Autódromo do Estoril

Interesting facts

At the 1988 Portuguese Grand Prix, Ayrton Senna squeezed his own teammate Alain Prost toward the pit wall at around 280 km/h on the pit straight, missing a collision by inches. Prost still completed the overtake and won the race, but the move poisoned their relationship for good. The circuit was built in 1972 on a rocky plateau near the village of Alcabideche, about 9 kilometers from the resort town of Estoril; Formula 1 did not actually race there until 1984, a full twelve years after it opened. The 1984 Portuguese Grand Prix, the season finale, produced the closest title fight in Formula 1 history: Niki Lauda beat his own McLaren teammate Alain Prost by just half a point, 72 to 71.5. The following year's Portuguese Grand Prix, in 1985, was run in torrential rain. A young Ayrton Senna led from pole to flag, taking the first of his eventual 41 Formula 1 victories. At the 1996 Portuguese Grand Prix, Jacques Villeneuve pulled off a bold outside pass on Michael Schumacher at the final corner while the two lapped a backmarker Minardi. It was Villeneuve's fourth win of the season and kept his title fight with Damon Hill alive all the way to the finale in Suzuka. Through the 1990s the circuit struggled with recurring safety problems; Estoril was dropped from the Formula 1 calendar after the 1996 race, and the Portuguese Grand Prix would not return for decades. The circuit is located in Estoril, Portugal. Formula 1 has raced here since 1984, with 13 races held so far, most recently in 1996. The first race here was won by Alain Prost, in 1984. The most recent winner here was Jacques Villeneuve, in 1996. Alain Prost has won here more than anyone else, 3 times. Among constructors, Williams has been the most successful here, with 6 wins.

Circuit history