"We achieved!". It was with this word, followed by loud applause, that Isilda Gomes, mayor of Portimão, started this afternoon the press conference to officially announce the holding of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Portugal, for the first time, at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve .
The Formula 1 World Championship will return to Portugal on 25 October, 24 years after the last time, but now on the Algarve circuit in Portimão, the organization announced today.
And there's other good news for fans of what is the premiere race of motorsport: there will be people watching the races and tickets are already on sale. The interest in buying them was such that today the Algarve Autodrome website “It even went down, with so many hits at the same time,” said Paulo Pinheiro, director, mentor and dreamer of the Algarve track.
The Secretary of State for Tourism, present at the official announcement that took place in one of the Autodromo's rooms, said that it is "working in various scenarios, with different audience loads", all depending on the epidemiological evolution. Considering that the capacity of the Portimão circuit is for 120 thousand people, the Sul Informação you know that you are working in scenarios of 60 thousand people (half the capacity) or, alternatively, 30 thousand (a quarter).
For his part, in statements to our newspaper, the president of the Algarve Tourism Region revealed that the various scenarios are being studied «with the General Health Department and with international bodies», but always «with all safety conditions, with individualized circuits, distancing, cleaning, with all the maximum requirements, as a proof of these must have».
Mayor Isilda Gomes insisted on explaining her «We did it!». In order to bring the premier motor sport competition to the Algarve circuit, the Portimão Council has already «pre-approved» support of 200 thousand euros, but 500 thousand are needed.
The remaining 300 thousand euros will be guaranteed by the other 15 municipalities in the Algarve region, as confirmed to our newspaper António Miguel Pina and Rui André, president and vice president of the Algarve Intermunicipal Community (AMAL), present at the press conference. “The only thing that remains is to decide what amount each municipality will have, according to its financial capacity,” said António Pina.
But there is still support that will come from the central state. Secretary of State Rita Marques said that Turismo de Portugal has a pre-agreement with the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, to finance the repaving of the track, in a project "estimated at 1,5 million euros".
João Paulo Rebelo, Secretary of State for Sports, took this cooperation to draw attention to this «apparent paradox»: that we were «talking about one of the most competitive sports in the world, but whose competition in the Algarve results from greater cooperation between entities ».
And this happens because, as Isilda Gomes pointed out, including the Algarve in the circus of the Formula 1 World Cup «brings fruit for the Algarve and for the country».
Speaking about the economic impact of the race in the country and region, Secretary of State Rita Marques announced that it will be, "at worst", 30 million euros and, at best, "much higher than that".
João Fernandes, president of the RTA, said: "it is a huge event that takes place in the low season, on the 25th of October, and which has a direct and indirect impact that can reach 80 million euros".
But there is even an economist, Paulo Reis Mourão, who today estimated that the impact of holding a Formula 1 grand prix in Portugal could reach 130 million euros, between direct and indirect gains.
What is certain is that, in October, the teams alone move around 5000 people, who remain in the region "for a week", adding to that "the public that comes specifically for this event, which will transmit the qualities of our tourist destination to the world. . It is an incalculable value».
For this reason, the responsible for the Algarve Tourism Board does not hesitate to say that, «whether at the time of the year or for the specific year we are in, Formula 1 will be a very strong tonic for us to continue to struggle and always work with great strength. to overcome adversity».
Former driver Ni Amorim, now president of the Portuguese Federation of Automobile and Karting (FPAK), which is co-organizer of the race, confessed that it was the first time he was at the Autodromo do Algarve «in a suit and tie». "Generally, it is in fact proof that I have been here."
This manager recalled the months of work that have now culminated in the choice of the Algarve track for this Grand Prix. It all started in March, at the height of the pandemic, when other races began to be canceled around the world. It was then that FPAK sent the FIA and the organizers of the F1 World Cup a letter «saying that we had a fantastic infrastructure in Portugal, capable of hosting Formula 1, if necessary».
The biggest ovation of the afternoon went to Paulo Pinheiro, director of the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and the man who dreamed of this circuit and Formula 1 in the region. Mayor Isilda Gomes had already highlighted his "strength" and "ability to dream", Ni Amorim said that he "is a fighter, not just a dreamer". And the Secretary of State for Tourism pointed out that this could be the fulfillment of the «dream of a lifetime», but also «the dream of many millions of Portuguese who yearned to have this event here».
And what does Paulo Pinheiro himself think? Letting emotion sometimes show in his voice, the Autodromo CEO stressed that “we are going to have a Formula 1 race in our own right. It is not a replacement race. We chose the date we wanted and we are going to run the race as we always wanted to do, with rules, respecting all sanitary procedures, but with the public. A Formula 1 event must have an audience. We wouldn't gladly accept having F1 here again in our country, for the first time on our circuit, but without an audience. It would be a party that wasn't a party, it would be just another event».
Paulo Pinheiro praised the «extremely hard and competent work of all the entities involved: the Portimão Chamber that has always been on our side, the Algarve Tourism, the Portuguese Tourism Board, the DGS», in short, «everyone who worked for define the process so that we can have a public, a very important condition for everyone».
"It was our victory, because, in the middle of the pandemic, we are going to have the public in a correct and safe way," he stressed.
In statements to the Sul Informação, Paulo Pinheiro considered that the coming of the Formula 1 World Cup to the Algarve «is a deserved prize», for «the Portuguese, for the Algarve, who, in such a difficult year, fought so hard for this».
But it will also be an award for riders, teams and fans: «Our circuit is cataloged as one of the best in the world. And in Formula 1, we will see this circuit being explored to the full, in which half of the curves are made at more than 230 km/hour. It is a very demanding, very difficult medium/high speed circuit that will now host a Formula 1 race of the modern era. Everyone will have a unique experience».
O circus of F1 has already started to mess with the Algarve. Our newspaper knows that there are already reservations being made, by fans of this sport, in hotels from the coast of Loulé to Lagos. In the neighboring municipality of Monchique, whose hotel capacity is not large, «there is already a lot reserved», said the Monchique mayor, Rui André.
João Fernandes, president of RTA, also confirmed: "there are several hotels already in demand because of this competition, which has only been officially confirmed today, but which is already generating economy in the territory".
And in the future, what will it be like? Will Formula 1 return to the Algarve?
Ni Amorim, president of FPAK, assured that “this Grand Prix is very well delivered, I have no doubts that it will go well. I just hope this isn't the only one».
For her part, Isilda Gomes was more vehement: “I'm absolutely sure that we're going to have a great race here and that the drivers and teams will miss them so much that they'll want to come back next year. That's what we want».
The secretaries of State for Sport Tourism and the president of Tourism of Portugal took many messages to the prime minister from the Autódromo do Algarve.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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