2026 Madeira Rally

In late July 2026, Toyota Gazoo Racing entered the Madeira Rally with a GR Yaris Rally2 driven by Pedro Almeida and former WRC winner Kris Meeke, while veteran Gil Freitas contested in an Alpine A110 RGT+. Portuguese driver Miguel Caires, then fifth in the overall championship, expressed his ambition to reach the podium on the island’s long, unfamiliar stages, noting the strong regional, national and international competition.

Meeke, still keen to convert the previous year’s puncture‑induced loss into victory, highlighted the rally’s technical difficulty and the advantage held by local drivers such as Diego Ruiloba, who had won the two prior editions.

On 25 July, both Caires and Meeke reiterated their goals ahead of the start, with Caires targeting a podium finish and Meeke openly aiming for the top step. Two days later, the opening super‑special stage on Avenida do Mar in Funchal saw Meeke claim victory by 0.9 seconds, propelling him to the rally lead. Portuguese crew Armindo Araújo/Luís Ramalho topped the national‑championship entrants, leading the CPR field after a strong shakedown.

By 29 July, Italian driver Giandomenico Basso had retained the overall lead as competition tightened. Araújo opened the rally strongly with the fastest time in the first Super Special, but fell to fourth after the second stage, while Basso narrowed his advantage to 0.4 seconds over Miguel Nunes and later extended it to 1.6 seconds. The stage also saw Meeke lose time after a touch and several local contenders retire due to crashes or mechanical failure. The rally continued with further special stages across Madeira, shaping both the event’s final standings and the broader Portuguese Rally Championship race.