July 2022

Enjoying the car

Gil Freitas will race the next edition of the Rali Vinho da Madeira with a Hyundai i20 R5 purchased about two months ago. The driver is sensing “lack of rhythm, as I still don’t know the car well enough. In Faial we started the competition without power and, beyond that, a rear stabilizer bar was broken. As soon as we solved these issues, a semi axis was also broken. Under such circumstances, I want to enjoy the characteristics of the ca rand make it to the end of the race, without having in mind other goals of standings. We hope that, in less than a week, the weather is not so hot, because it it’s the same temperature as now, it will be a very challenging rally.” Gil Freitas, teamed up with Duarte Miranda, started quite late in the rallies, in 2013, with an Opel Kadett GT/E. Since then, he has been at the gear of several vehicles such as Opel Ascona 400, Citroën DS3 R5 or Subaru Impreza S14 WRC. His best score so far, achieved driving a Porsche GT3, the car that led him to become the National Champion in 2015 and in Madeira in 2019, winning the AMAK Trophy between 2014 and 2016.  

Campedelli conquered a second position in Rome

Simone Campedelli, the driver who will race in the Rali Vinho da Madeira, got a second position in the Rally di Roma Capitale, sixth competition of the European Championship, this weekend in Italy. The driver of Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo was for four times the second fastest in the 13 stages of the rally, with an extraordinary competitive rhythm, as well as benefiting the other drivers’ issues, being able to cross the finish line in 10,4 seconds delay to the winner, Damiano de Tommaso, in a similar vehicle. Campedelli represents in 2022 the MRF (Madras Rubber Factory) Tyres, Indian company that is the biggest manufacturer of tyres in the world. Having the sixth position in the ERC this year, the Italian driver withdrew in three different occasions and in Azores got the seventh position and fifth in the Canary Islands.  MRF, which has conquered several times the title of the championship FIA Asian-Pacific in a partnership with Skoda, is at a rising moment in Europe and achieved its first success in the international event in the European Continent, In the Azores Rallye, in March.  

Headquarters of RVM 2022 edition in the centre of Funchal

The headquarters of Rali Vinho da Madeira are being set in the Marina Forum, the building of the Professional School Atlantico. In this building will be set the rally control centre, the rally office, the press centre, the stewards of the meeting, results centre, time control management, among others. Starting next Monday, 25th July, the rally headquarters will be working with the opening hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. As for the week of the rally, the opening hours will be according to the competition program. The decision of the place for the headquarters, in Funchal, has as its main goal to bring in all structures that are part of the places where action will be taken, the service park, the podium as well as the Spectacle Special Stage in Avenida do Mar. 

Message from the Regional Secretary of Tourism and Culture for the 2022 edition of the RVM

The Regional Government, through the Regional Secretary for Tourism and Culture, keeps supporting the Club Sports da Madeira (CSM) in the organization of the “Rali Vinho da Madeira”. This year, and due to the fact that this rally will go back to its original form, before the Covid-19 pandemic, led us to fulfil the investment made by CSM with the increase of the public share. Such support goes beyond the competition itself, as it is a privileged channel of communication in Madeira, extremely important for the disclosure of the Region as Tourism Destination with recognized quality, with events throughout the year.  Being so, it is an important contribution to amplify its visibility through a diversified and embracing offer to different audiences, as it allows local people from Madeira Island and Porto Santo Island to live it. Furthermore, the main competition of the Madeiran motorsports reveals, in each edition, in a moment of economic revival of the Region, with the whole island’s involvement, which, naturally, matches one of the main goals of a public share. I also highlight the fact that the Regional Government recognizes the importance of the 2022 competition as part of the  FIA European Rally Trophy – Iberian Area (Spain and Portugal), the Portuguese Rallies and Karting Championship (FPAK) as well as the  “Coral” da Madeira Rally Championship. An acknowledgement to the contribution of the Club Sports da Madeira in the sports of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, throughout the years, concerning “Rali Vinho da Madeira”, as I send a word of gratitude and acknowledgement to the Clerk of the Course and its Organizing Committee that, year after year, with the same determination and commitment, takes to the roads such special event! The Regional Secretary for Tourism and Culture Eduardo Jesus  

