# 2011 Rallye Açores

The 2011 Sata Rally Azores, officially 46º Sata Rallye Açores, was the sixth round of the 2011 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) season. The 17-stage gravel rally took place on the island of São Miguel in the Azores between 14 and 16 July 2011.

## Introduction

The rally was based in the major city of Ponta Delgada. Day one consisted of three stages covering a total of 22.56 km (14.02 mi). Day two covered a total of 95.05 km (59.06 mi) over nine stages with the remaining five stages, covering 87.48 km (54.36 mi) completed on day three.

## Results

Juho Hänninen won his third IRC rally of the season, having led the rally for most of the running, before Andreas Mikkelsen made a late charge for the lead. Hänninen held an advantage into the final day and after Mikkelsen took the lead for a period, Hänninen regained the lead for the final time. His victory gave him the championship lead by four points ahead of Bryan Bouffier. Bouffier finished the rally in fourth position, behind Mikkelsen and Jan Kopecký.

### Overall

| Pos. | Driver | Co-driver | Car | Time | Difference | Points |
| 1. | Juho Hänninen | Mikko Markkula | Škoda Fabia S2000 | 2:19:03.8 | 0.0 | 25 |
| 2. | Andreas Mikkelsen | Ola Fløene | Škoda Fabia S2000 | 2:19:46.1 | 42.3 | 18 |
| 3. | Jan Kopecký | Petr Starý | Škoda Fabia S2000 | 2:20:49.8 | 1:46.0 | 15 |
| 4. | Bryan Bouffier | Xavier Panseri | Peugeot 207 S2000 | 2:22:40.0 | 3:36.2 | 12 |
| 5. | Patrik Sandell | Staffan Parmander | Škoda Fabia S2000 | 2:23:37.1 | 4:33.3 | 10 |
| 6. | Ricardo Moura | Sancho Eiró | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | 2:25:10.8 | 6:07.0 | 8 |
| 7. | Vítor Lopes | Hugo Magalhães | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | 2:28:55.9 | 9:52.1 | 6 |
| 8. | Vítor Pascoal | Luis Ramalho | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 2:31:51.1 | 12:47.3 | 4 |
| 9. | Sérgio Silva | Nelson Cordeiro | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | 2:33:04.1 | 14:00.3 | 2 |
| 10. | Paulo Maciel | Filipe Gouveira | Citroën Saxo VTS | 2:37:14.5 | 18:10.7 | 1 |

### Special stages

| Day | Stage | Time | Name | Length | Winner | Time | Avg. spd. | Rally leader |
| Leg 1 (14 July) | SS1 | 16:45 | Lagoa – Marques 1 | 13.06 km | Andreas Mikkelsen | 8:41.9 | 90.09 km/h | Andreas Mikkelsen |
| Leg 1 (14 July) | SS2 | 17:24 | Coroa da Mata 1 | 7.50 km | Bruno Magalhães | 6:25.3 | 70.08 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 1 (14 July) | SS3 | 18:00 | Grupo Marques 1 | 2.00 km | Juho Hänninen | 1:57.4 | 61.33 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 2 (15 July) | SS4 | 10:08 | Batalha Golfe 1 | 7.90 km | Juho Hänninen | 5:40.2 | 83.60 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 2 (15 July) | SS5 | 10:43 | Feteiras 1 | 7.47 km | stage cancelled | stage cancelled | stage cancelled | | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 2 (15 July) | SS6 | 11:08 | Sete Cidades 1 | 18.30 km | Juho Hänninen | 13:46.3 | 79.73 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 2 (15 July) | SS7 | 13:02 | Batalha Golfe 2 | 7.90 km | Andreas Mikkelsen | 5:32.3 | 85.59 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 2 (15 July) | SS8 | 13:37 | Feteiras 2 | 7.47 km | Juho Hänninen | 5:48.7 | 77.12 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 2 (15 July) | SS9 | 14:02 | Sete Cidades 2 | 18.30 km | stage cancelled | stage cancelled | stage cancelled | | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 2 (15 July) | SS10 | 16:02 | Remédios – Água de Pau | 7.15 km | Andreas Mikkelsen | 4:56.8 | 86.73 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 2 (15 July) | SS11 | 16:25 | Lagoa – Marques 2 | 13.06 km | Andreas Mikkelsen | 8:29.6 | 92.26 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 2 (15 July) | SS12 | 17:04 | Coroa da Mata 2 | 7.50 km | Andreas Mikkelsen | 6:14.3 | 72.13 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 3 (16 July) | SS13 | 10:27 | Graminhais 1 | 20.80 km | Jan Kopecký | 15:45.0 | 79.24 km/h | Andreas Mikkelsen |
| Leg 3 (16 July) | SS14 | 11:25 | Tronqueira 1 | 21.94 km | Juho Hänninen | 18:33.7 | 70.92 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 3 (16 July) | SS15 | 12:57 | Grupo Marques 2 | 2.00 km | Andreas Mikkelsen | 1:59.4 | 60.30 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 3 (16 July) | SS16 | 15:26 | Graminhais 2 | 20.80 km | Juho Hänninen | 15:54.9 | 78.42 km/h | Juho Hänninen |
| Leg 3 (16 July) | SS17 | 16:24 | Tronqueira 2 | 21.94 km | Patrik Sandell | 18:58.4 | 69.38 km/h | Juho Hänninen |