Portimão, Algarve, Portugal
The 100,000-capacity Autodromo Internacional do Algarve – known more informally as Portimão, after the port city it located half an hour outside — opened on November 2, 2008, in the magnificent setting of Portugal's Algarve. The circuit was opened by WorldSBK when they traveled to Portugal for the season's last round – but it is more than simply a racetrack. The Algarve Motorsports Park is a cutting-edge facility that includes a world-class race circuit, a go-kart track, an off-road park, a hotel, an apartment complex, a technology park, and a sports complex — it's the bee's knees.
The Autodromo Internacional do Algarve contains 15 corners in total, nine on the right and six on the left. The undulation at Portimão is fantastic, and the front straight will give MotoGPTM riders a chance to stretch their machines' legs before a unique downhill descent into Turn 1. It's named a high-speed rollercoaster for a reason; it's a thrill for both riders and spectators.
Official Schedule
Get your copy of the Official Program! It's more than 70 pages of action-packed, must-have stuff straight from the MotoGPTM paddock. Each publication features the Grand Prix schedule, a circuit map, all the information you need about your favorite teams and riders, and a 'Inside MotoGPTM' feature with up-to-date tales from this week in the Paddock, in addition to a series of breathtaking images and updated graphics.
There include guides for all three Grand Prix classes - MotoGPTM, Moto2TM, and Moto3TM - as well as a Riders Guide to assist you match names and faces, as well as riders' new 2022 colors! The Official Programme is a comprehensive guide to the events that will take place over the course of a race weekend!
Why do we like Portugal and Portimão so much?
Portugal's borders in the west of the Iberian Peninsula have remained relatively unchanged since it became an independent nation in the 12th century. The country is bordered on the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the north and east by Spain, with mountain ranges and rivers like the Minho and Guadiana forming the border with Spain's Portuguese neighbors.
The Portuguese are a laid-back and pleasant bunch, and the country's diversity, with its forests and mountains inland and a coastline of magnificent beaches and vibrant cities, gives travelers with plenty of opportunities for adventure and unforgettable memories.
Indeed, between the 14th and 18th centuries, Portugal's two main towns - Lisbon and Porto - represent the country's former status and might as a maritime giant, with expansion into South America, parts of Africa, and Asia making this small nation enormously wealthy. The Angolan, Brazilian, and Mozambican impacts on current Portuguese culture reflect the diversity and multiculturalism of Portugal's largest cities. The Algarve International Circuit is located near Portimão in the Algarve, Portugal's most famous tourist destination, with excellent beaches and an unmatched temperature all year.
Finding the best place to stay
The central coast of the Algarve, between Lagos and Faro, is dotted with guesthouses, villas, hotels, and campsites, including Albufeira and Portimão, which are all within easy driving distance of the circuit.
There is lodging to suit all budgets here, with well-organized and clean campgrounds, rental apartments, luxury hotels and all-inclusive resorts, as well as opulent private villas, all easily accessible.
Albufeira (40 minutes away) and Lagos (30 minutes away) are both delightful places to stay, while small coastal villages like Alvor, Carvoeiro, and Armação de Pêra are good possibilities as well.
Portimão and the Algarve: Travel Tips
Keep an eye out for bars, cafes, and restaurants catering more to residents than visitors away from the main tourist traps on the coast, where prices are often inflated, and you'll be delighted by the quality of the affordable cuisine and wine in the Algarve and throughout Portugal.
Fresh seafood from the Atlantic is the order of the day when it comes to local cuisine, with clams, oysters, and cockles offered in stews, casseroles, and rice dishes. Fresh fish is first-rate in this region, and it tastes even better when cooked over charcoal grills — try mackerel or, in Portimão, grilled sardines, which are a local favorite.
The majority of Portugal can be explored in a few days, and if you want to take a road trip from the Algarve, head three hours north to Lisbon, Portugal's trendy and evolving capital city, where traditional and contemporary architecture and culture will astound you.