With the news that Portugal is primed to make a significant push to return to the Formula 1 calendar, Motorsport Week asks: Can, or will, it be worthy of a slot on the coveted schedule?

Despite there now being 24 races compared to the usual 16 when it was previously a regular Grand Prix host, Portugal will be facing a battle to secure a place on the modern-day calendar.

It will need to prove its place, particularly as F1 has been making a concerted effort to ensure other continents and their respective markets are given a fair slice of the cake. This has been made more difficult due to the fact that Madrid has been chosen to host the Spanish Grand Prix.

But it is undeniable that the country did a sterling job of stepping in to host Grands Prix during the Covid-afflicted 2020 and ‘21 seasons. The Algarve International Circuit in Portimao, a now-frequent MotoGP venue, provided an ample amount of positives to put up a good show. This will enable the powers that be to, in the first instance, take its bid seriously.

And whilst Portimao is not the same circuit as Estoril – it gives F1 and its new breed of fans a chance to keep in touch with its past. And with good reason, as it was often the location of some memorable moments that are indelibly woven into the sport’s historic tapestry.

Estoril made its debut on the calendar in 1984, after a 24-year gap without a Portuguese Grand Prix, and it immediately set the scene for the culmination of a titanic title battle.

Not dissimilar to this year, it was a closely fought intra-team battle between McLaren’s Alain Prost and Niki Lauda. Prost had come close but was yet to be champion, with Lauda, who had returned to F1 after a three-year hiatus two seasons previously, looking to take his third title. Despite starting in 11th with Prost second, Lauda used all his experience and calmness to take second place, which, despite Prost winning the race, was enough to see the Austrian prevail.

A year later, it was a less dramatic race, but enough to have its own unique place in the record books. In a rain-sodden race, Ayrton Senna took the first of his 41 Grand Prix wins, famously unstrapping himself from his Lotus and waving both his arms out of the cockpit in jubilation.

Pivotal moments in other championship quests were made at Estoril. In 1989, a black-flagged Nigel Mansell took Senna out, handing an advantage to eventual champion Prost. Two years later, Mansell’s right rear wheel came free after a routine pitstop, handing him an uphill battle against Senna, who went on to be champion.

Two years after that, Prost claimed his fourth and final title at Estoril, in a gripping late-race battle with Michael Schumacher, who held on to take the race win, his second in F1.

The Estoril owners had a lax attitude towards improving the circuit’s facilities, which was what ultimately saw the track disappear off the calendar. After numerous times of asking for improvements, the FIA eventually had enough, and the scheduled race in 1997 was cut.

As Estoril perished, Portimao emerged, and the venue became a fan favourite when it was called upon to hold an F1 race when the COVID pandemic cancelled certain events in 2020. The inaugural race at Portimao provided numerous memories, beginning with a rain shower in the opening stages that saw Carlos Sainz, then with McLaren, surge into an unexpected lead at a time when the Woking-based squad was not a regular fixture at the sharp end as it is today. Sainz’s grip on first place wouldn’t last once the conditions settled, though, with Lewis Hamilton steering his Mercedes W11, adorned in an all-black colour scheme as a stand against racism and discrimination, to a 92nd win, surpassing the record he had shared with Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton, now a seven-time F1 champion, would replicate that seven months later when Portimao was included as the third round on the 2021 calendar. But while the sport hasn’t returned since then, the current government is seeking to change that in the coming years.

But is it a realistic proposition, and how could a Portimao comeback materialise?

Well, with widespread demand across the globe to host an F1 race, the sports bosses opened the door to a rotation system back in January 2021, and that has since been put into action.

The Belgian Grand Prix’s place on the calendar has been preserved until 2031 through a deal that will see the series continue to visit the popular Spa-Francorchamps circuit on a bi-annual basis past the 2027 season, skipping out 2028 and 2030. That arrangement could provide a blueprint that more European circuits subscribe to as F1 endeavours to explore new territories.

The Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort will disappear after 2026, while Imola has not been included on next season’s calendar as two races in Italy are no longer deemed feasible amid Madrid’s impending debut. The ‘Madring’ circuit will become the new home of the Spanish Grand Prix, but the Circuit du Barcelona-Catalunya will also hold a race as it has an existing deal in place.

Barcelona has signalled a desire to continue its long-standing association with F1. The rotation model could provide it with that chance. Likewise, Portimao and Imola are also contenders to host rounds in Belgium’s place should a European replacement be sought for those years. Regardless, Portugal’s presence, even on a bi-annual basis, would be very much welcomed.

