Algarve International Circuit

The Algarve International Circuit, commonly known as the Portimão Circuit, is located near the city of Portimão in southern Portugal. It is known for its dramatic elevation changes, fast-flowing layout and blind crests. The circuit is often compared to a rollercoaster and is considered one of the most challenging and visually striking tracks in modern motorsport.

Designed by Ricardo Pina, the circuit opened in 2008 as part of a wider motorsport and leisure complex that includes a karting track, off-road facilities, a technology park, hotel, sports complex and residential areas. Shortly after completion, the track received homologation from both the FIM and FIA, allowing it to host top-level international racing events, including Formula 1.

Algarve International Circuit

First Grand Prix	2020 Portuguese Grand Prix
Number of Laps	66
Circuit Length	4.653 km (2.891 mi)
Race Distance	306.826 km (190.653 miles)
Lap Record	1:18.750 Lewis Hamilton (2020)

Circuit

When was the Algarve International Circuit built?

The Algarve International Circuit, more commonly referred to as Portimão, was opened in the autumn of 2008 after an unusually rapid construction period of just seven months. Built for €195 million, the circuit was developed as a permanent motorsport venue designed to attract major international racing series to southern Portugal.

Although it had never hosted a Formula 1 World Championship race at the time of its opening, Portimão quickly established itself within the motorsport world. The circuit was used for Formula 1 pre-season testing during the winter of 2008–09, providing teams and drivers with their first experience of its demanding layout. Several future F1 race winners, including Daniel Ricciardo, Charles Leclerc and Valtteri Bottas, also gained experience at the track during their junior racing careers.

Portimão made its Formula 1 race debut in 2020, joining the calendar at short notice due to scheduling changes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Its inclusion was widely praised, with drivers and fans enjoying the circuit’s dramatic elevation changes and flowing nature.

Designed by Ricardo Pina, the 4.6-kilometre circuit is often compared to Austin’s Circuit of the Americas due to its modern design and undulating layout. The track sends drivers sweeping uphill and downhill through blind crests and fast corners, before a steep descent into the final right-hander at Galp, leading back onto the main straight. This distinctive character has helped cement the Algarve International Circuit’s reputation as one of the most challenging and exciting venues in modern Formula 1.

When was the first Portuguese Grand Prix?

The Portuguese Grand Prix has a long and fragmented history, with its origins dating back to 1951. The inaugural event was held on 17 June 1951 at the Boavista street circuit in Porto, initially run as a sports car race rather than a Formula One World Championship event. Set on narrow public roads lined with tramlines and cobblestones, Boavista quickly earned a reputation as a fast but hazardous venue.

Formula One first arrived in Portugal in 1958, when the Portuguese Grand Prix became part of the World Championship. The race returned to Boavista, where Stirling Moss claimed victory in a dramatic, rain-affected race that played a decisive role in the title battle between Moss and Mike Hawthorn. A year later, the event moved to the Monsanto Park circuit in Lisbon, another perilous street track defined by sweeping corners, elevation changes and limited run-off. Moss won again in 1959, but the race was overshadowed by several serious incidents, including Jack Brabham being thrown from his car after hitting a telegraph pole. Formula One returned to Boavista for the 1960 season, with Brabham taking victory, before the Portuguese Grand Prix disappeared from the calendar for more than two decades.

The race made its long-awaited return in 1984 at the newly developed Autódromo do Estoril, near Lisbon. Estoril quickly became one of the most iconic venues in Formula One history, hosting the Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996. This era produced a series of memorable moments, including Ayrton Senna’s first Grand Prix victory in torrential rain in 1985, Alain Prost breaking Jackie Stewart’s win record in 1987, and several flashpoints in the intense Prost–Senna rivalry. The circuit also played a role in multiple championship-deciding scenarios, notably Prost narrowly defeating Niki Lauda for the 1984 title by half a point.

Despite its popularity with drivers, Estoril fell out of favour due to outdated facilities and repeated failures to meet FIA requirements. Planned races for 1997 and 1998 were cancelled, and Portugal once again vanished from the Formula One calendar.

After years of absence, the Portuguese Grand Prix returned in 2020, this time at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimão. Added at short notice due to calendar disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the race marked Formula One’s first visit to the circuit. The event was historically significant, with Lewis Hamilton securing his 92nd Grand Prix victory and surpassing Michael Schumacher’s long-standing record. Portimão hosted the race again in 2021, re-establishing the Portuguese Grand Prix as part of Formula One’s modern era, with future returns scheduled for 2027 and 2028.