The 67th edition of Rali da Madeira was unveiled today at the Funchal Harbour Maritime Terminal. José Paulo Fontes, president of the organising club, Club Sports da Madeira, and of the event’s organising committee, highlighted “the pleasure of welcoming you to what is the new operational centre for a rally whose organisation involves more than 1,400 people. This solution frees up the city centre for its users. Another change is that the grandstand at the Sá Carneiro Roundabout on the Super-Special Stage will be allocated to the general public, with invited guests directed to other grandstands.

The organisers have decided to accept all entries up to the limit set out in the regulations. This will lead to increased safety challenges, with competitors taking longer to pass through each Special Stage, as we will have at least an hour and a half of team action. The route for this year’s event has been well planned; we will pass through the Funchal Ecological Park four times, with plenty of areas where spectators can position themselves in advance to watch. The rally has been organised so that people can move around and watch safely, as the roads are not expected to be opened to traffic between passes.

We’ll have lots of top drivers – all those competing in the national and Madeira championships – as well as three foreign drivers, two of whom have already won here – Diego Ruiloba and Giandomenico Basso – and another who is very keen to win, Kris Meeke. This was a commitment to quality and competitiveness. Beyond the podium, there will be plenty of competition spread throughout the field. The rally will also feature many promising young talents from the national motorsport scene. Despite the increased costs, all the drivers want to be here in Madeira.”

Jorge Carvalho, Mayor of Funchal, highlighted “the financial support provided, but also the use of the local authority’s resources, whether physical or human, and here I must acknowledge the commitment and willingness of the staff. In addition to the opening of the Funchal Ecological Park, our environmental awareness team will also be on hand to encourage the public to behave responsibly when it comes to protecting the environment.”

We would like to highlight the organisation’s sensitivity in ensuring that the lower town and city centre were kept clear by relocating the operations centre to the Harbour of Funchal, as well as the fact that Praça do Município has been ‘freed’ from the closed car park and is now available to the many visitors seeking this prime, highly visible spot in the municipality. The conditions are in place for the great celebration that is the Rally. The municipality is fully committed to creating the conditions for an event of international standing. The city is behind the Rally.”

José Manuel Rodrigues, Regional Secretary for the Economy, pointed out that “this is a rally that needs no introduction. Over the decades, it has established itself as one of the leading events in motor sport in the region and has secured a prominent place on the national and international calendars for this sport. This is down to the quality of the organisation, the unique characteristics that Madeira offers for an event of this nature, the public turnout and the calibre of the drivers competing in it. The media coverage of the event brings Madeira to the attention of audiences who would otherwise have no contact with this destination, and showcases a region capable of hosting large-scale events such as this rally, which has a distinct identity of its own. The event has a direct impact on the regional economy and benefits many municipalities across the region.”

“It is our entire island and its images that are seen throughout the country and abroad. All the conditions are in place for the rally to be a success – and I am certain it will be.”

Zeca, the event’s mascot, was also introduced on that occasion.