Rui Madeira
Encyclopedia
Rui Adelino Pinto Madeira (born in Almada
, 1 March 1969) is a former rally driver
from Portugal
. He was the first Portuguese rally driver to win an FIA rally title, when he won the PWRC in 1995.
Trophy, held inside the Portuguese Rally Championship for Beginners. Madeira graduated to the main Portuguese Rally Championship in 1992, where he won the Citroën AX
Trophy.
In 1993, he purchased the ex-Fernando Peres Group N
Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
, winning the Group N national title, which he repeated the following year in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
.
In 1995, Madeira started an international career, taking part in the seven rounds of the World Rally Championship
. Madeira took four class wins on his way to the title in the FIA Cup for Drivers in Production Cars. In the following years, he participated in several WRC events as a privateer, usually in Toyota or Subaru
cars, winning the 1996 Rally of Portugal.
Madeira returned to the Portuguese national championship in 2000, as a works driver driving a SEAT Cordoba
WRC. In 2001 and 2002, he switched to a works Ford Focus WRC, retiring at the end of the season, making sporadic appearances afterwords.
Madeira currently works as an architect for his family's construction company, Construciv.
Almada
Almada is a municipality in Portugal, covering an area of 70.2 km² located on the southern margin of the Tagus River. Its municipal population in 2008 was 164,844 inhabitants; the urbanized center had a population of 102,357.The seat is the city of Almada....
, 1 March 1969) is a former rally driver
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. He was the first Portuguese rally driver to win an FIA rally title, when he won the PWRC in 1995.
Career
Madeira started rallying in 1990, taking part in the SEAT MarbellaSEAT Marbella
The SEAT Panda was a badge-engineered Fiat Panda produced by SEAT from 1980 to 1986, in the company's Landaben plant in the Spanish city of Pamplona-Navarra and also in the firm's Zona Franca plant in Barcelona...
Trophy, held inside the Portuguese Rally Championship for Beginners. Madeira graduated to the main Portuguese Rally Championship in 1992, where he won the Citroën AX
Citroën AX
The Citroën AX is a supermini built by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1986 to 1998. The AX was launched at the 1986 Paris Motor Show to replace the Citroën Visa and Citroën LNA.-Overview:...
Trophy.
In 1993, he purchased the ex-Fernando Peres Group N
Group N
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group N refers to a set of regulations providing 'standard' production vehicles for competition, often referred to as the "Showroom Class"....
Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra. It was the result of a Ford Motorsport project with the purpose of producing an outright winner for Group A racing in Europe.- Development :...
, winning the Group N national title, which he repeated the following year in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...
.
In 1995, Madeira started an international career, taking part in the seven rounds of the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
. Madeira took four class wins on his way to the title in the FIA Cup for Drivers in Production Cars. In the following years, he participated in several WRC events as a privateer, usually in Toyota or Subaru
Subaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
cars, winning the 1996 Rally of Portugal.
Madeira returned to the Portuguese national championship in 2000, as a works driver driving a SEAT Cordoba
SEAT Córdoba
The first generation SEAT Córdoba was presented at the 1993 Frankfurt Motor Show and launched in the summer of the same year, penned by Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and based on the chassis of the SEAT Ibiza Mk2 which would spawn the Volkswagen Polo Mk3 the following year.Its 1.4, 1.6, 1.8...
WRC. In 2001 and 2002, he switched to a works Ford Focus WRC, retiring at the end of the season, making sporadic appearances afterwords.
Madeira currently works as an architect for his family's construction company, Construciv.