Portuguese Grand Prix
This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2009) |
Algarve International Circuit (2020–2021) | |
Race information | |
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Number of times held | 26 |
First held | 1951 |
Last held | 2021 |
Most wins (drivers) | Alain Prost (3) Nigel Mansell (3) |
Most wins (constructors) | Ferrari (7) |
Circuit length | 4.653 km (2.891 miles) |
Race length | 306.826 km (190.653 miles) |
Laps | 66 |
Last race (2021) | |
Pole position | |
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Podium | |
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Fastest lap | |
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The Portuguese Grand Prix (
History
Boavista and Monsanto (1951–1960)
The first event was held on the Boavista street course in Porto on 17 June 1951 as a sports car race.[1] The Grand Prix was moved to Monsanto Park, Lisbon, in 1954 as a one-off. Monsanto, like the Boavista circuit, was a hazardous street circuit lined with trees and had many elevation change and fast sweepers; but Monsanto was quite wide as opposed to Boavista, which was narrow. Sportscar events continued until 1957 when the following year it became part of the Formula One world championship. The first Formula One race was held on 14 August 1958 in Boavista. This circuit was situated in a hazardous area; it was laid out through the town and included sections of cobbled streets and even tramlines. British drivers Stirling Moss in a Vanwall and Mike Hawthorn in a Ferrari were at the top of the championship table, battling it out for the first eight rain-interrupted laps. Moss then pulled away as Hawthorn slipped behind Frenchman Jean Behra in a BRM until the British car hit spark plug problems. But the drama was only just beginning as a protest was made against Hawthorn who, it was claimed when he had restarted his car had driven a few yards in the wrong direction, which was against the rules and meant that Hawthorn was to be disqualified. As soon as he heard it, Moss headed to the stewards and told them Hawthorn had been off the course when he was spotted and that was not against the rules. Moss's evidence swung the decision, and no action was taken. Had the protest been upheld, Hawthorn would have lost seven points – six for finishing second and an extra one for recording the fastest lap. In the event, Moss's intervention allowed Hawthorn to win the Drivers' Championship title by one point – from Moss. This race was followed in 1959 by a Grand Prix at Monsanto, which was won again by Moss, this time in a mid-engined Cooper. Australian Jack Brabham hit a telegraph pole after swerving to hit the twice lapped local driver Mario Cabral; Brabham was thrown out of the car and landed on the track; he was then narrowly missed by American Masten Gregory. After this race, Monsanto Park was abandoned, and F1 returned to Boavista in 1960. This race was won by Brabham in a Cooper. The Portuguese Grand Prix was then discontinued and did not return until 1984.
The name was resurrected for a sports car sprint event in the Cascais street circuit in 1964. The following two years, it was run for Formula Three cars.
Estoril (1984–1996)
The seeds for the return of the Portuguese Grand Prix were planted with the inauguration of the
1990 saw an incredibly exciting race, as Senna, Prost, Mansell and Berger all battled hard to gain top honors; Mansell made a very poor start and nearly took out his Ferrari teammate Prost, which allowed Senna and Berger to slip by and take 1st and 2nd. Mansell and Prost fought back; it also saw backmarker Philippe Alliot nearly take out the leader Mansell and crash heavily at the second corner; Alex Caffi and Aguri Suzuki crashed their cars on lap 59; the marshals could not get the cars off the track and the race was called short. Mansell won from Senna and Prost; Berger finished 4th. 1991 saw yet more drama: Mansell (now driving for Williams) then saw his own championship chances start to fade when he came into the pits to change his tires; however the rear right wheel was not fastened down properly and when Mansell went out, he only went about 50 feet before the right rear wheel came off. He was stuck in the middle of the pit road, unable to move. Mansell then reversed the Williams, and the Williams mechanics ran to the stricken car and lifted it bodily while in the pit road and fitted the rear tire properly; which took about a minute. These actions broke all sorts of rules, and Mansell, after coming out in 17th place, was shown the black flag. He had come up to 6th by the time he was disqualified; the race was won by the Englishman's Italian teammate Riccardo Patrese. 1992 saw Mansell win and Patrese have a horrific crash after he hit the back of Gerhard Berger's McLaren and was launched into the air while next to the pit lane. The car came down and scraped alongside the pit wall; no one was injured. 1993 saw Alain Prost win his fourth and final Drivers' Championship driving for Williams; he finished 2nd in the race to German Michael Schumacher in a Benetton.
1994 saw a change to the circuit in response to the deaths of Senna and
Absence
On 4 April 2009,
Portimão (2020–2021)
The race returned for the 2020 season, this time at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimão, to help the sport fill its calendar in light of other races being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race was held on 25 October 2020 and was the first Grand Prix for this venue.[4] The race saw Lewis Hamilton score his 92nd Grand Prix win breaking Michael Schumacher's previous record for most Formula One Grand Prix wins.[5] The circuit hosted an additional race in 2021.[6]
Winners
Repeat winners (drivers)
Drivers in bold are competing in the Formula One championship in the current season.
Wins | Driver | Years won |
---|---|---|
3 | Alain Prost | 1984, 1987, 1988 |
Nigel Mansell | 1986, 1990, 1992 | |
2 | Stirling Moss | 1958, 1959 |
Lewis Hamilton | 2020, 2021 | |
Source:[7] |
Repeat winners (constructors)
A pink background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
Teams in bold are competing in the Formula One championship in the current season.
Wins | Constructor | Years won |
---|---|---|
7 | Ferrari | 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1964, 1989, 1990 |
6 | Williams
|
1986, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996 |
3 | Cooper | 1959, 1960, 1965[8] |
McLaren | 1984, 1987, 1988 | |
2 | Maserati | 1955, 1957 |
Mercedes | 2020, 2021 | |
Sources:[7][9] |
Repeat winners (engine manufacturers)
A pink background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
Manufacturers in bold are competing in the Formula One championship in the current season.
Wins | Manufacturer | Years won |
---|---|---|
7 | Ferrari | 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1964, 1989, 1990 |
6 | Renault | 1985, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996 |
3 | Ford * | 1965,[8] 1966,[10] 1993 |
2 | Maserati | 1955, 1957 |
Climax | 1959, 1960 | |
TAG ** | 1984, 1987 | |
Honda | 1986, 1988 | |
Mercedes | 2020, 2021 | |
Sources:[7][9] |
* Built by Cosworth
** Built by Porsche
By year
A pink background indicates an event that was not part of the Formula One World Championship. A sports car sprint event in the Cascais street circuit in 1964. The following two years, it was run for Formula Three cars.
References
- ^ "Portugal Grand Prix 1951". Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "Circuits: Estoril". www.grandprix.com. Archived from the original on 1 November 2001. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ "Fórmula 1: Max Mosley diz que Autódromo do Algarve pode integrar calendário". expresso.pt. 4 April 2009. Archived from the original on 14 April 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
- ^ "Nurburgring, Portugal and Imola races added to F1 2020 calendar". Sky Sports. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ "Hamilton takes record-breaking 92nd win with dominant drive in Portuguese GP". Formula1.com. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Portuguese Grand Prix set for vacant F1 calendar slot on 2 May". www.autosport.com. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Portuguese GP". ChicaneF1. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Watson, Paul (28 January 1966). "Formula 3 racing" (PDF). Autosport: 146–150. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7603-0152-4– via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b Watson, Paul (20 January 1967). "Seasonal Survey 4: Formula Three" (PDF). Autosport: 91–95. Retrieved 9 December 2021.