It's going to be a beautiful rally

Spanish driver Unai de la Dehesa is coming to Rali Vinho da Madeira with the goal, ‘as in all other events, of doing my best. I don't have much information about the rally. I know it's on an island and not much else. But I'm keen to gain experience. From what I've been told, the special stages are very fast, so I'm sure we'll enjoy it. However, it's certain that the drivers from the island will be very fast and so will our Portuguese opponents. In that scenario, I want to be the best of the Spaniards in the Cup. The balance of the year is positive, you couldn't ask for much more. We're first in the Peugeot Challenge. I'm really looking forward to a good rally in Madeira, which I think is going to be very beautiful.’ Unai de la Dehesa is 26 years old and made his rallying debut in 2018 with a Suzuki Swift, a model he used until 2021 and with which he regularly stood on the junior podium of the respective mono-brand competition. In 2022 he was at the controls of a Renault Clio Rally5 and was Spanish Under-24 champion. Last year he drove a Renault Clio Rally4 and in 2024 he got behind the wheel of the Peugeot 208 Rally4. He is third in the Peugeot Rally Cup Ibérica and leads the Spanish Peugeot Challenge.

Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 makes its debut in Madeira

One of the curiosities of the 65th edition of Rali Vinho da Madeira will be the participation, in the hands of Alexandre Camacho, of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, a model that will cover its first kilometres on the island at the event, as well as in tarmac races in the national championship. The Japanese brand's model is the latest to be homologated by the group on 1st January this year. The racing car was developed within the manufacturer's European structure and is based on the same series model. It's the shortest car in its category at 3,995 mm, but its width and height are within the group's usual parameters, as are the SADEV 5-speed gearbox and the weight limited to 1,230 kg. The Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 is the only car in its category with a 3-cylinder engine, as all the others have an additional piston. If this feature has limited some Rally4 models on an island with as many slopes as Madeira, one of the technical doubts of Rali Vinho da Madeira is how the car created with the help of Juha Kankunnen will measure up against the competition.

Best possible result

National champion Ricardo Teodósio returns to Madeira with a Hyundai 120N Rally2 from the Korean brand's national team. The driver from the Algarve hopes to achieve ‘the best possible result’ at Rali Vinho da Madeira. Our greatest wish is for things to go well because, over the last few years, there has always been something happening that hasn't allowed us to be at the level we wanted. These are the contingencies of rallying, but some people are more fortunate than others. Like most of our opponents, we have a good knowledge of the rally but I've never been able to be at 100 per cent. However, I really enjoy the rally and we set out with the goal of getting as many points as possible for the Portuguese championship. This is a season that hasn't gone well for us and, against this backdrop, I just have to say thank you for all the support I continue to receive from people, my team, my family and all rally followers in general.’ Teodósio is 48 years old and his first steps in rallying date back to 2001 with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III. In a career in which he has gathered a large number of fans for his spectacular performance and poise in the races, he won the Southern regional championships in 2010 and 2011 and was national champion in 2019, in a Skoda Fabia R5, 2021 with a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo and 2023 in the current Hyundai.

Best result in Copa Peugeot

After a few months of inactivity, Vítor Sá returns to competition in Rali Vinho da Madeira with  Ricardo Ventura in a Peugeot 208 Rally4. His aim for this event, which he won outright in 2004 with a Peugeot 306 Maxi, is to ‘finish in a good position in the Peugeot Rally Cup Ibérica, a competition I'm in again this year. We won't have any worries in the field of two-wheel-drive vehicles because we know that, at least in events with the characteristics of Madeira, there are drivers with cars that are much more competitive than ours. As far as the Peugeot ‘trophy’ is concerned, in 2023 I didn't know the car and this year I once again have the disadvantage of only having competed in two rallies and having to gain pace. Anyway, I'm betting on a good result’. Sá is 59 years old and took part in his first rally in 1986 with a Renault 5 GT Turbo. As well as numerous group or class titles, the driver has won 11 outright regional titles, in 1992 with a Ford Sierra Cosworth, in 1999 in a Subaru Impreza 555, in 2000 and 2001 at the wheel of a Subaru Impreza WRC, between 2002 and 2004 in a Peugeot 306 Maxi, in 2005 with a Peugeot 206 S1600, 2006 in a Renault Clio S1600, 2007 using a Fiat Punto S2000 and 2011 with a Peugeot 207 S2000.

