Round 6 of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship concluded in northern Portugal last weekend, with Hankook Tire & Technology completing another full supply cycle as exclusive WRC tire partner. The Vodafone Rally de Portugal, based in Matosinhos, ran from May 7 to 10 across 23 Special Stages covering approximately 345 kilometers of terrain that changed character as the event progressed.

The surface conditions at Rally de Portugal are among the most demanding on the WRC calendar. Stages open on soft, sandy gravel but degrade quickly under repeated passes, transitioning into exposed rock and deeply rutted lines that stress tire construction throughout the event. For a single-supplier arrangement, that range of conditions compresses the entire performance argument into one compound choice per stage.