Bruno Magalhães almost had another worldwide debut in Madeira, as there was the possibility of his crew to be represented in Rali Vinho Madeira with a Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Such event will happen next week, in Ypres, in WRC and the Portuguese driver will be at the start of the championship organized by Club Sports da Madeira with the usual Hyundai i20 R5 In such circumstances, the driver from Lisbon wants to “try to be the best in the National Championship and regain points. This is a rally that we are usually well, nonetheless, our priority is the Championship. This is also a competition that I like very much, being so, we will see how far we can go.” Magalhães is 41 years old and had his debut in the rallies in 1999 with a VW Golf GTi. Later, he drove a few versions of Mitsubishi Lancer and Ford Escort Cosworth but, in 2003, was behind the wheel of a Peugeot 206 GTi and achieved the single brand trophy in the following year. The success has taken the brand to hire him and, representing the Lion’s logo, drove a Peugeot 206 S1600. In 2007, he won in his debut with a Peugeot 207 S2000 and became a champion that year and until 2009. In 2014, he was in the international competitions more regularly and in 2017, with a Skoda Fabia R5, became the European Vice-Champion. He was back in 2019 in the Portuguese Championship of rallies and was the second twice with a Hyundai. One of the winning record holder in Rali Vinho Madeira is the third in the National Championship.  

Before the next edition of Rali Vinho da Madeira is concluded, there are four drivers with the highest number of victories in the event. In a chronological order, Américo Nunes, Andrea Aghini, Giandomenico Basso and Bruno Magalhães, the drivers that were able to celebrate the victory in the competition that is organized by Club Sports da Madeira, since 1959.  As it happened in previous competitions, Magalhães can have the absolute standings of trophies if he imposes himself in 2021 with his Hyundai i20 R5 Nevertheless, Alexandre Camacho can join the club. The driver from Madeira has been a champion between 2017 and 2019 and if the wins this year, he will be able to add another victory. In the beginning of the race, there will be other champions, Adruzilo Lopes and José Pedro Fontes, both with a trophy each.   

Bernardo Sousa is back to Madeira in a competing car. The driver from Madeira is going to race the competition organized by Club Sports da Madeira “to fight for the podium in the National Championship. many opponents have cars more recent than ours, under such circumstances, there is nothing left to do than to adjust our goals. It will be very difficult to compete with Alexandre Camacho, Miguel Nunes and Pedro Paixão, even because our vehicle should be about 0,5 seconds slower per kilometre. We can’t test the car but we hope, within the limitations, to be able to make a few adjustments before the competition is on the roads. I haven’t been competing in this rally since 2014, precisely because knowledge is very important to the achievement of a good outcome. Without an important change in our budget, this shall be my last competition in 2021.” Sousa is 34 years old and had his debut in the rallies in 2005 with a Ford Escort RS. In the following year, he drove a Peugeot 206 S1600 in the Island’s championship and a Skoda Fabia TDI in the national competition.  In 2007, he drove a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX and got his first absolute standing in Porto Santo. After that, he has been driving several vehicles in different secondary levels of WRC. In 2010, was a national champion standing with a Ford Fiesta S2000. In 2018 and 2019 he raced in the championship from Azores. In 2021 he got back to the sports with a Skoda Fabia R5 and is the fifth in a national championship that shone in Vodafone Rally de Portugal.

Cancelled in last year’s program, in 2020, due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, Shakedown is back, in 2021, in Rali Vinho da Madeira. Shakedown is used by the competitors to check the setup of their vehicles as well as to conclude the few last minute adjustments and improvements to the performance of the racing cars. This year is back to Estrada dos Cardais and ER 224 on Thursday, 5th August, between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Before that, however, the Qualifying will take place, on the same roads, between 8:15 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. Qualifying is strictly for the drivers with priority and, after a few passages of reconnaissance, it will have a timed stage. To the fastest rivers and according to the best brands order established for such passages, drivers will be allowed to choose the start order for the first stage. The start sequence in championships such as the Rali Vinho da Madeira can be crucial to get the best timing in the stages, as it may reflect on a road with more gravel or changing weather conditions.  

Tomorrow, at 6 p.m., the Rali Vinho Madeira Organizing Committee will have a training for the doctors and nurses who will back up this year’s RVM edition. In the training, held by the skilled firefighters will revise the established procedures for the victims’ assistance in case of an emergency, considering the specific aspects of the rally cars. The training will take place at Dr. Horácio Bento de Gouveia School, where the Rally Secretariat is.

The national flag has been the one that more often was hoisted in the highest pole of the Rali Vinho da Madeira podium. The Portuguese drivers won the competition organized, since 1959, by the Club Sports da Madeira no less than in 30 occasions. This is a reflection not only of the fact that, in the first editions, the event was not yet international, but also the rising of the Portuguese competitors in the last years. On the other hand, Inno di Mameli, symbol of the unified Italy, have been heard no less than 20 times. The Italian drivers are the only who tried to compete with the national colours in victory numbers, as the country next to these two countries is Belgium, nation of origin for four champions. In the list of countries whose drivers were the best in the Island are France, with three victories, Finland, with two winners and Spain and Luxembourg with a trophy each.    

The cooperation protocol between the City Hall of Funchal and Club Sports da Madeira, organizing entity of Rali Vinho da Madeira was signed today. The partnership is based on a financial and logistic support for the accomplishment of the completion. At that time, Miguel Gouveia, the Mayor of the City, underlined the contribution of RVM for the promotion of the city and cast a challenge to include once more, in the competition, the Super special stage of Avenida do Mar and the stage in Chão da Lagoa.  The president suggested a name change for these two special stages, becoming Super Special city of Funchal stage and Ecological Park Special Stage, as a way to promote the city and its natural heritage.