Miguel Nunes is leading Rali da Madeira now that the first leg of this event – which counts towards the FIA European Rally Trophy and the Portuguese and Madeiran rally championships – has been completed. The driver, in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, took the lead halfway through the second day of competition and has not relinquished it since. Leading after yesterday’s super-special stage in Funchal, Kris Meeke had a minor collision on today’s first special stage and lost a great deal of time. He returned to the road in his repaired Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, won all the special stages in the fourth section but is now well behind in the standings.
Giandomenico Basso spent most of the time at the top of the standings, but the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver eventually retired on the penultimate timed stage of the leg. The Italian took the lead on the day’s first special stage but then felt the physical toll of the ‘landing’ on the Choupana jump during the first pass through Palheiro Ferreiro and also suffered two punctures. João Silva is second in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, 23.4 seconds behind the race leader. Having set some very fast times, Armindo Araújo, in another Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, occupies the lowest step of the podium, 25.2 seconds behind the leader. Rúben Rodrigues is fourth, also in a Toyota, 25 seconds off the podium places.
Miguel Caires, in a car identical to the leader’s, is fifth, ahead of Ricardo Teodósio in a Citroën C3 Rally2 and Pedro Almeida in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. The top ten also includes Hugo Lopes in a Hyundai i20N Rally2, Pedro Meireles in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 and Diego Ruiloba, winner of the last two editions, who lost a lot of time on the second stage due to gearbox problems in his Citroën C3 Rally2. Rali da Madeira returns to the road tomorrow for the second and final leg, which includes eight special stages, opening with Chão Lagoa and also featuring a double loop through Ponta do Sol, Ponta do Pargo and Lameiros. The prize-giving ceremony will take place at 7.30 pm in Funchal.