READ MORE – Portugal ready to ‘formalise’ country’s return to F1 calendar

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The Prime Minister of Portugal has announced that he is ready to “formalise the return of Formula 1” to the country for the 2027 season.

Portugal last hosted a Grand Prix back in 2021, staged at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao.

It also hosted the same event in the Covid-affected 2020 campaign, with both races being won by Lewis Hamilton.

Its more recent taste of F1 has seemingly prompted a desire to put itself back on the map on a more regular basis, and can boast continuing experience hosting top-level motorsport.

The Portimao circuit has hosted races in MotoGP since 2020, something that Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has cited as a helpful example of its ability to bring it back to the F1 schedule.

“One of the circumstances that most contributes to promoting this region is major events,” he was quoted as saying.

“We have secured the MotoGP, the world’s premier motorcycling event, for 2025 and 2026.

“And I can tell you that we have everything ready to formalise the return of Formula 1 to the Algarve next year, in 2027.

Financial implications of hosting F1 race ‘well worth it’

Mr Montenegro acknowledged that the country will have to stump up a significant amount of money in order to host a potential Grand Prix,.

But he indicated that the benefits in the long run will outweigh any initial financial strife.

“These events require some financial effort on the part of the government, but they have a direct financial return and an indirect promotional return that are, quite frankly, well worth it.”

2020 was the first time the country had hosted an F1 race since 1996, having been regularly held at Estoril from 1984.

The 13 iterations of the Portuguese Grand Prix in that time saw a number of significant moments in F1 history, the first being the race in which Niki Lauda secured his third and final World Championship.

Just one year later, in 1985, Ayrton Senna came of age at a rain-sodden race, taking his maiden Grand Prix victory.

Alain Prost, who lost out on the title to Lauda in ’84, took his fourth championship at the same circuit in 1993.

READ MORE – Oscar Piastri insists 2026 F1 regulations require fine-tuning to produce ‘the best show’

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MotoGP has announced a new two-year agreement to keep Portimao on the calendar for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

The Autodromo Internacional do Algarve has been a key stakeholder on the Grand Prix calendar since its first race in 2020.

The Algarve track’s situation in recent times appeared precarious, with the country’s sole rider Miguel Oliveira fearing that his home race would be off the calendar in future years.

MotoGP and Dorna believe Portimao’s appeal makes it a fan-favourite destination, providing vital economic impact and an influx of hundreds of thousands of fans visiting Portugal.

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports stated: “We’re very happy to announce that we will be racing in Portugal for at least another two years.

“Since we first went to the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, it has become a favourite for many fans and riders, and it’s easy to see why. Not only is it a beautiful place to race, but the event itself has improved every year, and we are very proud to be able to make such a positive economic, sporting and social impact on the area.

“We look forward to seeing our Portuguese fans again in 2025 and 2026.” 

Jaime Costa, CEO of the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve: “It’s a great source of pride to be able to continue having a MotoGP round at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and to see the recognition of our effort and work, which has been going on since 2020.

“The Portuguese Grand Prix and our track, with its unique features on the calendar, are already a benchmark for riders and teams. The fact that we have signed a two-year contract allows us to look at the event in a completely different way, with a continuity of improvement in the spectator experience, in order to reach record numbers of visitors to our circuit and consequently to the country and region, emphasizing its economic added value for the territory. We are already working on the 2025 GP, so that will once again, be a unique event in Portugal.”

This is a big success for MotoGP

The characteristics of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve appeal to fans and riders alike, and the fast-flowing circuit provides excellent excitement all-round.

Portugal’s presence on the calendar means its country’s people can support their star rider.

At one point, it looked like it would be dropped from the calendar following MotoGP’s announcement of hosting a race at Balaton Park in Hungary.

Pedro Machado, Secretary of State for Tourism stated: “The MotoGP Grand Prix is one of the most visible sporting events in the world, reaching more than 200 territories and with a fanbase of more than 500 million.

“We are therefore talking about an event that has a unique ability to promote and project Portugal as a tourist destination and as an organizer of major sporting events.

“By supporting the organization of these initiatives, we are strengthening our country’s reputation and attractiveness and this is very important from the point of view of tourism.

