Q&A: Bruno Magalhães - 10 May 2010

Bruno Magalhães is contesting the Intercontinental Rally Challenge this season in a Peugeot Sport Portugal-run 207 Super 2000. This is his story so far...

How do you feel your first four IRC events have gone?
“Monte Carlo was fantastic for us because it was my first time in these kinds of winter conditions. I never drove on snow before and I only make one day testing, which was not enough. To finish with points was fantastic. Brazil and Argentina were very difficult and other drivers had experience of the rallies from before – I did not. I was satisfied with Gran Canaria and I am confident I can improve and that I can fight with the other drivers. There is nothing wrong with my car but I want to get perfection so I am trying to improve the car. But you can only change a few small things so it is not easy.”

You’ve been on the podium before in the IRC – that must be an aim for you this season...
“A podium is not impossible and the experience between me and the other guys will count for less on some of the other events. I will try for a podium.”

Turning to your career to date when was your first rally and what car were you driving?
“It was in 1999 with a Volkswagen Golf. I lost my first stage by one-tenth but I won the second, third and fourth one but after that I lost four minutes. It was no crash but I went off the road. It was fantastic because it was my first rally and I was very happy.”

What happened next?
“I changed to Group One in Portugal and made a rally with an Escort Cosworth and a Mitsubishi Evolution V. In 2002 I changed my career to make the Peugeot 206 Trophy and after two years Peugeot said who wins the Trophy comes to the official team. There were 14 drivers, I won and I come to the official team. My first year in 2005 was with Miguel Campos in the same team and at the end of the year, in the two-wheel drive [class] I was in front of him. After that I was the Peugeot driver alone.”

That must have been a great achievement for you?
“Yes, yes. It’s fantastic. I have had a long story now with Peugeot since 2002. I have only been with the official team since 2005 but our team is like a family. It’s a small team but like a family.”

Why did you start rallying in the first place?
“My father August was a driver, but a bad driver! Since I was a child I was at all the rallies and my dream was to be a driver. In 1999 I rent a car to make my first rally and after that I did a rally in an Escort Cosworth and my father was with the Mitsubishi Evo. I won a lot since the beginning and my father said ‘okay, you are fast so you go with my car’".

Are you a naturally talented driver or have you had to improve a lot over the years?
“I am always improving. In this sport you have to from when you start to when you finish your career. In the beginning I only drove on Tarmac and only after a year and a half did I drive on gravel. Our championship in Portugal we have four events on gravel and four on Tarmac. I started in the middle of the championship so it was all the rallies on Tarmac. But I think I have to improve and the most important I have to compete with the other IRC drivers and to push them a lot. In Portugal I won all the drivers during three years so it’s important to learn the different rallies and the different situations to understand and improve.”

How much do you enjoy being a rally driver?
“It’s the best thing and I love it. It’s a dream come true. I am always ready to work.”

What are the bad things about being a driver?
“You have no bad things. It’s difficult to get sponsors and at the start you have to pay and it’s very, very expensive. In this moment I am fortunate to be here. It’s very difficult and I know many guys who drive very, very well but they don’t have the luck to get the sponsors.”

What do you do when you are not driving a rally car?
“When I am not driving I am always thinking rally. I don’t have a job, just this sport full-time. This year I have a lot of travels to do and it’s impossible to do another job.”

In a typical week when you are not competing, what do you get up to?
“I go to the gym each day. Normally I go to Peugeot Sport Portugal because it’s near to my house in Oeiris, which is 20 kilometres from Lisbon.”

Do people know who you are in your town?
“Rally is not football, which is very famous in Portugal. But in many places I go sometimes people know me and say words to support me. In the north of the country there are a lot of drivers but there are only two or three guys in Lisbon. The tradition is in the north of country because of the old world championship rally.”

What is your relationship like with you co-driver Carlos Magalhães?
“We get on well – he’s a nice guy. He is not from my family even though he has the same name.”

So far in your career what has been the best moment?
“Winning the championship in Portugal was my dream. Although I lost Rali Vinho Madeira last year it was only by three seconds so I was very happy, a fantastic result against so many good drivers.”

What was the worst moment of your career?
“It was in 2001 when I made many rallies but always with a lot of problems with the car. At the end of the year my father said you have no sponsors so you have to stop. It was very difficult to accept that so I talked with Peugeot and started to do some development work on the 206 Trophy car and drove in 2003 and 2004. I knew in 2004 I had to win to continue my career and if I didn’t I would have to stop. That was a very difficult moment.”