Ambassador to flag away London to Lisboa competitors
His Excellency Mr. Joao de Vallera the Portuguese Ambassador to the UK, will flag off the 60 classic cars leaving on the sixth edition of the London-Lisboa Reliability Trial and Tour from the Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England, on 27 April.
Organised by HERO, the event is a qualifying round ofthe 2013 HERO Cup, in associalion with EFG International, and will see crews travelling through more than 3,000km of route to arrive in Lisbon on 5 May.
Patrick Burke, joint Managing Director of HERO, said: "It is the first time that such an international classic rallying event receives support from both the Portuguese Embassy in UK and the British Embassy in Portugal. Also, as this is a major event for the city of Lisbon, the International Relations division of the Camara Municipal of Lisbon is giving us their support, which will certainly contribute to make a sensational arrival in the city."
Around 60 international crews from countries as diverse as South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, England, Italy and Argentina, will take their classic cars on an epic journey over nine days through spectacular scenery across England, France, Spain and Portugal.
The rally is open to all cars manufactured before 1983 and the entries received so far combine a mixture of pre- and post-war vehicles, including a rare Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagat, owned and driven by the charismatic Lord Irvin Laidlaw.
The route will take the participants from London to Portsmourth, passing through St Malo, Poitiers, Pau, Burgos, Leon, Ourens, Vila Real, Caramulo and Sintra, where the British emmbassador to Portugal, Her Excellency Mrs Jill Gallard, will flag the cars under the 'Finish arch" before reaching Lisbon.
The passage in Caramulo, on the penultimate day of the rally, will feature the ascent of the famous Caramulo hill-climb, which will be closed exclusively for the event. At night, participants will have the unique opportunity to dine inside the exhibition halls of the Museum of Caramulo, surrounded by classic cars.
Participants will stay at the Lapa Palace, who have kindly offered to host a drinks reception for the crews ahead of the prize-givinq ceremony and dinner that will take place at the hotel. Guests and dignitaries are anticipated to include Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Braganza (heirs to the Portuguese Crown) and it is hoped the trophies will be handed out br HRH The Duke of Braganza himself.
The London to Lisbon Classic Rally is supported by the Museu Do Caramulo. ACP Classicos. Octane Magazine. Orianda, Hagerty Classic Car Insurance and the Lapa Palace (part of the Olissippo Hotels ).
