Armindo Araújo is the leader of the Portuguese Championship

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Armindo Araújo is the leader of the Portuguese Championship

Although there are still three circuits missing until the end of the championship (Rali Vinho da Madeira, Rali Amarante Baião and Rali Casinos do Algarve), Armindo Araújo is the leader of the Portuguese Championship.

In Rali Serras de Fafe, the first of the season, Ricardo Moura was the winner being followed by Miguel Barbosa and Pedro Meireles. José Pedro Fontes, on this return to the competition after a severe injury, ended in the fourth position. Armindo Araújo, at the wheel of a Hyundai closed the top 5.

In the Azores Airline Rallye, Alexey Lukyanuk was the leader while Ricardo Moura got a second place followed by Bruno Magalhães.

The Japanese driver Hiroki Arai, in a Ford Fiesta R5, won the Rali de Mortágua, and Armindo Araújo (Hyundai i20 R5) was the best Portuguese having ended the third race of the  Portuguese Championship on second place. Katsuta Takamoto, another Japanase driver of the Tommi Makinen Racing, closed the podium.

In the 52th Vodafone Rali de Portugal, the team Armindo Araújo/Luís Ramalho (Hyundai i20) conquered the second consecutive victory hence leading the Portuguese Championship.

This team also won the Rali Vidreiro, the fifth circuit of the Championship. The Hyundai Portugal driver assumed leadership right at the beginning and Ricardo Teodósio (Skoda Fabia R5) obtained a second place. Pedro Meireles arrived on position number three.At the last rally, and just before coming to Madeira, the Algarve driver Ricardo Teodósio (Skoda Fabia R5) won the Rali de Castelo Branco. Armindo Araújo although out of the podium, was able to maintain leadership of the Portuguese Championship. His fourth position was enough to obtain the necessary punctuation to secure the leading post.