The Portimao round is one of the most anticipated and loved by World Superbike riders. The particular ups and downs and curves of the Algarve track lead it to be called the “rollercoaster” (the rollercoaster). We always get there late in the season and it can often be a key weekend for the championship, but the story he will tell will still be very long.
Dorna and the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve have in fact announced the renewal of the contract until 2027. For another five years the production derivatives will fly to Portugal to race through the curves of the Portimao track, which has been on the calendar since 2008. It is therefore a fixed stage for many years now, with the exception of 2016, the only season since 2008 in which the World Superbike championship has not landed in the Algarve.
The Superbike World Championship was the first event at the opening of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, so the Lusitanian track is linked in an important way to the championship of production derivatives. Here we also witnessed some of the most memorable battles and moments in Superbike history: the first winner was Troy Bayliss in 2008, who scored a brace in his last round before retiring. Portimao was also the scene of Ben Spies’ mathematical victory of the world championship in 2009. Last year it gave us a lot of show with the fight between Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea and this year it was the scene of the great showdown by Alvaro Bautista, who in fact, he mortgaged the title.
Paulo Pinheiro, CEO of the AIA (Autodromo Internacional do Algarve), says: “We are proud to have maintained our association with the Superbike World Championship and to host the Portuguese round for another five years. In addition to being one of the most high-profile events in world motorsport, WorldSBK was the inaugural event of AIA Portimao when we first opened the gates in 2008, making it an important and special part of our history. . The races are always exciting, fans love them and they come by the thousands, and for us it is a great opportunity to showcase the beautiful Algarve region ”.
Gregorio Lavilla, WorldSBK Executive Director, said: “We are delighted to have reached this contract extension for another five seasons with the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. The Portuguese round has always been a key event in the championship and the fact that it has been reconfirmed until 2027 underlines the importance of the venue in the WorldSBK calendar. We look forward to continuing to work with the circuit to continue building a popular event. It is always a success for the fans, but also for the riders and the paddock community. The circuit’s spectacular layout always offers great action and the on-site experience meets the highest standards thanks to the circuit’s world-class facilities. ”
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