August 2021

Driving as fast as possible

Pedro Paixão will be driving in Rali Vinho da Madeira “as fast as possible. Nevertheless, the most important is to finish. Of course I would like to win this rally, as it is a childhood dream, but my main rivals are quite strong. I think, above all, in my main opponents in the regional competition. If will be a difficult task, as they have a lot more experience than we do in a competition that such fact may be crucial. Despite that, our speed can stand out.” Pedro Paixão is 26 years old and started the rallies five years ago. In 2016, the driver had his debut with a Toyota Yaris, but in the following championships he was behind the wheel of a Peugeot R2 and an Opel Adam R2. In that season, he also drove a Renault Clio R3, winning his class, and he was, for the first time, on the podium in 2017, in Machico. In 2019, he started driving a Skoda Fabia R5 and started bothering the main references of the Archipelago. In 2021, the driver is behind the wheel of a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo and is the third in the Regional Championship, after having been the third in Ribeira Brava and fourth in Machico.

Estar na luta pelo pódio

O espanhol Jan Solans revela que “é um prazer correr na Madeira. O Rali Vinho da Madeira é uma prova mítica, pela qual sempre passaram grandes nomes do automobilismo, e só posso estar contente de poder participar. Esta é a minha primeira vez no rali e não conheço as estradas. Pelo que ouvi, tem locais muito rápidos e em que o conhecimento é importante. No entanto, espero poder vir a lutar pelo pódio. Tenho sido bem aconselhado e conto poder me adaptar rapidamente”. Solans tem 23 anos e deu os seus primeiros passos nos ralis há cinco, em 2016. Realizou a estreia com um Peugeot 208 R2 mas depois realizou a restante temporada com um Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX e foi com essa viatura que venceu o ERT2 do FIA Iberian Rally Trophy desse ano. Regressou para duas temporadas com o Peugeot e foi campeão espanhol de terra na sua classe em 2018. Em 2019 migrou para o WRC com um Ford Fiesta R2T e foi campeão mundial júnior. No ano seguinte passou a comandar um Ford Fiesta R5 e em 2021 a defender as cores da Citroën Espanha. Foi segundo nos ralis Sierra Morena e Tierras Altas de Lorca e terceiro no WRC3 no Rallye dItalia Sardegna.

Rally Facts: winning records

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.   

Rally Facts: 35 participations of José Camacho

José Camacho should start next Thursday, 5th August, his 35th participation in Rali Vinho da Madeira. The driver from Madeira, Regional Champion in 1990, started the competition, organized by Club Sports da Madeira, in 1985 and has failed only in 2010 and 2011.  Camacho, who is 58 years old, used vehicles so different, namely, the versions 1.6 e 1.9 of Peugeot 205 GTI, Peugeot 309 GTI, Ford Sierra Cosworth 4x4, Opel Astra GSi, VW Golf GTI, Seat Ibiza Kit-Car, Peugeot 206 S1600, Fiat Grande Punto S2000 and Peugeot 208 T16. His best outcome was achieved in 2004, when he was the fourth with a Peugeot 306 Maxi. Rui Fernandes, 32 participations, is the second driver with more performances in this competition and Rui Pinto, who is going to compete with the debut of a Ford Fiesta R5 MkII, being this his 29th participation. Among the drivers outside the Island, Bruno Magalhães is the leader of the board, as this is his 19th occasion in a competition that he considers to be one of his favourite.  

Fighting for the podium of the Portuguese Rally Championship

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.

Pages