The regulatory limit of 80 registered competitors has already been exceeded, of which 54 are from the region and the others from outside. The Rally should once again be very lively as it will have drivers from the FIA European Rally Trophy, foreign drivers and around 15 from the Peugeot Rally Cup Ibérica, a competition that, back in 2022, brought even more excitement.
In terms of the route, for reasons of restraint, we'll have the same route and programme as last year. Only on the second day, the Palheiro Ferreiro specia stage, which passes through Chão da Lagoa, goes to Poiso and descends to Chão das Feiteiras, on a route of around 24 kilometres. With 80 riders, we'll be paying attention to the safety of the race, which is one of the factors we'll be working on the most.
Another major concern is environmental sustainability. The Rally2 (R5) fuel will be 100 per cent synthetic and will not emit polluting gases. We're going to make this event more environmentally friendly and we're counting on the co-operation of all the fans who will be on the road. We're going to abolish all plastic tapes, forming the public of where they can and can't be placed. We're going to work hard to publicise this change. In this regard, there will be two FIA environmental delegates on the island.’
Bruno Pereira, Deputy Mayor of Funchal, recalled that the municipality ‘once again supports the race, which has its headquarters, start and finish there, as well as a whole series of events that are part of the race. One of these is the super-special on Avenida do Mar, one of the events that brings the most people to the city.
A new exception has been made for the use of the Funchal Ecological Park, where there is also an old tradition of camping in that area, which we want to safeguard. This is an event of great tourist importance, with a huge impact on the local economy. We're challenging all entrepreneurs to avoid using plastic’.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Culture, highlighted ‘Rali Vinho da madeira, which is an institution, not only because of its longevity but also because of the ingenuity required to respond to the various circumstances in which the event has been held uninterruptedly. It's no coincidence that, even though registration has not yet closed, there are already more than 80 entries. This is also a reflection of the economic climate we are experiencing.
All the conditions are in place for this to be another highly successful edition for Club Sports da Madeira and, consequently, for the autonomous region. It's a pleasure, a pleasure and a duty to be associated with this public event, which is the biggest in terms of involving the population and has a particularity that deserves extra emphasis. It's a perfectly decentralised event, as it takes place all over the island of Madeira and ends up leaving its contribution to the local economy, from accommodation to catering and so many other activities.
Madeira is in the process of certifying its destination in terms of sustainability, we have already passed two levels within the Silver parameter, with the aim of reaching the Gold level by 2027. It is extraordinarily important that this care is incorporated into any organization and that this event can also contribute to achieving this goal.’
