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| What´s New!!! |
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| New International Motor Racing Circuit just 20 minutes drive from Monchique!!! Teams, drivers and enthusiasts are well aware of this great news. Autodromo do Algarve has completed it´s First Year with Amazing Success, What is in Store for 2010? |
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| Algarve Race Track Enjoy a Variety of Motorsport Events or take your own Car or Bike on one of the many public ”Track Days”, push to the limits in Safety!!! |
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 (Click here to visit Autodromo do Algarve website and see the 2010 provisional program) |
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| Go Kart track is officially open!!! |
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| 2010 Programme, (check Autodromo website to confirm) |
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26, 27 and 28th March 2010
SBK – SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
EUROMILHÕES ROUND
14-16th May 2010
PORTUGUESE TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
21,22 and 23rd May 2010
SUPERSTARS
INTERNATIONAL FERRARI CHALLENGE
FORMULA 3000
2,3 and 4th July 2010-05-28
WTCC – WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
16, 17 and 18th July 2010
LE MANS SERIES
HISTORIC GROUP C RACING
To be announced
CAMP. OPEN DE VELO / VODAFONE
17, 18 and 19th September 2010
FIA-GT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
15, 16 and 17th October 2010
ALGARVE HISTORIC FESTIVAL
HISTORIC F1 RACING
13-14th November 2010
PORTUGUESE TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
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| (Last Years Program) |
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES OFFICIAL COMPETITIONS - provisional calendar
From April 2009
10, 11 and 12th April 2009
A1GP – WORLD CUP PF MOTORSPORT PWERED BY FERRARI
15, 16 and 17th May 2009
Internacional Open GT
PORTUGUESE TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
31st July, 1st and 2nd August 2009
1000KM DO ALGARVE – LE MANS SERIES (SEE PHOTO ABOVE)
28, 29 AND 30TH AUGUST 2009
MOTORCYCLYING PORTUGUESE CHAMPIONSHIP
11, 12 and 13th September 2009
FIA GT CHAMPIONSHIP(GT3 and GT4)
18, 19 and 20th September 2009
GP2 SERIES - FINAL
FIA GT CHAMPIONSHIP (GT1 and GT2)
9, 10 and 11th October 2009
MOTORCYCLYING PORTUGUESE CHAMPIONSHIP
16, 17 and 18th October 2009
ALGARVE HISTORIC FESTIVAL
23, 24 and 25th October 2009
SBK – SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
6, 7 AND 8th November 2009
SPANISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP
PORTUGUESE TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
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What a fabulous weekend by Michael Reeve
Day off work booked? check…
Ticket for the weekend purchased? check…
Appropriate clothing selected? check…
Flask and sandwiches packed? check…
Off I go to the Autodromo do Algarve to see Friday’s ‘Free Practice’ for the World Superbike and Supersport series, as excited as I ever was when I used to go racing all those moons ago.
Of course the facilities weren’t ready; of course the car-parking wasn’t finished except for in front of the main Grandstand; of course there wasn’t a single place to buy a coffee or a sandwich or a tee shirt or a cap, but those things make no difference to race fans. Of course the circuit lost out financially, as it did all weekend for those same reasons, but for the fans it was all about the track and the action.
Friday practice was a mish-mash of bikes out, bikes in, riders talking to mechanics, engines revving, tyre changing and bikes back out for more high speed action, all watched from the stand opposite the pits by ardent race fans.
It was interesting to watch as they came out for their first ever test at a brand new track. Watching them charging down the start finish straight and then letting off the revs very early and sitting up to look over the crest of the hill at the end of the straight, almost tiptoeing over the edge as they assessed the drop at high speed.
It didn’t matter if they were the newest rookie or the new World Champion, every one of them treated the place with respect and it was fun to watch them braking later and later as the session progressed and they became more confident, until finally they were barrelling down and over the crest of the hill, sitting up and slamming on the brakes as late as they could before diving into the first corner – oh yes … this was going to be a good weekend.
