The Rally de Asturias Histórico — a tribute to former World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz — saw “El Matador” and his former co-driver Luis Moya winning together again.

Twenty-four years after their final WRC campaign with Ford, Spanish motorsport’s most decorated pairing returned to competition together, cheered on by nearly 100,000 spectators amid four decades of Ford history.

Supported by Ford and Red Bull and hosted with the warm hospitality of the Past-Racing team, the event marked their first opportunity to get behind the wheel of the hybrid Ford Puma Rally1.

“Memories came rushing back of when we competed together, of calling the pace notes, of being beside him. It was an extraordinary experience,” said Moya.

The crowds packing the stages were not only thrilled by the aerodynamics and hybrid acceleration of the Puma Rally1; they also enjoyed historic race cars, driven by true icons of Spanish rallying:

• Behind the wheel of an Escort RS1800 was Jesús Ferreiro (co-driven by Javier Anido), one of the all-time dominators of the Spanish historic rally championship. In the Pre-81 category, Asturian drivers Juan José Sánchez 'Ordiales' and Jorge Miranda stood out, taking victory in their class with their Escort Mk II, while Diego Estévez and Francisco Trapote added further classic pedigree with the iconic Escort RS2000 Mk I.
• Fans relived the golden age of all-wheel drive courtesy of the Ford Sierra Cosworth of Fernando 'Copi' Capdevila, co-driven by Alfredo Rodríguez. Alongside them, the unit fielded by Javier Basagoiti and Rebeca del Pozo completed an unforgettable snapshot of the 1990s turbo era.
• The brand’s next generation was represented by Gil Membrado and Adrián Pérez. The young Spanish talent and his co-driver not only brought the crowds to their feet during Pravia’s night-time street exhibition in the Ford Fiesta Rally3, but also performed safety car duties throughout the rally, opening the stages and preparing the route for the historic field.

The entry list featured a legendary lineup of rivals including Sébastien Loeb (alongside Isabelle Galmiche). But by Saturday evening, Sainz and Moya had secured five stage wins and sealed victory.

“When I had only won one Spanish Rally Championship and was a Ford driver, imagining that so many years later I would still be competing here in Asturias, surrounded by so many people, would have been an impossible dream,” said Sainz.