José Pedro Fontes will be competing Rali da Madeira in a Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. He intends to “aim to challenge for overall victory. I will, however, prioritise the result in the CPR, as it is very difficult to challenge for outright victory given the pace of the Madeiran and foreign competitors. This year we also face the challenge of a new car. It’s a problem finding the right set-up and making the car competitive. However, our time at Calheta helped us get to know the car and get an idea of the way forward. We’re confident we can be competitive. Historically, I’m faster on tarmac and things go well for me in Madeira.”

Fontes is 50 years old and has competed in almost every discipline of motorsport. He made his rally debut in 1997 in a Seat Ibiza GTi. He has represented manufacturers such as Fiat, Renault and Citroën, and in 2026 he will be driving for the returning Lancia. He was national champion in 2015 and 2016 at the wheel of a Citroën DS3 R5. In the latter year, he also won the FIA Iberian Rally Trophy and, for the only time, Rali da Madeira. This year, he leads the national Masters competition and is third in the Portuguese Rally Championship.