Portuguese Grand Prix: Presentation and Predictions from the Editorial Team

The only positive point of the coronavirus: Formula 1 broke the norms this 2020 season. Forced to adapt, the premier discipline called on European circuits to the rescue, to replace distant destinations like Singapore, Japan, or the United States, where a Grand Prix was supposed to take place this weekend on the Austin track.

Instead of America, we will go to Portugal and discover the Algarve International Circuit, near the city of Portimao!

A modern circuit with an old-fashioned charm

Located in the Algarve region, in the extreme southwest of Portugal and 15 kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean, the Portimao circuit was officially inaugurated in October 2008. It hosted Formula 1 at the end of 2008 for pre-season private testing: Lewis Hamilton drove on the circuit in his McLaren at the time.

With a length of 4.69 kilometers, the layout looks exciting on paper, featuring 15 turns and elevation changes. There are many long curves, including the first right-hand turn, which should be taken at 200 km/h. There’s also the double right (“Galp”), which leads onto the long start/finish straight.

Other sections are more winding, with a few slow turns in the middle of the circuit. The “rollercoaster” of Portimao actually resembles the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

With the asphalt resurfaced a few weeks ago, the grip could surprise drivers from the first practice sessions on Friday!

Like Mugello, the Portuguese track has never hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend. No worries, however, for the manufacturer Pirelli, who stated they have “a good idea” of tire degradation. Note that drivers will test for the first time the new 13-inch tires, to be used in F1 next season.

All this in front of 27,500 spectators, the maximum capacity set by the FIA, due to the active spread of the coronavirus epidemic in Portugal. 46,000 tickets had initially been put on sale.

#F1 is about to hop on one or racing’s best known rollercoasters: Portimao. #PortugueseGP ???????? #Fit4F1
More info: https://t.co/37rrKBhgeX pic.twitter.com/J78YER7We9

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) October 19, 2020

Almost no experience for the pilots

Blank slate or almost in Portimao, which has not hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix until now. Some drivers have driven in Portimao but in other categories: we think of Formula Renault 3.5, with Charles Leclerc, Valtteri Bottas, or Daniel Ricciardo.

Sergio Pérez drove in 2009 during a round of GP2, the ancestor of Formula 2. The Portimao circuit has so far hosted rounds of the FIA GT World Championship, and the 6 Hours of Algarve, with LMP2 cars participating.

Inexperienced circuit, but possibly historic this weekend: tied with Michael Schumacher, Hamilton has the chance to become the most victorious driver in Formula 1 history, with a 92nd Grand Prix victory this Sunday afternoon.

On the historical side, Formula 1 returns to Portugal for the first time since 1996 and a final race held on the Estoril track. A circuit, a home for F1 in Portugal with beautiful stories: from the first race in 1984, Niki Lauda won a drivers’ world championship title, by half a point against his then teammate at McLaren… the Frenchman Alain Prost.

A year later, the 1985 edition was marked by a demonstration in the rain by Ayrton Senna at the wheel of his Lotus, with the Brazilian winning his very first Grand Prix here.

The year 1996 is the one of the last race in Portugal with a battle between Jacques Villeneuve’s Williams and Schumacher’s Ferrari, a battle and race won by Villeneuve, ahead of his teammate Damon Hill!

Portimao will become this Sunday the 4th Portuguese circuit to host a Formula 1 race: after the temporary tracks of Boavista and Monsanto, between 1958 and 1960, and a longer stint at the Estoril circuit, between 1984 and 1996.

Pleasant weather?

We imagine the weather will be milder in Portugal than it was two weeks ago in Germany! A fact reinforced by the forecasts: the weather will be warmer, with temperatures around 20 degrees. The sun should dominate on Friday and Saturday, with a cloudier sky on Sunday, and a slight (but real) chance of rain in the afternoon during the race!

The wind could play an important role, with some gusts coming straight from the Atlantic Ocean.

The editorial team’s predictions

And you, who are your favorites for the Portuguese Grand Prix?

As a reminder, the start of the race will be given at 2:10 p.m. this Sunday. The detailed schedule of each session can be found here.