Mensagem do Secretário Regional de Turismo e Cultura para a edição de 2022 do RVM

O Governo Regional, através da Secretaria Regional de Turismo e Cultura, continua a apoiar o Club Sports da Madeira (CSM) na realização do “Rali Vinho da Madeira”. Este ano, pelo facto de o rali voltar ao seu modelo inicial, de antes da pandemia, levou a que correspondêssemos ao investimento feito pelo CSM com o incremento da comparticipação pública. Estamos perante um apoio que acaba por ultrapassar a prova em si porque esta constitui um canal de comunicação privilegiado da Madeira, muito importante para a divulgação da Região como destino turístico de qualidade, com eventos ao longo de todo o ano. Contribui, assim, para ampliar a sua visibilidade através de uma oferta diversificada e abrangente a diferentes públicos, tal como permite que os madeirenses e os porto-santenses a vivam.  Além disso, a prova rainha do desporto automóvel madeirense traduz, em cada edição, num momento de indução económica na Região, com a envolvência conseguida por toda a ilha o que, naturalmente, corresponde a um dos grandes objetivos de qualquer apoio público. Realço ainda o facto de o Governo Regional reconhecer a importância de a prova de 2022 integrar o Troféu da Europa de Ralis da Federação Internacional do Automóvel (FIA European Rally Trophy) – Zona Ibérica (Espanha e Portugal), o Campeonato de Portugal de Ralis da Federação Portuguesa de Automobilismo e Karting (FPAK) e ainda o Campeonato de Ralis “Coral” da Madeira. Enaltecendo o contributo do Club Sports da Madeira na prática desportiva na Região Autónoma da Madeira, ao longo dos anos, em relação ao “Rali Vinho da Madeira”, endereço uma palavra de gratidão e de reconhecimento à respetiva direção e a toda a equipa que, ano após ano, com a mesma determinação e afinco, coloca na estrada este evento especial! Secretário Regional de Turismo e Cultura Eduardo Jesus

Message from the President of the Regional Government for the 2022 edition of RVM

 Rali Vinho Madeira is back to its normality, with the return of several special stages that the Covid 19 pandemic did not allow to be taken, with its norms completely understood and followed by the organization and the population. After two years, with the recovery that we can witness all around the Region, rally is here with all its splendour, in its 63rd edition, placing, throughout the roads, millions of people who, I am certain, will, once more, give the example of civic sense and follow the rules and safety road signs. In fact, I would like to thank all locals how they have been cooperating in these last few years of pandemic crisis, with a behaviour worth the best references, which allowed the Region to face the pandemic crisis, recover economy and regain its normality, as well as in the different activities, where the Rali Vinho da madeira is set, with its usual 17 stages, highlighting the return of the always outstanding Special Stage in Avenida do Mar. Rally is, for local people, a lot more than a sports event. It is also a social gathering, with their massive, though civic, presence in our mountains, which are filled with visitors, some of them camping, so that they won’t miss a “pinch” of the race. Throughout the years, we all got used to see in the Madeiran roads the greatest drivers of the national, and even international, motorsports. Drivers that we all got used to idolize and bring, without any doubts, a greater bright to our “Tour”. For me, these are the great references, the great heroes of Rali Vinho da Madeira are the Madeiran drivers. They are the ones who have always been racing this competition, making it with high quality and accomplishing it, throughout the days, with great competitiveness. Being so, they have achieved several victories in a competition that is, for many, as well as for me, one of the best rallies of the world. Nevertheless, a rally is not made of those who are in the front line, nor is its history. It is accomplished thanks to many who, for the love they feel for sports, become a part of it, magnifying the competition and showing, once more to everyone, how persistent, determined and passionate the Madeiran People can be. The Regional Government will continue to support this competition. The Madeirans, the Organizational Committee of the competition, led by Paulo Fontes, are worth it. Wishing you all a good rally.   