“It also has an immediate economic impact on the regional economy, which is equally significant, since this is an event that attracts thousands of people over several days, including spectators and staff from the competing teams.”

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Pedro Acosta received high praise following the Portuguese Grand Prix, where the Spaniard picked up his maiden MotoGP podium in the premier class.

Acosta has been promoted to the top flight for this season and followed up an impressive ninth place on his debut outing in Qatar with third at Portimao.

“The rider of the day was Acosta,” Sylvain Guintoli told TNT Sports. “Unreal!”

“Just like in Qatar, he was on the attack.

“You could see the bike moving around a lot and normally that means you’re overworking your tyres, but he was able to keep that rhythm all the way.”

Michael Laverty added: “He is the gift that MotoGP needs right now.

All the talk of the aero and the difficulty of passing? He passed four of the hardest riders to pass – Miller, Binder, Marquez, Bagnaia.

“He made it look easy, it was effortless. Even his interview on the podium. He’s got everything – charisma, speed, style, he does it with panache!

“We’re going to be talking about him all season. What a rookie campaign, on the podium already!

“He was lucky with Vinales’ gearbox issue to get the podium but he earned it.”

The teenage sensation overtook Jack Miller, Brad Binder, Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia in the race before a last-lap crash from Maverick Vinales put Acosta on the rostrum.

Speaking post-race, Acosta handpicked his move on reigning champion Bagnaia as his favourite, stating: “I was spending many laps behind him. I tried it at Turn 1 but I was wide.

“I struggled to stop the bike and said ‘okay… I said ‘I need to catch him again’. The Pecco one was nice because it was the first one in Turn 3.”

When reflecting on the race itself, Acosta himself stated: “It was unbelievable, since the beginning of the race the bike was much better than [Saturday].

“It’s true that in a long-distance race with a fuel tank… it’s more natural for me. I have been racing like this all of my life.

“It’s quite new for us and I’m not 100% comfortable at the moment, but we are coming. 

“We need to be super happy. We tried things in the warm-up to understand what we needed in the first lap, and it worked.”

This podium finish launches Acosta up to fifth in the Riders’ Championship, where he is situated as the second lead KTM competitor behind Binder.

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Maverick Vinales revealed that a gearbox issue from the sixth lap onwards contributed to his last lap crash from second place in MotoGP’s Portuguese Grand Prix.

Having won the Sprint earlier in the weekend, Vinales was tracking eventual victor Jorge Martin throughout the race despite combating a gear selection problem.

However, the Spaniard’s Aprilia went into neutral when changing between fifth and sixth gear on the penultimate lap on the pit straight, prompting him to slow down.

Heading into the final lap of the encounter at Portimao, Vinales touched the accelerator while in second gear and high-sided as his bike went into the opening turn.

“Well after the uphill on the finish line I tried to put sixth but it didn’t go in,” he explained to Motorsport.com when asked what happened when he slowed onto the last lap.

“So, the bike goes into neutral and I hit the limiter.

“I just put out the leg to [warn] Bastianini to understand that I had some problems [and] to go away.

“I tried to put sixth, it didn’t go in, I go back to second and when I touched the gas it went in immediately and I highsided.”

Although the issue cost him a shot at challenging Martin for the lead, Vinales believes Aprilia should take positives out of the pace he could achieve prior to his incident.

“I think we must be positive,” he added. “I would say it’s not a disappointment, but I will say it as maybe a call of attention, trying to improve in some ways a little bit the reliability. 

“I really encourage all of the Aprilia technicians to improve on that area, especially if you want to fight for victories.

“After that I think it’s been amazing how when I get the correct balance I can go really fast on this bike.

“Despite the problems I had from lap six, from fifth to sixth gear sometimes it didn’t go in.

“So, I was keeping the rpms for so long and I was losing a lot on top speed. I was losing some tenths, but despite that I was able to do 1m38s and that was amazing.”

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Marc Marquez blamed Francesco Bagnaia for the accident during the MotoGP race in Portimao last week that resulted in both drivers failing to record a points finish.

Both riders were battling over fifth place with three laps to go when a coming together in Turns 4 and 5 saw Bagnaia retire and Marquez slip down to 16th on the road.

Marquez had run wide in his attempt to overtake Bagnaia, prompting contact as the reigning champion endeavoured to cut back underneath the Gresini Ducati rider.

“For me was a mistake for Pecco,” Marquez told The Race. “But not just the incident – he tried to come back and, okay, was too optimistic, but contact can happen. 

