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José Martinez
Motorsport in Portugal
Ni Amorim
Chairman of FPAK
The pandemic that hit Portugal and the world over the last two years, coupled with the war in Ukraine, were not great drivers of motorsport worldwide and, of course, on a local level. However, against all the odds and with a lot of passion for the sport, it has been possible to counteract the trend and put motorsport back in the place it deserves.
A huge effort has been made in Portugal to give our drivers the conditions to continue competing, but also to bring the world’s best championships to the country. In actual fact, Portugal has an impressive ‘track record’ at this level, which is due not only to the unique conditions we have, but also to our excellent organisational skills. This year, in addition to the FIA World Endurance Championship, which took place in Portimão, the World Rally Championship with the Vodafone Rally de Portugal; the World Rallycross Championship, in Montalegre; the European Mountain Championship, in Falperra; the Cross-Country World Cup with the Baja de Portalegre, and so many other events that are part of the FIA calendar, are honouring us with their visit. We have worked hard to host these events that promote our country’s name all over the world, as well as that of our drivers. We are a small country with limited financial resources, but we are very hardworking and committed to the success of the events we organise at home. We would have liked to have kept the Formula 1, because the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (Algarve International Circuit) is a benchmark circuit at a world level, both for its unique configuration, but also for the excellent conditions it offers, not to mention the Algarve region’s potential. In addition, the Portuguese public has always liked the Formula 1 and there are more and more fans in our country. However, financial issues always end up speaking louder. And it’s difficult for a country like ours to compete with the big players. As chairman of the Portuguese Federation of Motorsport and Karting (FPAK), I am happy that we have been able to host the World Championship after so many years. It is a source of pride for everyone. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but we have already realised that there are no ‘impossibles’, and those who has belief can do it. My mission is to continue working towards having good championships, and good races, with our drivers showing their colours inside and outside the country.
A huge effort has been made in Portugal to give our drivers the conditions to continue competing, but also to bring the world’s best championships to the country. In actual fact, Portugal has an impressive ‘track record’ at this level, which is due not only to the unique conditions we have, but also to our excellent organisational skills. This year, in addition to the FIA World Endurance Championship, which took place in Portimão, the World Rally Championship with the Vodafone Rally de Portugal; the World Rallycross Championship, in Montalegre; the European Mountain Championship, in Falperra; the Cross-Country World Cup with the Baja de Portalegre, and so many other events that are part of the FIA calendar, are honouring us with their visit. We have worked hard to host these events that promote our country’s name all over the world, as well as that of our drivers. We are a small country with limited financial resources, but we are very hardworking and committed to the success of the events we organise at home. We would have liked to have kept the Formula 1, because the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (Algarve International Circuit) is a benchmark circuit at a world level, both for its unique configuration, but also for the excellent conditions it offers, not to mention the Algarve region’s potential. In addition, the Portuguese public has always liked the Formula 1 and there are more and more fans in our country. However, financial issues always end up speaking louder. And it’s difficult for a country like ours to compete with the big players. As chairman of the Portuguese Federation of Motorsport and Karting (FPAK), I am happy that we have been able to host the World Championship after so many years. It is a source of pride for everyone. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but we have already realised that there are no ‘impossibles’, and those who has belief can do it. My mission is to continue working towards having good championships, and good races, with our drivers showing their colours inside and outside the country.
