Still not on the road, but the Euromilhões Pax Rally, second race with Dakar Series label, is already a success. Wednesday, 110 competitors will depart from Lisbon towards Portimão, over five legs and six special stages. At the start will be 52 cars (28 Portuguese), 49 motorcycles (16 Portuguese) and 9 quads (3 Portuguese) that will go over 1500 km, 829 of them against the clock.

In its first edition, the Euromilhões Pax Rally will have the presence of the best international and national drivers, highlighting on cars the presence of the official teams Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and BMW X-Raid and on bikes the KMT and Honda Europe. The media coverage is also guaranteed, with television channels from around the world ensuring the broadcast of the race, in a total of 160 million households to receive images from PAX. The media coverage at site will have more than 150 journalists, from several European countries, Japan and South America.

The www.paxrally.com now presents an interview with the President of the Organizing Committee, Joana Lemos.

How are you feeling just a few days from the start of the 1st Euromilhões PAX Rally?

Motivated, aware of the responsibility which is to organize a rally of this size, but we have confidence in our team!

JLS has already organized departures of Lisbon-Dakar, but was never responsible for an entire motorsport event. Where did you seek help?

We have a partnership with Escuderia Castelo Branco, who organizes races for more than 40 years. They are fundamental to the successful implementation of the rally.

What were the main difficulties that the organization found to assemble this event?

The biggest difficulty was to find a date that could be approved by the Portuguese Automobile Federation, because the schedule this year was pretty booked. We had to adapt to a date that did not prejudice the existing events. And finally we had the normal contingencies of organizing an event that was announced at the end of May! It has been a very intense work done so far by all of us.

Joana is a woman long associated with this sport. Now as chairman of the organization committee, tell us, this rally for which you are responsible is the one you would like to do as a competitor?

Absolutely! I would love it. The specials are spectacular.

What are the strengths of this Euromilhões Pax Rally?

Dedication, passion, and without doubt the special stages. In addition to strong media impact that result from TV agreements that we have and the promised competitiveness, as we secured the best competitors of today.

What will competitors find?

A very diverse race, alternating between fast and winding, but above all, competitors will have to overcome the hardness of tracks. They must save the machines to come to the end.

The presence of the top three teams in official cars is already a victory?

It is a privilege and an enormous vote of confidence. But we must create the conditions so that the teams feel motivated to come and was what we did.

What are your expectations to rally in terms of competition?

I wish that the rally is decided only in the last special.

Laurent Lazard Racing News Tuesday 9, September, 2008 at 18:16 hs.