Hugo Lopes returns to the Madeira Wine Rally, one of the most challenging and prestigious events on the Portuguese Rally Championship calendar.
His participation, initially not planned for the season, was made possible by Hyundai, the Sports&You team, and the young driver’s sponsors, as a strategic commitment to continuing his competitive development. The Viseu native will partner Magda Oliveira in the Hyundai i20N Rally2 of the Hyundai Junior Team FPAK.
“The possibility of participating in the Madeira Rally, a race that was not part of our initial plan, is excellent news and a huge source of motivation,” says Hugo Lopes. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to continue developing with the Hyundai i20N Rally2,” he adds. “This is a very special event, with a unique environment and extremely demanding driving.”
This will be Hugo Lopes’s third appearance in the Madeira Rally. “It’s a race I really enjoy, one that has helped me grow as a driver, and where I’ve always achieved good results. Now, the challenge is different, more demanding. The focus is on learning as much as possible, to prepare the best for the 2026 season and, if possible, fighting for the top positions,” explains the driver. “Coming from a rally like Castelo Branco and Vila Velha de Ródão, where we were quite competitive, increases the confidence with which I approach this participation. Many thanks to Hyundai, Sports&You, and my sponsors for the opportunity.”
The Madeira Rally takes on a special significance in Hugo Lopes’ career. In 2024, the driver shone by achieving an outright victory among two-wheel-drive drivers, in addition to winning the Portugal Junior, Peugeot Rally Cup Portugal and Ibérica, and RC4 categories, in a virtually perfect weekend. In 2023, in his debut in the competition, he stood out by winning the 2RM, also reaching 3rd place in the junior ERT and 5th place in the RC4 category.
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