With the exception of the day off work, the same check list was ticked over the next two days, as Linda and I set off to watch the Saturday qualifying. We settled into our carefully selected positions to watch the action and get our first sights of these masters of two wheeled monsters, getting to grips with the track and draining every last ounce of speed out of the machinery. We watched as they tested various braking points in the corners in front of us, after screaming down one of the fastest parts of the track at Craig Jones’ corner, named in tribute to the Parkalgar rider who tragically died at Brands Hatch earlier this year. Oh yes – we had picked the right bancada to be in.
Sunday was race day and off we went. We had been listening to the bikes steaming down the A22 for a while, building the excitement and, after a short delay in traffic, we were at the car park and walking to the track. We thought it was quite early but I had forgotten just how early bike fans like to get to the track and the bancada we were in was already full when we arrived. The atmosphere was jovial and picnic boxes were in abundance as people set themselves for the day … and what a day.
The racing was excellent in all classes but the pinnacle was to see a truly outstanding rider, or to use the more appropriate Portuguese word, Pilot, like the newly crowned World Champion, Troy Bayliss, wring the neck of his Ducati and winning by a country mile in both races. It was a privilege to watch the man race and as much as we were cheering for the Brits and later for Miguel Praia the Portuguese Parkalgar rider, it was Bayliss that was the class act and was deservingly the inaugural winner on the new track in his last races before retiring from the sport.
We drove home in the melee of bikes and cars leaving the Autodromo and reflected on the weekend. It is magnificent that we now have such a facility in the Algarve and besides that a track which the riders universally hailed as a great one. There were some problems, that is true and there is still a lot to do before the next event in April, but that will not take away from the experience which was excellent. Well done to all concerned – it was a fabulous weekend. Thank you.
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| NEW DAM IN MONCHIQUE NOW FILLING UP FAST, OPENING THE WAY FOR NEW RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING BOATING AND FISHING!!! |
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| Construction of the new dam in Monchique is now complete, the official opening was in late 2009 and now with the recent rains is filling up fast bringing much needed water to the coastal areas of Algarve. |
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| Monchique, together with other inland areas of the Algarve is now going to benefit from ”Tourism Cash”, that is, more community funding in developing rural areas. Careful and planned investment is always welcome and we see this having a very positive effect on the ”Upper Algarve” especially on the value of property over the next few years. |
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| Pushing rural tourism development forward |
| By: NATASHA SMITH ”Portugal Resident” |
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With the Algarve coast rapidly becoming overdeveloped, the regional development commission (CCDR) is endeavoring to attract more tourists and businesses to inland areas.
In an effort to revitalize the Algarve’s inland towns and villages, the CCDR has announced that tourism will be the main focus for development plans over the next decade but, unlike previous years, CCDR is keen to move tourism away from the coast.
CCDR President, João Faria, told The Resident: “We want to revitalize the inland areas of the Algarve. They have suffered for many years at the hand of population migration towards the sea, where nearly all the development was taking place. Now we are encouraging businesses and developers to move inland.”
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| Green concerns |
The announcement comes at a time that environmentalists are worried about the effect that development has been having on the Algarve coast and the speed that new resorts and developments are being constructed, which is highlighted in the Algarve’s development plan, PROTAL, which came into effect last year.
“The coast is not 100 per cent full but almost,” he said. “PROTAL has placed more rigid limits on coastal development and so it is necessary to focus on the inland areas of the region.”
He told The Resident that he was satisfied with the rural development so far and he was aware of an increasing number of companies choosing to base their offices in inland areas, like Alcoutim and Castro Marim.
Although these companies could benefit from community funds until 2013, Faria said CCDR would not directly allocate funds. Instead, companies could approach CCDR with a proposal to purchase equipment and help to subsidise infrastructural construction.
To drive tourism inland, part of the focus has been directed towards holidaymakers who are interested in nature, walking and being active outdoors. With the creation of the Via Algarviana, which is a 240-km pedestrian route across the Algarve, more tourists have been able to explore the inland areas.
This trend is expected to continue once the Ecovia route across the Algarve is complete in the next few months, especially directed towards active holidaymakers.
CCDR is working closely with many câmaras, especially in the inland areas, to promote fairs and festivals to tourists and residents.
However, Faria said he realises that CCDR faces an uphill battle to encourage economic and tourism development in the Algarve’s inland areas.
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