A different Rally in a different world.

A work meeting took place this morning between the Organizing Committee of the RVM and officials from the Regional Secretariat for Health and Public Safety. On the table was the analysis of the contingency plan prepared by the organizers of this year's event. The Regional Secretary for Health and Public Safety believes this will be a different Rally, since we are now living in a "different" world. Pedro Ramos argued that Madeira has met all favourable epidemiological and sanitary conditions, and that, once again, the people of Madeira will be up to the task of being a good example of compliance to the rules.  The two institutions share common concerns, amongst those, to make sure that RVM 2020 is a safe Rally both on and off the roads. José Paulo Fontes, President of the Organizing Committee, still stressed the importance of the work that has been developed by the Health Authorities to combat the pandemics. The organization has, therefore, two priorities: the safety of both spectators and competitors and to prepare the race in terms of competition, making sure to maintain the shine of previous years. This edition of the RVM may become a trademark, a reflection on the work done in Madeira, but, such may only be possible with everyone's help.On the side of the meeting, the Organizing Committee presented the mountain-pass for the RVM 2020, which is a versatile accessory to go on sale at the Rally Boutique in Avenida Arriaga. 

RVM legends: Jean-Pierre Nicolas

  Jean-Pierre Nicolas was the first foreign driver to win the Tour of the Island, the former name of the Rally Vinho da Madeira. The French national managed the feat in a Renault R8 Gordini in 1967, at a time in which the Madeiran competition was giving its first baby-steps in terms of the internationalization of this event, an event conceived also as a promotional medium for the region as a tourist destination. Nicolas was a driver who enjoyed long and hard races, being the Madeiran competition one of the hardest at the time. Jean-Pierre Nicolas was born in 1945 and debuted in motor-racing in 1963 as his father's co-driver. He went on to the driving-gear during the year he was present in Madeira. In 1970 he started driving an Alpine A110 and was with that model that he became his country's champion in 1971. In 1973 he began a long-lasting connection to Peugeot which would only come to an end after he became one of the drivers developing and debuting the, then new, Peugeot 205 Turbo 16. He won five World championship rallies and is, along with Hannu Mikkola, one of the few drivers to win the three African stages of the aforementioned competition: Morocco, Kenya and Côte D'Ivoire. Today he is a consultant for brands and competitions.  

To fight for the podium

 Bruno Magalhães goes on into this edition of the Rally Vinho da Madeira willing "to try and fight for the podium. I assume that, if I so manage, I will be the first driver to do it in nine different occasions. My goal in Madeira was, usually, to try for victory, but, this time, we really have to think about the Portuguese Rally Championship. In this context, our main goal is to be the best team amongst those enrolled in the competition. Besides that, Madeiran drivers are really fast".  Bruno Magalhães is 40 years old currently and started in motor-racing in 1999 with a VW Golf GTi. Up to 2001 he drove some versions of the Mitsubishi Lancer, and in 2002 started a long lasting cooperation with Peugeot which would only come to an end in 2015 after trying various models. He went through at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R5, for two seasons at the wheel of a Skoda Fabia R5, and, since the beginning of 2019, he has been driving a Hyundai i20 R5. He won the Rally Vinho da Madeira four times, in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015, was national champion three times, and European vice-champion in 2017.   

RVM legends: Fabrizio Tabaton

On the second half of the 1980's, and at the beginning of the following decade, the name of Fabrizio Tabaton was synonymous with that of the Rally Vinho da Madeira. The driver won in his debuting year, in 1986, with a Lancia Delta S4, and would come to become number one in 1990 and 1991, then driving a Lancia Delta HF Integrale. He rose to the podium also in 1989 when we came second behind Yves Loubet. His driving skills weren't amazing, but the Italian driver always revealed to be extremely efficient on the roads of the island. Fabrizio Tabaton was born in 1955, son to another driver, Luigi Tabaton, who was the owner of the racing car factory Grifone, which he always represented. He debuted in rallies with a Lancia Fulvia, in 1974, and then, in 1976, he went to drive a Lancia Stratos, a vehicle he kept up to 1982. In the middle he would drive an Autobianchi A112 Abarth, a model with which he won the respective trophy in 1978. He also drove, for a long time, vehicles from the group Fiat, with a Fiat Ritmo, a Fiat 131 Abarth or a Lancia 037. At the beginning of the millennium he was linked to Toyota. He was Italian champion in 1987 and European champion in both 1986 and 1988.  