Rally talks at Plaza Madeira

Plaza Madeira will host a series of Rally Talks in the days leading up to the event. Two guests will relive their experiences at Rali Vinho da Madeira, sharing memories with the public. The initiative kicks off on 25 July at 6. P.m. with the theme ‘Rally Past and Present’. On 26th July, at 6 p.m., the women will talk about the Rally. On 27th July, the talks will take place at 1 p.m., with the theme ‘Behind the Scenes at the Rally’. On Sunday 28th, also at 12 p.m., the ‘New Rally Generation’ will be discussed. The initiative ends on the 29th, at 6 p.m., with the theme ‘Rally on the Road’. Rui Conceição's Ford Escort RS Cosworth, which won Rali Vinho da Madeira in 1994, 1995 and 1996, will be on display on the 2nd floor of Plaza Madeira.

Simone Campedelli full of pace

Italian driver Simone Campedelli, enrolled in Rali Vinho da Madeira with Tania Canton in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, should be one of the drivers arriving on the island with the most competitive pace. The transalpine duo took part in and won the Rally Internazionale del Casentino just over a week ago and will be taking part in the Rally di Roma Capitale later this week, the fifth event of the ERC 2024. Campedelli has taken part in the last two editions of Rali Vinho da Madeira and his best result was fourth place in 2023.

Porsche 992 GT3 makes its debut

Rali Vinho da Madeira is expected to be the stage for the world rally debut of the Porsche 992 GT3. The start of the German model's road racing career will be led by the Paulo Mendes/Roberto Figueira duo. The competitive baptism has already taken place several times, but the guaranteed presence of the brand's technicians in Madeira next week should guarantee that the ‘roar’ of the latest version of this cult model will be appreciated by the crowds that always follow the event organized by Club Sports da Madeira. The Porsche 992 GT3, presented at the end of 2020 in its road version, features an evolution of the 3,996 cc horizontally aspirated six-cylinder engine that already equipped the 991 GT3, now producing around 510 horsepower. The massive use (70%) of aluminium in the body means that the car weighs just over 1,200 kg.

Winning the Peugeot Rally Cup

Spanish driver Miguel Garcia is bringing a Peugeot 208 Rally4 to Madeira and he wants to ‘win the Peugeot Rally Cup Iberica. We're in second position in both competitions we're contesting in what is our first year with this car and we're learning a lot. Our previous car was very different and we had to adapt. This is the first time I'm taking part in Rali Vinho da Madeira and we've been looking for as much information as possible and seeing a lot about the race. It's very beautiful and seems fast and technical. We're really keen to finish it and be as fast as possible.’ Garcia is 42 years old and made his rallying debut in 2007 with a Fiat Punto HGT. Since then, he has mostly driven in single-brand competitions and has been behind the wheel of vehicles such as the Suzuki Swift, Peugeot 206 XS, Dacia Sandero, Renault Megane Coupé and Renault Clio Rally5. He won the Suzuki Swift Cup in 2020 and the Clio Trophy Spain in 2022. He was runner-up in the Suzuki Swift Cup in 2019. He is currently second in both the Peugeot Rally Cup Iberica and the Peugeot Challenge (Spain).

First rally of the year

Filipe Freitas is back in action at Rali Vinho da Madeira. The driver of the Porsche 991 GT3 intends to participate ‘above all to have fun. This is the first rally of the year and we'll have to gradually recover our competitive rhythm. We're going to approach this rally without much ambition, just with the aim of being the best among those who use Porsche. I know there will be two other RGTs at the start, but we're not worried about that because we're not aiming to win the group. We're going to do our rally and, after the first special stages, see where we are in the standings and then decide on our approach and our objectives.’ Filipe Freitas is 52 years old and took part in his first rally in 1998 with a Citroën AX GTi. The driver has been behind the wheel of many vehicles and his best career results include winning two outright regional titles, in 2013 with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X and in 2016 at the wheel of a Porsche 997 GT3. He was also Madeiran champion of the RGT group in 2016, 2020 and 2022.