“But it was a mistake because we were fighting for fifth-sixth. Two more points, two less. And he was suffering a lot with the tyres, especially with the rear tyre. 

“So in the end, when remained three-four laps, you know that you will lose the position. 

“So it’s not necessary to come back in that aggressive mode. But he decided like this. The consequence is two Ducatis, zero points.”

“I told the stewards it’s a racing incident on the very limit. But the stewards must decide what is the limit.” Marquez added.

The Spaniard also viewed the incident, which saw him unhurt despite attending the medical centre for a check-up, as “risky”.

However, Bagnaia’s take on the incident differed from Marquez, citing that it was obvious he would attempt to regain the place once he saw his rival had gone wide.

“When Marc arrived, he just tried to overtake, he went wide, I tried to cross the line, he crossed his line, and we collided,” Bagnaia explained.

“Something that makes me angry, but it’s normal. It’s a racing incident and we have to move on to the next one.”

“When he overtook me, he went wide! When a rider in front of you that is battling goes wide, what do you want to do? Overtake him again. To take more points. 

“For me, from my side, wasn’t risky.”

Bagnaia’s pointless outing at Portimao saw him lose the championship lead to Jorge Martin, who dominated proceedings to be victorious for the first time in 2024.

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Jorge Martin conducted a comfortable race where he led every single lap of the Portuguese Grand Prix, whilst reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez had a dramatic crash.

Martin got the perfect getaway to lead into Turn 1 where he established a small lead with Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales behind.

In Turn 4 on the opening lap, slight contact was made between factory Ducati team-mates as pole-sitter Enea Bastianini had the edge over Bagnaia.

Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta and KTM ace Brad Binder switched up positions in a battle for seventh in the opening laps, before both passed fellow KTM rider Jack Miller a few laps later as the Australian went out wide in the opening Turn. 

Acosta made the plunge to pick off Binder and started catching Gresini’s M. Marquez ahead in fifth and duly passed the eight-time champion on the following lap in a similar fashion as he did in Qatar.

Acosta went in slightly too hot when attempting a lunge on Bagnaia into Turn 1 and was forced to sit behind for several laps.

With five tours to go, he was able to get the job done as Bagnaia’s troubles with tyre wear set him back from getting near his team-mate for a podium finish.

With three laps remaining M. Marquez tried a lunge on Bagnaia into Turn 5 and went wide, Bagnaia came up back on the inside but clattered right into the Spaniard which put both of them out of contention for a strong points finish.

On the final lap of the race there was heartbreak for Sprint winner Vinales as his bike appeared to have locked up heading into the opening turn and dumped him off, in a strange circumstance that wasn’t rider error, but in fact a gearbox issue.

This resulted in Bastianini taking home second and Acosta making his first podium in only his second MotoGP race, becoming the youngest rider in the MotoGP era to do so.

Aleix Espargaro fell down to 17th after starting 13th, before working his way up the pecking order and finishing in a more than respectable eighth.

These three late DNFs provided a KTM 3-4-5 to help further their Constructors’ Championship push and provided strong points for Yamaha and Honda after a difficult Qatar race.

Fabio Quatararo picked up an impressive seventh and Joan Mir sealed 12th, results which will go a long way for the rest of the year.

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Aron Canet has finally put an end to his Moto2 victory curse, securing his first race victory in the intermediate class after a mid-race crash for Alonso Lopez in Portugal.

Ducati’s newest signing for 2025 Fermin Aldeguer took the lead into Turn 1, but the Spaniard jumped the start resulting in him receiving two long lap penalties which he had to take within a three lap timespan.

With team-mate Lopez leading comfortably before crashing with 11 laps to go, Canet took over proceedings and never looked back in a comfortable ride as he built a two second lead over the rest of the pack.

Joe Roberts had a steady start after qualifying fifth and gathered momentum through the middle of the race as he rose up to second place, a position he will be happy with at a track that suits his style – bringing a lot of much-needed positivity to the American Racing Team heading into their home race at Circuit of the Americas next month.

Pole-sitter Manuel Gonzalez had a poor getaway at the start due to the SpeedUp duo getting ahead, but fought back into contention to complete the podium.

After taking both long lap penalties Aldeguer fell back down the pecking order to 13th with a lot of ground to make up – before making a sensational fightback to finish in fourth.