"to give it our best"

Miguel Nunes goes in to this Rally Vinho da Madeira determined to "give it our best. In Calheta we obtained a good result, but since then we have been working and also working on our shape so that we can become even stronger. It is very difficult to define a goal for the final result since the competition is strong, but we do want to fight for the first positions. We won't be starting under any type of pressure, and, also, we have a great car, in which we will check if the small changes made were effective. Currently at 39, Miguel Nunes started in motor-racing in a Citroën C2 in 2005. A year and a half later he went on to use a Peugeot 206 S1600 and, in 2009 a Peugeot 207 S2000. Between 2011 and 2014 he rode a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, and, from 2015 up to 2017, he sporadically took part in rallies in a Ford Fiesta R5. In the past two years he drove a Citroën DS3 R5 and a Hyunday i20 R5, while this season he will drive a Skoda Fabia R5 Evo. Miguel Nunes obtained three regional absolute titles in 2010, 2012 and 1014.  

RVM legends: Porsche 911 SC

After rulling at the end of the 1980's, Porsche was at the top of the Rally Vinho da Madeira. The model used then was the Porsche 911 SC, a notorious evolution of the first model. The ever-glamourous design of the German car and its 6 horizontal cylinders engine's unique sounds did not go unnoticed by any spectator. In the Madeiran competition, the 911 SC model rose twice to the podium with the Belgian Patrick Snijers and managed a victory in 1984 with Henri Toivonen. Certified in 1982, the Porsche 911 SC had a beautiful aileron rear and an enlarged bodywork which allowed for larger roads. The engine, always in the back of the vehicle, was now a 2.994 cc one, and would go little over 300 horses for the car's 990kg in group 4, and, later, 1.160 kg in group B. In a moment when many cars were more efficient, the Porsche 911 SC did not manage to obtain any relevant title at any rally.  

RVM legends: Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz did not win the Rally Vinho da Madeira when he was present on the island, still, his driving was never forgotten by Madeirans. The Spanish driver took part in the 1986 edition in a Renault 5 Turbo Maxi and was the only one to beat, at certain occasions, the future winner of the event, the Italian Fabrizio Tabaton in a Lancia Delta S4. Sainz thrilled the public with his performance in a rear-traction vehicle, but would come to give up more or less in the middles of the race, due to a fire starting in the car of the Spanish branch of Renault.  Currently at 58 years old, Carlos Sainz debuted in motor-racing through speed competitions and only in 1980 did he move on to rallies. Madeira was a part of Sainz's first steps in internationalization. But it would be in 1987, also in Portugal, that he started to make an impression at the WRC.The Madrid driver went then through a number of brands and various car models until he left the world of racing, in 2005. In the middle, he became World champion in both 1990 and 1992, having by then already been the Spanish champion in 1987 and 1988. Currently he is a consultant on the construction of new competition models at many builders.   

"I am optimistic"

Armindo Araújo is taking part in this edition of the Rally Vinho da Madeira, "above all, intending a good take for the Portuguese Rally Championship, which I am currently leading. I would also like to try and fight for a place at the absolute podium, but I'm aware we will face some difficulties, due to the speed of local drivers. Nonetheless, we will try to get the best result possible in the general. In Calheta I performed at a good rate and ended up leading ahead of national drivers. This revealed that we are well tuned and that Racing Factory is doing a good work. I am motivated and optimistic. Armindo Araújo is currently 42 years old and has debuted in motor-racing in 2000 with a Citroën Saxo. In 2002 he went on to defend the colours of the French brand with a Saxo Kit-Car and, in 2005, changed into a Mitsuibishi, driving at first at the gear of a Lancer Evo VIII MR and, latter, with a Lancer Evo IX. In 2011 and 2012 he took part of the World Championship in a Mini JCW WRC. He abandoned the competition then and returned in 2018 with a Hyundai i20' R5. This season he is driving a Skoda Fabia R5 Evo. Araújo has been absolute national champion five times already, world champion in Production in 2010 and Portuguese champion of Promotion in 2000.  

