The International Autodrome of the Algarve (AIA) is the venue for three days of top class motor racing this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Headlining a 13-race program is the fifth round of the FIA GT1 World Championship which is taking place at the Portimão track for the third year in succession. The ultra-competitiveness of the class is illustrated by the fact that each of the preceding four races have been won by different constructors.
The 2012 inaugural round saw Audi take the honours in France while it was the turn of Porsche to finish in front in Belgium. Despite technical difficulties during qualifying, McLaren came good in Spain and in Slovakia it was BMW who took the chequered flag.
Arriving in the Algarve it is the Michael Bartels-Yelmer Buurman partnership representing the Vita4One BMW team, who are enjoying a narrow lead at the head of the driver’s championship while All-Inkl.com Munich Motorsport-Mercedes top the constructor’s table without having actually won this season.
Local support in Portimão will be behind Álvaro Parente who currently lies in ninth place with his McLaren MP4.
In addition to the main event, a strong supporting cast featuring the fourth round of the European GT3 Championship, the Iberian Endurance and Supercars Trophies as well as the Portuguese Track, Classics, Classics 1300 and Single Seater Championships will make for an action-packed weekend starting today (Friday).
Tickets to the races as well as numerous side shows are priced between €10 and 20. Please see: www.fiagt.autodromodoalgarve.com
CONGRATULATIONS to Sonia Brown, Joanne Hamilton, Michael Brophy, Billy Davies, Wendy Frost, George Hamilton, Edward Frost, Chris Plumb, Valentine West and Brian Eglington, who won a ticket each to the FIA GT1 World Championship. They correctly answered that Miguel Praia is the superbike rider for the Parkalgar team in our competition last week.
