This afternoon, the Regional Department of Economy and Club Sports of Madeira signed the programme contract for the organisation of the 66th edition of the Volta à Ilha da Madeira, now called the ‘Rali da Madeira 2025’.

The Regional Government's financial contribution is 450,000 euros. This year's support has been increased and is justified by the fact that it is an ‘event of recognised international prestige in the world of motor sport, which projects the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM) onto the circuits of major international competitions’ and represents one of the largest socio-sporting events in the RAM, with a direct impact on the local economy, particularly in the hotel, restaurant, commerce and services sectors, said the Regional Secretary for Economy, José Manuel Rodrigues. events in the RAM, promoting direct impacts on the local economy, particularly in the hotel, restaurant, commerce and services sectors, said the Regional Secretary for the Economy, José Manuel Rodrigues.

The programme contract aims to ‘provide funding for an entertainment project that is recognised for its quality and strategic interest in the context of economic and tourism development policy’.

The project will be implemented between July and August this year.

Paulo Fontes, president of Club Sports da Madeira, recalled the multiplier effect of the Rali da Madeira. ‘Every euro invested last year multiplied by 20 times,’ he said, referring to a study conducted in 2024 that indicated that the impact of the motor race on the regional economy was around €10 million.

‘This year, RTP Madeira will ensure live coverage of all Rali da Madeira events, seven of them through RTP Internacional,’ revealed Paulo Fontes, who was pleased with the media coverage of the event and its impact on the international promotion of Madeira.

The organisation ‘decided to accept all 97 registered drivers, but with increased responsibility for the safety of the race,’ warned Paulo Fontes, as with more drivers, the time to complete the special stages will be longer.

The Regional Secretary for the Economy pointed out that the ‘Rally is a great sporting event, which brings thousands of people to our roads and strongly boosts the economy of the parishes and municipalities.’

José Manuel Rodrigues says that it is an event that ‘is already part of our regional identity,’ which is why the Regional Government has increased its support for the organising body. Rali da Madeira ‘is a structuring platform for territorial enhancement, attracting investment and stimulating entrepreneurship and innovation, promoting synergies between public and private entities, and strengthening the competitiveness of the regional economy,’ concluded the government official, with an appeal to spectators to watch the Rali da Madeira safely.