Giandomenico Basso is back at Rali Vinho da Madeira with a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. The Italian says he is "happy to return to this island to which I have a great connection, where I have so many friends and count so many passionate fans. Lorenzo Granai will be with me and, at this very rally, we will be celebrating 10 years as a team. On that occasion we won. I haven't been to Madeira for so many years and this will require a lot of preparation work, despite the proximity of the Rally di Roma Capitale.

As for the goals, I have the same as always, to win the rally. It won't be easy as there are many strong drivers, apart from the locals of course. It's going to be fun to fight Kris Meeke again, someone I've done a lot of rallies with and who I really like, but who I haven't fought for a long time. There are a few new things in this edition, but I know the stages for the most part. I will try to study a lot and we promise to give, with Delta Rally, our best".

Winner of the Rali Vinho da Madeira four times, in 2006, 207, 2009 and 2013, Basso is 49 years old and his rallying debut was in 1994 with an Opel Astra GSi. Between 1995 and 2010 he only drove Fiat, but since then he has driven for Proton, Hyundai and Skoda, with a few stints in Peugeot and Ford models. He was European champion in 2006 and 2009, won the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2006 and the Tour European Rally in 2017 and 2018, and won his country's outright titles in 2007, 2016, 2019 and 2021.