Carlos Sainz and Luis Moya reunited 24 years after last competing together to secure Rally de Asturias Histórico victory

Spanish motorsport legends Carlos Sainz and Luis Moya returned to the top step of the podium after reuniting in competition for the first time in 24 years at the Rally de Asturias Histórico.

The event served as a tribute to two-time World Rally Champion Sainz, bringing Spanish rallying’s most decorated crew back together for their first competitive outing since their final WRC campaign with Ford in 2002. Supported by Ford and Red Bull and hosted by the Past-Racing team, the pair got behind the wheel of a hybrid Ford Puma Rally1, thrilling an estimated 100,000 spectators across the stages.

The classic crew quickly demonstrated that their iconic partnership remained as sharp as ever, steering the modern Rally1 machine to five stage victories over the course of the event to seal overall victory by Saturday evening.

“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.

“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.

Four decades of Ford heritage on show

Alongside the Puma Rally1’s hybrid acceleration and advanced aerodynamics, fans were treated to a living exhibition spanning 40 years of Ford rally history across multiple historic categories.

• Escort RS1800 & Classic Escorts: Spanish historic championship star Jesús Ferreiro, co-driven by Javier Anido, led the Escort RS1800 charge. In Pre-81, Asturian crew Juan José Sánchez ‘Ordiales’ and Jorge Miranda claimed class victory in their Escort Mk2, while Diego Estévez and Francisco Trapote added further classic depth in an iconic Escort RS2000 Mk1.
• 1990s Turbo Era: Fernando ‘Copi’ Capdevila and co-driver Alfredo Rodríguez brought the 4WD turbo era back to life in a Ford Sierra Cosworth, running alongside the matching unit of Javier Basagoiti and Rebeca del Pozo.
• Next Generation: Young Spanish driver Gil Membrado and co-driver Adrián Pérez represented the future of the brand. The pair delighted crowds during Pravia’s night street stage in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 while performing official safety car duties to prepare the route for the historic field.

The entry list featured a stellar lineup of international rivals, including nine-time World Champion Sébastien Loeb alongside Isabelle Galmiche, capping off an extraordinary weekend of motorsport nostalgia and competition in northern Spain.

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