A podium was slightly out of reach for the Spaniard due to his limited grip on his tyres near the end.

Team-mates Ai Ogura and Sergio Garcia wrapped up a more than respectable fifth and sixth place after finishing third and fourth last time around in Qatar.

A three-way battle between Celstino Vietti, Albert Arenas, Marcos Ramirez followed, where all three riders finished within half a second.

Thai rider Somkiat Chantra rounded off the top 10 to add to his point tally for the season.

But the star of the show was Canet, an enigmatic rider with a renowned yet wild personality and that was evident during the final lap.

As he rounded the final corner, an infamous and daunting banked sweeping curve, Canet elected to raise his outside leg into the air in early celebration and waved an arm as well.

The early celebration was a risk, but one that went unpunished and Canet crossed the line to take an emotional win and paid tribute to his grandfather and his wife’s grandfather post-race.

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GasGas Tech3 rider Daniel Holgado held off Ajo KTM’s Jose Antonio Rueda in a race to the finishing line in the Moto3 Portuguese race, with the pair separated by only 0.044s.

MT Helemts – MSI rider Ivan Ortola rounded off the podium places to finish third, a result he will be happy with after finishing only ninth last time around in Qatar.

Despite leading the race at various points and having built a solid lead, Qatar winner David Alonso fell back and had to settle for fourth after a difficult final few laps due to the rear tyre on his CFMoto Aspar machine being worn down.

The opening lap saw Ryusei Yamanaka and Angel Piqueras crash out together in an unfortunate collision to put an early end to their races.

From there it settled into typical Moto3 fashion with a gaggle of riders packed tight together in the fight for victory with Holgado, Rueda, Ortola and Alonso starring throughout.

Furthermore, the junior Grand Prix competitors had to settle the issue with a drag to the start/finish line and despite leading for the majority of the race, Rueda conceded ultimate honours to a jubilant Alonso.

Behind the top four finishes, fifth and sixth-placed Joel Kelso and Collin Veijer were separated by only 0.019 as both riders battled hard to get the upper-hand.

Stefano Nepa claimed seventh place and finished two seconds behind, ahead of top rookie Joel Esteban and David Muñoz. 

The Leopard Racing team had a race to forget as Piqueras’ teammate Adrian Fernandez rounded off the top 10.

Holgado leads the championship heading into the next race at the Circuit of the Americans next month with a tally of 45 points, seven ahead of Alonso in second.

Ortola resides in third place with a tally of 23 points.

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Maverick Vinales capitalised on an error from Francesco Bagnaia to triumph in MotoGP’s Sprint race at the Portuguese Grand Prix, securing his first win for Aprilia.

The Spanish rider has created history by becoming the first rider to win for three different manufacturers: Suzuki, Yamaha and now the Italian-based Aprilia outfit.

Marc Marquez earned his first top-three finish in Gresini Ducati colours with second, ahead of Sprint specialist Jorge Martin on the Pramac Ducati bike in third place.

Jack Miller led proceedings on the first lap thanks to a rapid advance from fifth, with Marquez and Bagnaia also responsible for making fast starts from their grid slots.

Marquez pulled off a remarkable overtake on Vinales around the outside at Turn 12, while Aleix Espargaro continued his ascent from the fifth row up to eighth place.

Bagnaia caught Miller napping in Turn 15 on the rundown to the straight to take the lead and established a few bike lengths cushion across the laps that followed.

Vinales and Marquez kept battling away in the podium spots before crashes from Alex Rins, Johann Zarco and Brad Binder put an end to their Sprint race venture.

Having fallen back to 11th after a difficult start, rookie Pedro Acosta climbed his way back up to seventh, which was where he originally qualified earlier in the day.

Marquez went wide and rejoined behind Vinales and Martin, with Bagnaia seemingly in control and on course to extend his championship lead with a Sprint success.

But with four laps remaining, the reigning champion went in too hot into the opening corner, enabling Vinales to take the lead, with Martin second and Marquez third.

Vinales seized the initiative and stretched the gap to the Ducati chasers, but his hopes were enhanced as Marquez made a block pass on Martin on the penultimate lap.

Meanwhile, polesitter Enea Bastianini fell down the pecking order and was unable to retrieve a podium place, slipping back to sixth position behind Miller on the KTM.

Acosta added three points to his total for the campaign, with Espargaro eighth and Fabio Quartararo adding a welcome point for Yamaha with ninth place at Portimao.

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