Circuito Internacional de Vila Real
The Circuito Internacional de Vila Real is a 4.785 km (2.973 mi) temporary street circuit in Vila Real, Portugal. This circuit was used for car and moto races.
 | |
| Location | Vila Real, Portugal |
|---|---|
| Time zone | GMT |
| Opened | 1931 (re-opened 2007) |
| Closed | 1991 |
| Major events | WTCR Race of Portugal (2015–2019, 2022) |
| Urban Circuit (2007–present) | |
| Length | 4.785 km (2.974 miles) |
| Turns | 24 |
| Race lap record | 1:57.929 ( Robert Huff, Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, 2017, WTCC) |
| Old Urban Circuit (1958–1991) | |
| Length | 6.925 km (4.303 miles) |
| Original Urban Circuit (1931–1953) | |
| Length | 7.200 km (4.474 miles) |
| Website | www |
The circuit
The circuit layout has suffered several changes through the times. Started as a 7.370 km (4.580 mi) street circuit in 1931, it was later reduced to a 6.925 km (4.303 mi) version in the 1950s, which lasted until 1991, with small chances in some corner, chicanes introduction and start/finish line being moved forward.[1]
After a deadly accident in 1991, no race would take place in this circuit until 2007, after a length reduction to a 4.785 km (2.973 mi) long renovated layout. From the original circuit, remains the up and downhill section, from turn 6 (Boque), until turn 19, that drivers used to turn left. This section also gives the track big elevation changes.[2]
It's considered one of the most challenging tracks, due to its corners, high speed and drivers being very close to the barriers.[3]
Lap records
The official race lap records at the Circuito Internacional de Vila Real are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Circuit: 4.785 km (2007–present) | ||||
| WTCC | 1:57.929[4] | Robert Huff | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 2017 FIA WTCC Race of Portugal |
| TCR Touring Car | 2:02.360[5] | Mikel Azcona | CUPRA León TCR | 2019 FIA WTCR Race of Portugal |
Winners
| Season | Edition | Driver | Car/Motor | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | 1st |  Gaspar Sameiro Ercílio Barbosa |
Ford A | |
| 1932 | 2nd | Vasco Sameiro |
Invicta | |
| 1933 | 3rd | Vasco Sameiro |
Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza | |
| 1934 | 4th | António Guedes de Herédia |
Bugatti T35B | |
| 1935 | Not held | |||
| 1936 | 5th | Adolfo Ferreirinha |
Ford V8 | |
| 1937 | 6th | Casimiro de Oliveira |
Jaguar SS100 | |
| 1938 | 7th | Vasco Sameiro |
Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza | |
| 1939-48 | Not held | |||
| 1949 | 8th | José Cabral |
Allard K1 | |
| 1950 | 9th |  Piero Carini |
OSCA | Sport |
| 1951 | 10th | Giovanni Bracco |
Ferrari 212 Export Barchetta | Sport |
| 1952 | 11th | Antonio Stagnoli |
Ferrari 225 S Spider | Sport |
| 1953-57 | Not held | |||
| 1958 | 12th | Stirling Moss |
Maserati 300S | Sport |
| 1966 | 13th | John Miles |
Ford Cortina Lotus | Touring car |
| John Fenning |
Brabham BT18 - Ford/Cosworth | Formula Three | ||
| 1967 | 14th | Mike de Udy |
Lola T70 MkII Chevrolet | Sport |
| Chris Williams |
Brabham BT21 - Ford/Holbay | Formula Three | ||
| 1968 | 15th | Mike de Udy |
Lola T70 MkII Chevrolet | Sport |
 Reine Wisell |
Tecno 68 - Ford/Novamotor | Formula Three | ||
| 1969 | 16th | Chris Craft David Piper |
Porsche 908/2 | 6 hour/Endurance |
| 1970 | 17th | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Teddy Pilette Gustave Gosselin |
Lola T70 MkII Chevrolet | 500 km/Endurance |
| 1971 | 18th |  Jorge Bagration |
Porsche 908/2 | Sports |
| 1972 | 19th |  Claude Swietlick |
Lola T290 Ford | Sports |
| 1973 | 20th | Carlos Gaspar |
Lola T292 Ford | Sports |
| 1979 | 21st | Robert Giannone |
Porsche 935 | |
| 1980 | 22nd | António Barros |
Porsche 935 | |
| 1981 | 23rd | Robert Giannone |
Porsche 935 | |
| 1982 | 24th | Mário Silva |
Ford Escort RS 1800 Mk 2 | |
| 1983 | 25th | António Taveira |
BMW M1 | |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 2007 | 40th | Francisco Carvalho |
SEAT Leon Supercopa | PTCC |
| César Campaniço |
BMW 320si | |||
| Pedro Salvador |
Juno SSE | Sports protypes | ||
| 2008 | 41st | César Campaniço |
BMW 320si | PTCC |
| Francisco Carvalho |
SEAT Leon Supercopa | |||
| Pedro Salvador |
Juno SSE | GT & Sports protypes | ||
| Pedro Salvador |
Juno SSE | GT & Sports protypes | ||
| 2009 | 42nd | César Campaniço |
BMW 320si | PTCC |
| João Figueiredo |
Peugeot 407 S200 | |||
| Francisco Martins |
Porsche 997 | GT & Sports protypes | ||
| Francisco Martins |
Porsche 997 | |||
| 2010 | 43rd | José Monroy |
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | PTCC |
| José Monroy |
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | |||
| Pedro Salvador |
Juno SSE | Sports protypes | ||
| César Campaniço
|
Audi R8 LMS | GT | ||
| 2014 | 44th | Pedro Salvador
|
Tatuus PY012 | Sports protypes |
| Pedro Salvador
|
Tatuus PY012 | |||
| 2015 | 45th |  José María López |
Citroën |
WTCC |
 Ma Qing Hua |
Citroën | |||
| 2016 | 46th |  Tom Coronel |
 Chevrolet |
WTCC |
| Tiago Monteiro |
 Honda | |||
| 2017 | 47th |  Mehdi Bennani |
Citroën |
WTCC |
 Norbert Michelisz |
Honda | |||
| 2017 | 48th | |||
| 2018 | 49th | Yvan Muller |
 Hyundai |
WTCR |
 Mat'o Homola |
Peugeot | |||
| Thed Björk |
Hyundai | |||
| 2019 | 50th | Tiago Monteiro |
Honda |
WTCR |
| Mikel Azcona |
Cupra | |||
| Norbert Michelisz |
Hyundai | |||
| 2020 | 51st | Cancelled due to Coronavirus pandemic | WTCR | |
References
- "Vila Real". RacingCircuits.info. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- "Circuit Internacional de Vila Real - The Heart of Racing in Portugal". SnapLap. 2016-06-10. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- Rodgers, Richard (2018-06-15). "Race preview: Vila Real deal Ehrlacher leads the WTCR charge to the home of the joker lap". FIA WTCR | World Touring Car Cup. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- "2017 FIA WTCC Race of Portugal Statistics". Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- "WTCR Race of Portugal 2019". Retrieved 19 December 2021.