João Silva, driving a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, is looking ahead to Rali Vinho da Madeira with the aim of ‘fighting for victory. However, I'm aware of the enormous difficulty and demands this will entail. The pace will have to be very strong, but we mustn't make any mistakes either, as this race counts towards the championship. The season has exceeded expectations because our goal was to adapt to the new car and we've managed to fight for wins. We're the leaders, but our lead is short and everything is still open.

In this edition of the rally, anyone who wants to be on the podium has to go as fast as possible. Last year we saw that the paces of the main competitors were very close. I think that this year the drivers from abroad will be able to break what has been, for almost a decade, the dominance of the Madeiran teams. This should be one of the best editions of the event’.

João Silva is 36 years old and did his first rally in 2007 with a Toyota Yaris. With a Renault Clio R3, he was Madeira's junior champion in 2009 and 2011. That same year, he was national two-wheel drive champion. In this field and with a Peugeot 208 Rally4, he was regional champion in 2023. He won his first overall rally in 2017, in Calheta, at the wheel of a Citroën DS3 R5. He took part in the WRC Academy in 2012 in a Ford Fiesta R2. He is the leader of the 2024 regional championship.