The Portuguese Grand Prix this weekend will not be the first time the F1 will travel to Portugal for a Grand Prix. Between 1984 and 1996 Portugal was a regular on the calendar and in the early years of F1 there was a number of races on Portuguese soil. This weekend F1 visits the Autodromo Internacional Do Algarve, which will be the first time in F1 history. Here are the Portuguese tracks F1 has previously visited...
It started at Circuito da Boavista and at Circuito de Monsanto. Both circuits were streetcircuits and also presented some danger. That's why 1960 was the last year that F1 went to Portugal for many years. In 1984 there was a return of Portugal on the calendar, this time on a real circuit.
Big names win Portuguese Grand Prix
Autódromo do Estoril was allowed to organise an F1 Grand Prix for thirteen years, where many F1 legends also won. Ayrton Senna, for example, achieved his first victory in Portugal in 1985. Alain Prost won three times in Estoril and Nigel Mansell also won three times. Other big names that managed to win the Portuguese Grand Prix are Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill, David Coulthard and Jacques Villeneuve.