RVM legends: Peugeot 306 Maxi

   Peugeot 306 Maxi was one of the most effective cars to run on tarmac and let to the banning of Kit-Cars from international competitions, since it would beat the more costly WRC. Peugeot 306 Maxi's atmospheric engine emitted a fabulous sound when it reached high rotations which led to many considering it the best rally car ever to run on tarmac. That is exactly why it was used by many Madeiran drivers and ended up standing up amongst other cars at the Rally Vinho da Madeira, at the hands of Adruzilo Lopes. It was, nonetheless, with Vítor Sá that, in 2004, it obtained its only victory at the event.  Developed by Peugeot Sport in a collaboration with Pipo, the 306 Maxi came up in 1995 as an evolution of the 306 S16 with an enlarged bodywork, designed for competing. It measured at around 4 meters in length and 1,84 meters wide. It weights 960 kg. Its four cylinders in line engine, with 1.998 cc, would count up to 280 horses at 8.700 RPM, but, in its second evolution, officially introduced in 1997, its potency would be raised by 20 horses. Still today it is an internationally revered car by motor-racing enthusiasts.  

"I'm motivated"

Adruzilo Lopes returns to the Rally Vinho da Madeira, a competition he won in 2001, in a Peugeot 208 R2. The driver is feeling motivated. As he puts it: "Since 2010 that I haven't driven a vehicle with rear traction. I did a small test and was happy with the car. I'm feeling enthusiastic. I'll drive some more kilometers around Madeira before the competition, all this so that, after dirt, I'll be trying out the Kuhmo tyres on tarmac, a terrain on which I hope it is a good bet. As a sports goal, I hope to manage the best possible result within the two driving-wheels car users and, also, to try to become the best amongst those who have traditional R2. We will have to wait for the Rally to see where we fit".  Currently at 57 years old, Adruzilo Lopes debuted in motor-racing in 1988 in a Toyota Corolla. He then went to drive at the wheels of other models, but it was between 1996 and 2001, the period in which he was running under the banner of Peugeot's official team in Portugal, that he achieved his best results. He has maintained, since then, a regular presence on the "roads" of motor-racing sports, driving a great range of vehicles such as Renault Clio R3 or the Porsche 997 GT3. He became the absolute national champion in 1997, 1998 and 2001, and obtained the national title on two-driving-wheels in 2010, as well as the GT one in 2016.  

RVM legends: “Janica” Clemente

For many years "Janica" Clemente was the last Madeiran to win the Tour of the Island, how the Rally Vinho da Madeira was first named. The driver managed the feat in 1975, in the edition that immediately succeeded a pause on the organization of the event, due to the Oil Crisis of 1974. Almost another 30 years had to pass so that another Madeiran, Vítor Sá, would win. The driver's triumph only came to reinforce his popularity in the archipelago, since he was already quite revered not only for his friendliness, but also for his amazing driving capacities, filled with many power slides. João "Janica" Clemente Aguiar was born in Funchal at the end of the 1930's and built a career in motor-racing always associated with Ford. His main results were conquered in the 1970's driving cars such as Ford Cortina Lotus and the two Ford Escort RS 1600 versions. As many other Madeiran drivers of the time, he was well positioned in the rallies ran in the Canary Islands. The driver retired from competitions quite early and came to pass away at the beginning of 2018 from a prolonged illness.

Fighting for victory

João Silva is back in action in a Rally Vinho da Madeira in which "the goal is the same as last year's, to fight for victory. This time we will ride an up to date car, and we think we have gathered the means and resources necessary to do it. We want to ride the best we can. Of course, we will have to adapt quickly to the vehicle, which is still unknown to us, and, also, we [are aware that we] haven't been active in some time. Nonetheless, that's part of the game". The 32 year old driver started motor-racing in 2007 in a Toyota Yaris. The following year he went on to drive a Citroën C2R2. In 2009 he acquired a Renault Clio R3 and, with this model, which he kept up to 2016, he went to become regional junior champion in 2009 and 2010, as well as taking part in the Portuguese two driving wheels championship, the following year. In the meantime, he took part, in 2012, in some stages of the WRC, in a Ford Fiesta R2. Between 2017 and 2019 he drove a Citroën DS R5 with which he obtained his absolute triumphs in regional rallies and became the absolute regional vice-champion in both 2017 and 2018. In this edition, he will be debuting a Skoda Fabia R5 Evo.  

Pages

Subscribe to Front page feed