Nunes on course for surprise fifth place

Miguel Nunes plans to continue to make the most of his local knowledge to in order to secure a top-five finish on Rali Vinho Madeira, round eight of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Nunes, who hails from the picturesque Atlantic island, is contesting the event for a second time at the wheel of a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 and completed leg one of the rally as the leading Portuguese driver.

He said: “It is a little bit of a surprise to be in this position because it is difficult against the official drivers. But, for sure, I have good knowledge of the roads and will use this to my advantage.”

Nunes, whose pre-event preparations were hampered by an engine failure during testing, had cause for concern when his 207’s starter motor failed in Friday afternoon. Otherwise, he reported a trouble-free day on his fifth Rali Vinho Madeira.