon—it is, quite literally, a jump into the finish. 

The downward slope of the path below the jump simply increases the distance of the flight

The Fafe stages are run on public roads, meaning they can also be driven in a standard road car. The competitive sections are located approximately one hour’s drive from the city of Porto. The jump itself is unmistakable, and some navigation systems will even guide you directly to it. 

At one moment, the road disappears entirely from view, leaving the driver gazing up at the sky

A straight approach leads to the jump, effectively acting as a runway. At a certain point, the road suddenly vanishes and the driver is left gazing into the sky. For a brief moment, it is even possible to glimpse the blades of a nearby wind turbine before the road drops away again. Even at low speed, crossing this section gives the crew a noticeable sense of weightlessness. 

The art of the jump 

Jumping requires proper technique; it’s not just about building up as much speed as possible before the jump. For example, just before large jumps, drivers briefly tap the brake pedal or ease off the gas to shift the weight to the front axle, preventing the car from pitching backwards. Aerodynamics also play a significant role, as does the landing, where precisely tuned suspension is essential to ensure a safe touchdown. 

This is what it looks like when everything is executed perfectly

The jump is spectacular, but also unforgiving. Here, driver commitment directly translates into flight distance. A notable benchmark at Fafe was set by Armin Schwarz, who, driving a Škoda Octavia WRC in 2000, recorded a jump measuring 73.5 metres. For comparison, that distance exceeds the length of an ice hockey rink or an Olympic swimming pool. It also demonstrated the renowned robustness of machinery from Mladá Boleslav, as the car landed without sustaining chassisdamage after its remarkable flight. 

The literal translation of the jump’s name is “the jump at the sitting stone”—this is the stone

The 2026 edition of Rally de Portugal is scheduled to take place from 7 to 10 May. What you experience here is certain to stay with you for a long time. It is not only about the rally itself, but also about the ever-present passion for motorsport shared by thousands of fans. Škoda Motorsport will, of course, be part of the action.