The briefest of news items over last weekend was that Portimão’s Algarve International Autodrome was (at last) ready to receive Formula 1 races.
An announcement on the autodrome’s Facebook page was picked up by national media and widely shared. But the consensus is that F1 is still a long way off.
As Joana Melo, in charge of the autodrome’s press and publicity told the Resident, “We cannot support the costs – but who knows what can happen in the future”.
“We are trying to attract investors, although nothing is certain yet”.
The Level 1 rating, needed for tracks hosting F1 races, was granted last Friday by the International Automobile Federation.
Joana Melo stresses that while the autodrome looks for outside investment, F1 tests and trials are already programmed at the track.
The last time Portugal hosted a Formula One race event was in 1996 in Estoril.
