On October 25, the Formula 1 circus returned to Portugal. Sunday, November 22, it was MotoGP’s turn to delight high speed lovers at the Portimão race track in the Algarve. Two differences in these two; the first was entitled to a public audience, with more than 20 thousand in the stands, while the spectacle of the two wheels had no one watching the triumph of the Portuguese Miguel Oliveira. Thus, there were differences, but there was something that both in October and now in November gathered consensus: the layout of the track is “unique and spectacular”.
The speakers were the speakers. There were no directors, mechanics, sponsors, guests, etc. No, it was those who enjoy the tight curves, the hallucinating straights. It was those who provided the spectacle for millions. And in fact, this route is “unique and spectacular”. And for those who don’t know, it was designed by the Portuguese. There was no need to recruit foreign architects to make the Portimão race track the best in the world. And it is, in fact, the best speed track in the world.
Ironically, the best track in the world was only entitled to receive the world of speed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In Formula 1 and MotoGP, unfortunately, interests go beyond what really matters, in this case the track. F1 and MotoGP leaders are racing around the world looking for new tracks, but a few million euros must be attached to them, this is the harsh reality. Even if you ask Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Valentino Rossi, Franco Morbidelli, among others, the Portimão track would be on the calendar for the next season and for the future. And again, the reality is that, for the moment, it is not. He really missed out, at least as far as Formula 1 is concerned, and MotoGP has a great chance of returning next year.
It is not by chance that they speak of the track at the Portimão race track as the ‘Russian Mountain’. There are ascents, descents, chances of a thousand and one overtaking, and there is a straight line of departure and arrival like no other in the world. There is so much boring track that it has remained on F1 calendars for years and the best in the world will be left out. Perhaps, one day, if oil is found on the Portuguese coast, the best riders in the world will have the pleasure of racing once a year on the best track in the world.
