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Founders Rally 2026 – 4,200 kilometres for a two-day rally
Many people look for events close to home. Others ship their car to the other side of the world and board a plane themselves. Then there are those who travel more than 4,200 kilometres to appear at the start of a two-day rally. In Juri Castricum’s case, it all began with a simple ‘bet’.
“Last year, I flew to Portugal to take part in the Founders Rally for the first time,” Juri explains. “Not long before that, I had found a Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII that had spent years stored in a wooden crate. In my enthusiasm, I said: if you put that car on next year’s rally poster, I’ll bring it along.”
The organisers kept their word. Juri could hardly do otherwise.
The 1913 Hispano-Suiza was loaded into the trailer for the approximately 2,100-kilometre journey to Portugal. And that was only the outward leg.
After two days on the road, the crew arrived in Porto at around five o’clock in the afternoon. It was just in time for a classic-car gathering in the city centre, where a remarkably varied selection had assembled, ranging from a Le Mans Bentley to a beautifully restored Fiat 600. An evening drive through Porto followed, with a Bugatti Brescia, a Jaguar XK and Juri’s Hispano-Suiza among the participants.
The following morning, the Museu do Caramulo awaited. Its collection has been assembled since the 1950s and includes an 1899 Peugeot, a Bugatti Type 57 Atalante and an extensive collection of military vehicles, including a Sherman tank.
After lunch, the route continued towards Figueira da Foz, the historic home of the Founders Rally, or Corrida dos Fundadores. The event recalls one of Portugal’s earliest motoring competitions, organised by a group of journalists in 1902 between Figueira da Foz and Lisbon. A driving-skills test on the seafront provided the prelude to the rally weekend.
On Saturday morning, 46 cars set off towards Lisbon. Much of the route followed the spectacular Atlantic coast, with seaside stops, lunch at West Cliffs and a visit to a local bicycle museum. Among the participants were several notable machines, including an early Diatto, a 1912 Sunbeam Coupe de l’Auto, a Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio and a Hispano-Suiza H6B. Even a Willys Jeep was enthusiastically campaigned by a younger generation.
That these cars were being properly used soon became apparent. The Caramulo service team had its hands full dealing with a water-pump pulley, a loose steering box and brakes in need of readjustment, among other issues. One participant was less fortunate: a broken connecting rod brought their rally to an end.
On Sunday, the route passed the imposing Palácio Nacional de Mafra and the rocky coastline near Cascais before reaching Casino Estoril. From there, the group drove together to Lisbon for the closing lunch.
And the Hispano-Suiza? It then simply had to travel all the way back to the Netherlands. Covering more than 4,200 kilometres for a two-day rally may sound a little excessive. After a weekend like this, however, perhaps considerably less so.
For Juri, one thing is certain: this was not his last Founders Rally.
Published:
Saturday October 10th, 2026
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