July 2021

Being ahead in the Portuguese Rally championship

In the next Rali Vinho da Madeira, Armindo Araújo’s main goal is the Portuguese Rally Championship. “At this time, I lead the competition and I want to leave Madeira in the leadership. If possible, with the same quite increased. This is a challenging and difficult rally and my performance will be determined according to what my opponents in the Portuguese Rally Championship can do. We always have the goal to try to win the rally, but the management of the championship makes us, sometimes, choose another rhythm. As it happened in previous years, that is our goal.” Armindo Araújo is 43 years old and is in the rallies since 2000. His debut was behind the wheel of a Citroën Saxo which made him the National Championship of Promotion and won the trophy. Such accomplishments were seen by the French brand that, with a Saxo Kit-Car, made him defend his colours. With such vehicle, was National Champion in 2003 and 2004. After that, he raced with Mitsubishi and became, once more, the National Champion in 2005 and 2006. Then he joined the World Rally Championship and was World Champion of Production in 2008 and 2009. After difficult years with Mini, he had a break in his career and was back to the competition in 2017. He was the National Champion in 2018 with a Hyundai and, in 2020, with a Skoda. He leads at the moment the Portuguese Rally Championship after two victories.  

Rally Facts: Shakedown and Qualifying are back

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.  

RVM poster is a tribute to the winners

Ricardo Velosa is the author of the Rali Vinho da Madeira poster of 2021. The image that stands out shows the vehicle of last year’s edition winner, Skoda Fabia R5 EVO, driven by Miguel Nunes and João Paulo as the co-driver.  in the creative process was given special attention to the details of the car, overlapping effects that remind us of competition and speed. The green colour on the left side represents the green scenery of madeira island, which is the stage of the competition. the poster follows the previous years’ design, which is a reference for the RVM winners.    

Melhor resultado na classe

Em foco no próximo Rali Vinho da Madeira estará a participação de João Silva, que estreará em solo nacional o Renault Clio Rally4. O piloto pretende “conhecer a viatura, compreender como funciona e tentar explorar o seu potencial ao máximo. Esperamos conseguir o melhor resultado possível na classe mas o principal objetivo é tentar analisar bem o carro e ajudar no seu acerto e otimização. Este carro, que, até agora, participou em duas provas no estrangeiro, tem todas as opções para o modelo e os resultados têm sido bons. Depois de vários anos com carros de duas rodas motrizes e depois com carros turbo de tração integral, vou juntar pela primeira vez no veículo utilizado um motor turbocomprimido com a tração dianteira. Vamos tentar tirar o máximo proveito”. João Silva tem 32 anos de idade e estreou-se nos ralis em 2007 com um Toyota Yaris. No ano seguinte a viatura utilizada foi um Citroën C2 R2 e logo aí foi vice-campeão júnior. O título juvenil veio nos anos seguintes já aos comandos de um Renault Clio R3, modelo que conduziu até 2016. Pelo caminho foi campeão nacional de duas rodas motrizes em 2011. Entre 2017 e 2019 esteve ao volante de um Citroën DS3 R5, obteve os seus primeiros triunfos em ralis regionais e foi vice-campeão madeirense nos dois primeiros anos com esse carro. Em 2020 só alinhou no Rali Vinho da Madeira com um Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo.

RVM's Doctors and Nurses in Training

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.

Information delivered at HBG

Today started the delivery of material to the entries of RVM 2021. The deliveries with be made at Dr. Horácio Bento de Gouveia school, during the weekend. The briefcase delivered included a set of itinerary notebooks, a set of maps, drivers’ identifiers and assistance members, assistance and auxiliary plaques, competition numbers, advertising stickers, important information for the documental, technical details as well as for the assistance park. In this procedure, all the recommendations from the health authorities are being followed: temperature measuring, mask wearing, the use of alcohol gel and maintain social distancing.

Rally Facts: Portuguese won more championships

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.    

Rally facts:the debut of Renault Clio Rally4

The debut in Portugal of Renault Clio Rally4 will take place in Rali Vinho da Madeira with performance of João Silva and the support of the ARC Sport team. The French brand was ambitious with this model presented by the end of last year, according to the brand, create the two drive wheels with more performance in its category. Developed by the Viry-Chatillon and Dieppe departments, the technicians have assured that they have explored all options allowed by the group’s regulation. Clio Rally4, as Rally5 was, has a basis the Clio RS Line and has an engine of 4-cylindre in line with 1.330 cc. in this version, the propellant develops 215 horse power and a binary of 350 Nm. The transmission is made by a 5 speed gearbox by Sadev and the self-blocking differential is type ZF. The breaks are from PFC and the tarmac wheels are 17 inches. The car weights about 1.080 kg.

City Hall of Funchal and Club Sports da Madeira sign a cooperation protocol

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.     

Trying to repeat 2016

José Pedro Fontes is back to Rali Vinho da Madeira with the purpose of “fighting to try to win, as much in the Portuguese Rally Championship as to repeat what I did in 2016, winning the absolute standings rally. In both goals, we know it will be very difficult. The competition will be more balanced in the Portuguese Championship as, in terms of absolute standings everyone knows that Madeiran drivers have been performing with high level and knowledge. I hope to make good recognition as well as find a good set for the car. I am usually the best in the second day of the race, but this time I would like to start well in the competition, so I won’t be far behind.” José Pedro Fontes 45 years old, has already raced in different types of motorsports where he has reached several national trophies. In the rallies, his first steps were in the late 1990’s and he has already been behind the wheel of several vehicles, from the Seat Ibiza GTI to the recent Citroën C3 Rally2, not forgetting the Fiat Punto Kit-Car, Fiat Punto S2000, several versions of Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and, more recently, Citroën DS3 R5. He won the FIA ERT Iberian Rally Trophy in 2016 and was a national champion in 2015 and 2016. In 2021, he is the fourth in the Portuguese Rally Championship and after having been the sixth id the Terras d’Aboboreira and Portugal rally, and third in Castelo Branco.  

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