The Algarve region is buzzing with talk of high-octane racing. The Prime Minister recently shared some exciting news. He hopes Formula 1 will make its big return to the sunny southern coast by 2027. This isn’t just about speed; it promises a huge boost for the local economy and worldwide attention.
Hotel owners are already celebrating. Hélder Martins, who leads the Algarve Hotel and Tourist Enterprises Association (AHETA), could not be happier. He sees this as a “healthy business chance.” Remember when Formula 1 raced in Portimão during 2020 and 2021? Martins says those weeks were the very best for many hotels. High-quality resorts especially saw their profits soar.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro dropped the bombshell news. He announced it during a speech in Quarteira. He said all plans are set for Formula 1’s comeback. This F1 news came after he already confirmed MotoGP races for 2025 and 2026. The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (AIA) in Portimão has hosted MotoGP races every year since 2020.
Montenegro admitted that these big racing events cost the government money. But he firmly believes the payoff is huge. He points to the direct and indirect promotion for the region. It is an investment, he argues, that is truly worthwhile.
Hotel leaders do not have all the specific details yet. Martins explained they only know what the Prime Minister announced. This happened during a political gathering called the ‘Festa do Pontal.’ Still, Martins feels very confident. He believes the Prime Minister’s statement means Formula 1 for 2027 is a done deal.
We tried to get more official comments from the race track itself. Miguel Praia, the commercial director at AIA, did not add much. He simply said they could not give more information right now. Praia did mention that the circuit has always kept open talks with Formula 1. He gave credit to Paulo Pinheiro, the track’s founder, who sadly passed away in July 2024.
The Algarve Tourism Region was also contacted for their reaction. As of now, they have not yet provided a statement.
This would not be the first time Formula 1 has roared through the Algarve. Portimão hosted Grand Prix races in 2020 and 2021. Those events happened because the pandemic caused race cancellations in other countries. Before Portimão’s debut, Portugal last saw Formula 1 action in 1996. That race took place at the Estoril circuit.
Portugal has a rich Formula 1 history. The country has welcomed 18 Grand Prix races in total. The very first one was in Porto in 1958. It was held on a street circuit. The next year, 1959, saw a race in Lisbon. Then, Formula 1 returned to the calendar at Estoril in 1984. It remained there every year until 1996. Now, the Algarve seems ready to write the next thrilling chapter.