August 2020

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.  

RVM legends: Lancia 037

  As for the world of motor-racing in general, the Lancia 037 is a car that will forever linger in the memory of Madeirans. The Italian model ceased competing in 1982, its debut year, but, between 1983 and 1986 it won the competition twice and rose to the podium another six occasions. Its metallic noise and its characteristics Pininfarina lines did not go unnoticed whenever Lancia Rally, its official name, was invoked. Nonetheless, it would be better known by its Abarth project number, 037. Announced in 1982, Lancia Rally 037 was the result of a common project between Abarth, Pininfarina and Dallara. At a time when integral traction was becoming the norm, it came to bet in the maximal rationalization of a vehicle with rear traction in the spirit of the group B. Its dimensions were reduced (3,9 m x 1,85 m x 1,25 m) and its weight was very close to the minimum allowed, at 960 kg. It had a four cylinder engine, in line, with 1.995 cc and a power of 515 horses in its injection version. For overfeeding, it used a Roots volumetric compressor which, in detriment of its potency,  

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