Mensagem do presidente do Governo Regional para a edição de 2022 do RVM

O Rali Vinho Madeira está de volta à sua normalidade, com o regresso de várias das suas classificativas que a pandemia interditou e cujas normas foram exemplarmente compreendidas e cumpridas pela organização e pela população. Dois anos após, com a retoma que se assiste em toda a Região, o rali está aí em todo o seu esplendor, na sua 63ª edição, colocando ao longo da estrada milhares de pessoas que, estou certo, darão, mais uma vez, exemplos de civismo e de cumprimento das regras e da sinalização de segurança Quero, aliás, agradecer a todos os madeirenses a forma como têm colaborado nestes últimos dois anos de crise sanitária, com um comportamento digno dos maiores encómios e referências, que permitiu à Região enfrentar a pandemia, retomar a Economia e recuperar a sua normalidade, também nas diferentes atividades, onde se insere um Rali Vinho da Madeira com as suas habituais (17) classificativas, com destaque para o regresso da sempre espetacular classificativa da Avenida do Mar. O Rali é, para os madeirenses, muito mais do que uma prova desportiva. É também uma manifestação social, com a presença massiva, mas cívica, dos madeirenses nas nossas serras, que se enchem de campistas e visitantes, que não perdem “pitada” da corrida.  Ao longo dos anos, todos nos habituámos a ver nas estradas madeirenses as maiores figuras do automobilismo nacional e, mesmo, internacional. Pilotos que todos nos habituámos a idolatrar e que trazem, sem dúvida, um brilho ainda maior à nossa “Volta”. Para mim, contudo, as grandes referências. Os grandes heróis do Rali Vinho Madeira são os pilotos madeirenses. São eles que vêm fazendo com que a prova continue sempre presente, que atinja grande qualidade e que tenha, ao longo dos dias, uma grande competitividade. E que têm, inclusive, conquistado várias vitórias naquele que é, para muitos, para mim também, um dos melhores ralis do mundo. Mas, não é só dos que estão na linha da frente que se faz um rali, nem a história deste rali. Faz-se também graças aos muitos que, por amor apenas ao desporto, participam, engradecendo a prova e dando mostra, mais uma vez, a toda a gente, do querer, de persistência, da determinação e da paixão que enformam o Povo Madeirense. O Governo Regional continuará a apoiar esta prova. Os madeirenses, a organização da prova, superiormente liderada pelo Paulo Fontes, assim o merecem. Um bom Rali para todos.

Press release

Considering the fact that the International Automobile Federation (FIA), has not yet approved the specific regulations of Rali Vinho da Madeira 2022, its Organizing Committee, authorized by the board of the Portuguese Federation of Automobile and Karting, has decided to publish a draft of such regulation for everyone interested in it, particularly for the competing teams, so that they can organize all the logistics to be part of the Rali Vinho Madeira, 2022 edition.  

Road changes in Funchal during the RVM competition

Funchal’ s City Hall has already approved the Nitice with the road changes in Funchal during the days of the Rali Vinho da Madeira. Bruno Pereira, councilman responsible for the traffic division, explained in detail the different changes for each moment of the competition, as we can see in the following images. José Paulo Fontes, President of the Organizing Committee of Rali Vinho da Madeira, in advance apologised the population for any issues while getting access and driving in Funchal, although highlighting that “such changes are due to an extraordinary international event that promotes Madeira, but, and above all, it’s an event that many Madeiran live intensely”. This year’s centralized edition of RVM in Funchal was a challenge given to Club Sports da Madeira by Pedro Calado, the City Hall’s Mayor, who recalls that the priority “was to bring together the interests of everyone: sports, economic, as well as social, as no one will be left behind”. There was the concern of the City Hall to avoid the closure of the roads for a long period of time, as the only road closed during such days will be Avenida Sá Carneiro, with alternative roads on each East and West areas.  Pedro Calado states that “the road changes will not influence the regular traffic”.

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