Joachim Wagemans, second best of the RGT in France

Belgian Joachim Wagemans, teaming up with Cláudio Gouveia from Madeira, competed in France this weekend, in the Rallye National de la Drome, in order to familiarise themselves with the car that the pair will be using in just over a week's time in Rali Vinho da Madeira. With an Alpine A110 RGT from the French company Chazel, the team finished the event in 11th position, the second best among the RGT cars. Wagemans was very pleased with the information gathered at the rally in south-eastern France, which was won by Jeremi Ancian in a VW Polo GTi R5.

Five winners at the start of Rali Vinho da Madeira

At the start of the 65th Rali Vinho da Madeira will be five of the previous winners of the event organized by Club Sports da Madeira since 1959. Among them, the record winner of the event, Alexandre Camacho, who is making his debut at the wheel of a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, and who topped the podium in 2017, 2018 (in a Citroën DS3 R5), 2019 (Skoda Fabia R5, and 2021, 2022 and 2023 (Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo). The only driver to break Camacho's hegemony in that period, Miguel Nunes will line up with the model with which he won his only victory, in 2020 with a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. First in 2016 with a Citroën DS3 R5, José Pedro Fontes will line up again in this edition with a Citroën C3 Rally2. Victorious in 2004 with a Peugeot 306 Maxi, Vítor Sá will be at the controls of a Peugeot 208 Rally4 while Adruzilo Lopes, the best in 2001 with a Peugeot 206 WRC, will be on the island with a Skoda Fabia.

To be at the front of the class

Rui Jorge Fernandes' objectives for the next Rali Vinho da Madeira, at the wheel of a Renault Clio Rally4, ’are not to puncture (laughs) and to be at the front of the Rally4 class. So far our balance for the year isn't positive because, although we've been leading the category, we still haven't won a single race and, as a result, we've jeopardised our championship. In this context, I must thank the team, family and friends for all their support during this difficult time. Now we're going to the next race for what we want to be an act of triumph and, of course, to have fun. It looks like there's going to be a fight in our division. As well as the teams that usually compete in Madeira, we'll be joined by national drivers and a few ‘fierce lions’ from the Peugeot Iberian Cup, with established credits and who we know are very fast.’ Fernandes is 34 years old and started rallying in 2008 with a Skoda Fabia TDi. Although he has always been in contention for the top positions in which he has competed, he only has three Madeiran titles on two-wheel drive, obtained between 2020 and 2022, always at the controls of a Renault Clio R3T. He has been behind the wheel of vehicles as diverse as the Citroën Saxo Cup, Citroën C2 R2, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX and Ford Escort RS 2000.

Rali Vinho da Madeira with new signs for the public

As part of its environmental commitment not to use plastic materials, Rali Vinho da Madeira is introducing a new signage system for the public along the stages in what will be the 65th edition of the event, which will take place between 1st and 3rd August. In the event, which will be on the road in a fortnight' time, there will be no ribbons or plastic tapes in 2024, but rather materials that can be reused in the future at other Club Sports da Madeira events. The new signage is made up of several signs informing spectators of the areas where they can and cannot watch the competitors pass through the 15 timed sections where, over the course of three thrilling days, crowds will make a point of being present. With a simple colour code, in which red represents the forbidden areas and green the authorised ones, these signs also indicate the limits of these areas. For decades, Madeira and Rali Vinho da Madeira have been the venue for various safety innovations and have relied on the co-operation of a co-operative public and population. This should be the case once again, with this new communication system, in an archipelago that is concerned about and moving towards environmental sustainability.

RVM closes entries with 90 teams

Entries for this year's edition of Rali Vinho da Madeira closed today. A total of 90 teams have signed up, 55 from Madeira and 35 from outside the region, including drivers from Spain and Italy. The 65th edition of the RVM promises to be very competitive, with RC2, RC3 and RC4 cars taking part. Rali Vinho da Madeira counts towards the FIA European Rally Trophy, the Peugeot Rally Cup Ibérica, the Portuguese Rally Championship and the CORAL Madeira Rally Championship.Competing on Madeira's roads will be the Skoda Fabia Rally2, Hyundai I20, Peugeot 208 Rally 4, Porsche and Alpine in the GTR class and the Toyota Yaris GR Rally2, which will be driven by Alexandre Camacho, making his debut on Portuguese tarmac. The conditions are in place for another excellent event for drivers and fans alike.

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