At the break of the nineties, the famous Rally Night got abolished for security reasons, but the numbers of Madeirans at the, then called, forest roads, increased. With the changes that characterized the income of European Union funds, the roads and the Rally special legs came up improved, to the point that the cobbled roads, which had delighted spectators and tormented racers and tire suppliers, disappeared.

As in many previous editions, the nineteen-nineties were, for Rally Vinho Madeira, an epoch of victories for the Italian racers that competed. Fabrizio Tabaton won the 1990 and 1991 editions of the race on his HF Grifone Lancia. Andrea Aghini, first with the “Deltona” and, later, with Toyota cars, came first in 1992, 1994 and 1998.

Once, with a Celica GT Four, the racer managed the incredible feat of winning all special stages of the 1994 edition. This is a record that still holds true and that, taking into account our contemporary competition, will be difficult to overthrow.

Another Italian to shine amongst us was Piero Liatti in his various Subaru Italia models. His performances at various international level rallies, such as that of Madeira, where he won in 1995 on an Impreza, allowed him to enter the brand’s official team.

Later on, he would show up again amongst us, winning in 1997. In the decade’s last year, and also at the Wheel of a Subaru Impreza WRC, it was the time for the Belgium racer Bruno Thiry, who had become a familiar name in the enrollment lists, came up number one.

Even so, one factor that marked these years was the return of Portuguese racers to the top rankings of the race. After various strong bets, Fernando Peres managed to beat all national and foreign competition with his blue and yellow Ford Escort Cosworth. Sitting by his side was the Madeiran Ricardo Caldeira, which made this triumph an even greater reason for celebration. Also in a car of the oval brand, but three years before Peres, Patrick Snijers obtained his last success on the island.