Circuito Internacional de Vila Real
 | |
| Location | Vila Real, Portugal |
|---|---|
| Time zone | GMT |
| Opened | 1931 (re-opened 2007) |
| Closed | 1991 |
| Major events | WTCR Race of Portugal (2015–2019, 2022) |
| Urban Circuit (2007-present) | |
| Length | 4.785 km (2.974 mi) |
| Turns | 24 |
| Race lap record | 1:57.929 ( Robert Huff, Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, 2017, WTCC) |
| Old Urban Circuit (1958-1991) | |
| Length | 6.925 km (4.303 mi) |
| Original Urban Circuit (1931-1953) | |
| Length | 7.200 km (4.474 mi) |
| Website | www |
The Circuito Internacional de Vila Real is a 4.785 km (2.973 mi) temporary street circuit in Vila Real, Portugal. This circuit was used for car and moto races.
The circuit[]
The circuit layout has suffered several changes through the times. Started as a 7.370 km (4.580 mi) street circuit in 1931, it was later reduced to a 6.925 km (4.303 mi) version in the 1950s, which lasted until 1991, with small chances in some corner, chicanes introduction and start/finish line being moved forward.[1]
After a deadly accident in 1991, no race would take place in this circuit until 2007, after a length reduction to a 4.785 km (2.973 mi) long renovated layout. From the original circuit, remains the up and downhill section, from turn 6 (Boque), until turn 19, that drivers used to turn left. This section also gives the track big elevation changes.[2]
It's considered one of the most challenging tracks, due to its corners, high speed and drivers being very close to the barriers.[3]
Lap records[]
The official race lap records at the Circuito Internacional de Vila Real are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Circuit: 4.785 km (2007-present) | ||||
| WTCC | 1:57.929[4] | Robert Huff | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 2017 FIA WTCC Race of Portugal |
| TCR Touring Car | 2:02.360[5] | Mikel Azcona | CUPRA León TCR | 2019 FIA WTCR Race of Portugal |
Winners[]
| Season | Edition | Driver | Car/Motor | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | 1st |  Gaspar Sameiro Ercílio Barbosa
|
Ford A | |
| 1932 | 2nd | Vasco Sameiro
|
Invicta | |
| 1933 | 3rd | Vasco Sameiro
|
Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza | |
| 1934 | 4th | António Guedes de Herédia
|
Bugatti T35B | |
| 1935 | Not held | |||
| 1936 | 5th | Adolfo Ferreirinha
|
Ford V8 | |
| 1937 | 6th | Casimiro de Oliveira
|
Jaguar SS100 | |
| 1938 | 7th | Vasco Sameiro
|
Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza | |
| 1939-48 | Not held | |||
| 1949 | 8th | José Cabral
|
Allard K1 | |
| 1950 | 9th |  Piero Carini
|
OSCA | Sport |
| 1951 | 10th | Giovanni Bracco
|
Ferrari 212 Export Barchetta | Sport |
| 1952 | 11th |
|
Ferrari 225 S Spider | Sport |
| 1953-57 | Not held | |||
| 1958 | 12th | Stirling Moss
|
Maserati 300S | Sport |
| 1966 | 13th | John Miles
|
Ford Cortina Lotus | Touring car |
| John Fenning
|
Brabham BT18 - Ford/Cosworth | Formula Three | ||
| 1967 | 14th |
|
Lola T70 MkII Chevrolet | Sport |
| Chris Williams
|
Brabham BT21 - Ford/Holbay | Formula Three | ||
| 1968 | 15th |
|
Lola T70 MkII Chevrolet | Sport |
 Reine Wisell
|
Formula Three | |||
| 1969 | 16th | Chris Craft David Piper
|
Porsche 908/2 | 6 hour/Endurance |
| 1970 | 17th |  Teddy Pilette
|
Lola T70 MkII Chevrolet | 500 km/Endurance |
| 1971 | 18th |  Jorge Bagration
|
Porsche 908/2 | Sports |
| 1972 | 19th | 
|
Lola T290 Ford | Sports |
| 1973 | 20th | Carlos Gaspar
|
Lola T292 Ford | Sports |
| 1979 | 21st | Robert Giannone
|
Porsche 935 | |
| 1980 | 22nd | António Barros
|
Porsche 935 | |
| 1981 | 23rd | Robert Giannone
|
Porsche 935 | |
| 1982 | 24th | Mário Silva
|
Ford Escort RS 1800 Mk 2 | |
| 1983 | 25th | António Taveira
|
BMW M1 | |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 2007 | 40th | Francisco Carvalho
|
SEAT Leon Supercopa | PTCC |
| César Campaniço
|
BMW 320si | |||
| Pedro Salvador
|
Juno SSE | Sports protypes | ||
| 2008 | 41st | César Campaniço
|
BMW 320si | PTCC |
| Francisco Carvalho
|
SEAT Leon Supercopa | |||
| Pedro Salvador
|
Juno SSE | GT & Sports protypes | ||
| Pedro Salvador
|
Juno SSE | GT & Sports protypes | ||
| 2009 | 42nd | César Campaniço
|
BMW 320si | PTCC |
| João Figueiredo
|
Peugeot 407 S200 | |||
| Francisco Martins
|
Porsche 997 | GT & Sports protypes | ||
| Francisco Martins
|
Porsche 997 | |||
| 2010 | 43rd | José Monroy
|
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | PTCC |
| José Monroy
|
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | |||
| Pedro Salvador
|
Juno SSE | Sports protypes | ||
| César Campaniço
|
Audi R8 LMS | GT | ||
| 2014 | 44th | Pedro Salvador
|
Tatuus PY012 | Sports protypes |
| Pedro Salvador
|
Tatuus PY012 | |||
| 2015 | 45th |  José María López
|
Citroën
|
WTCC |
 Ma Qing Hua
|
Citroën
| |||
| 2016 | 46th |  Tom Coronel
|
 Chevrolet
|
WTCC |
| Tiago Monteiro
|
 Honda
| |||
| 2017 | 47th |  Mehdi Bennani
|
Citroën
|
WTCC |
 Norbert Michelisz
|
Honda
| |||
| 2017 | 48th | |||
| 2018 | 49th | Yvan Muller
|
 Hyundai
|
WTCR |
 Mat'o Homola
|
Peugeot
| |||
| Thed Björk
|
Hyundai
| |||
| 2019 | 50th | Tiago Monteiro
|
Honda
|
WTCR |
| Mikel Azcona
|
Cupra
| |||
| Norbert Michelisz
|
Hyundai
| |||
| 2020 | 51st | Cancelled due to Coronavirus pandemic | WTCR | |
References[]
- ^ "Vila Real". RacingCircuits.info. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- ^ "Circuit Internacional de Vila Real - The Heart of Racing in Portugal". SnapLap. 2016-06-10. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- ^ Rodgers, Richard (2018-06-15). "Race preview: Vila Real deal Ehrlacher leads the WTCR charge to the home of the joker lap". FIA WTCR | World Touring Car Cup. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- ^ "2017 FIA WTCC Race of Portugal Statistics". Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "WTCR Race of Portugal 2019". Retrieved 19 December 2021.
External links[]
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- Motorsport venues in Portugal
- World Touring Car Championship circuits
- Sport in Vila Real
- Portuguese sports venue stubs
- Motorsport venue stubs