Giandomenico Basso was dealt a cruel blow on the Rally Vinho da Maderia, as the Fiat Punto driver - while cruising to a comfortable victory - hit electrical problems on the final stage.

After coming out on top during a fierce battle with title rival Renato Travaglia on day one, then controlling the rally - from the front - on day two, and with 20 of the event's 21 stages completed, Basso suffered heartache as his car stuttered on the final stage, handing an easy victory to his arch title rival, Renato Travaglia.

RALLY MADERIA - A LONG TRADITION

Onne of the oldest and traditional races of the European Championship, Madeira has a long book of memories - unforgettable moments from this sport. On its winding asphalt road - between land and sea - mythical names such as Henri Toivonen, Ari Vatanen, Carlos Sainz, Massimo Biasion and Fabrizio Tabaton, along with the majority of European Champion's have all written their name in the winners’ gallery of the Madeira Rally. Considered one of the greatest and safest rallies to be disputed on asphalt, the Rally Vinho Madeira has maintained in the past years an application to join the World Rally Championship, and has found total support from the public and private entities from this autonomous region, whose inhabitants are very enthusiastic fans of this sport, who transform the annual weekend of the rally into a popular party along the roads where the stars drive through.

This year the Rally Maderia would be round five of the FIA-sanctioned European Rally Championship, the half way point of the nine-event series. After a stunning result in Bulgaria (the last event) Fiat Punto Super 1600 pilot Giandomenico Basso arrived in Maderia really fired up for nothing less than victory, and with the gap to the series leader - Renato Travaglia - whittled down to just two points. Basso would be taking on Travaglia in his Super 1600 Renault Clio, while Simon Jean-Joseph - also driving a Clio - would be the third strong contender for maximum points. The Rally was scheduled to start with the usual spectacular 'Superspecial Stage' in the centre of the City of Funchal, where 30,000 spectators would line the streets to watch.

MADEIRA - AN ISLAND OF HISTORY AND BEAUTY

Located in the Atlantic Ocean, one and a half hours away from Lisbon by aeroplane, and with one of the oldest tourist traditions in European history, the beautiful island of Madeira is a modern example of development, modernity and affirmation all in one place. Known as “the Pearl of the Atlantic”, and the “Island of Flowers”, nowadays Madeira is also known for its natural landscape heritage, as well as for the series of events that take place over the course of the year.

DAY 1 - BASSO BATTLES HIS WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE PACK

Giandomenico Basso was quickly into his stride, setting his first fastest stage time of the rally on SS3 - Quatro Estradas 1 - just 0.1 seconds faster than his title rival Renato Travaglia, moving himself up into second place overall, and 1.5 seconds behind, in the process.
 

Running neck-and-neck, Travaglia then went 0.3 seconds quicker than Basso on SS4 while a stage later - Campo De Golf 2 -Basso was again fastest, 11.3 seconds ahead of Miguel Campos, and - more importantly - 4 seconds ahead of his Renault Clio rival, moving the Italian into the overall rally lead (by just 2.2 seconds) for the first time. Basso went quickest again on SS6, but the next stage saw Travaglia take 3.1 seconds of the Punto pilot, to reduce the gap to a single second. Fastest scratch time for Basso on SS8 raised his advantage up to 4.9 seconds, while Travaglia responded immediately - winning SS9 and then SS10 - to bring the gap down to 2 seconds. Basso replied on SS11, raising the gap to 4.6 seconds.

The final stage of the day, SS12 - the second running of Palheiro Ferreiro - saw Basso fastest again, this time taking 6 seconds off his Super 1600 rival, to arrive in over night Parce Ferme with a 10.6 second advantage the championship points leader. Another ERC title rival - Jean-Joseph Simon in another Super 1600 Renault Clio - was sitting comfortably behind the ferocious battle at the front, 17.6 seconds off the lead, while Cedric Robert (also driving a Super 1600 Renault Clio) was fourth 21.5 seconds back.

DAY 2 - BASSO IS FIRMLY IN CONTROL OF PROCEEDINGS

Leg two kicked off with more hot, dry and sunny conditions facing the crews. Basso instantly picked up where he left off on day one, comfortably going fastest on SS13 - Ribeiro Frio - 8.7 seconds quicker than Travaglia could manage, and opening up the gap up to a favourable 19.3 seconds. Proceedings got even better for Basso when - on SS15 - when another arch-rival for the ERC crown, Simon Jean-Joseph, crashed and retired his Super 1600 class Renault Clio. With a clear advantage in hand Basso was cruising, maintaining the gap to Travaglia - now effectively his only other title rival - at between 16 and 20 seconds, as the field raced through the remainder final day's nine timed stages. With the gap between the top two fluctuating, and down to 16 seconds by the penultimate stage - SS20 Rosário 2 - Basso responded, stepped up a gear and going quickest, taking 5.1 seconds off Travaglia, and head into the final stage with an excellent 22 second advantage.

DISASTER STRIKES ON THE FINAL STAGE

Then utter disaster struck the rapid Italian driver as an electrical problem slowed the Punto, just as he - and the 55 surviving crews - headed down the road section to the towards final stage - SS21, the third running of Palheiro Ferreiro. Agonisingly he came to a halt several times as he tackled the stage, losing over 19 minutes in the process, which plunged him down the leaderboard to a final 25th place overall. It was a dreadful and undeserved end to what had been a crushing performance - which had seen him control proceeding from the front for two days - and it was a problem that could yet cost him the European title, as Travaglia was able to cruise home to take an unexpected victory and claim a maximum 10-points haul.