F1 Portuguese GP: Truck-Spotting with Nuno Portugal

We have already reacted to the Portuguese Grand Prix announcement a couple of months ago – https://iberianmph.com/2020/07/27/he-said/ – and voilà, the time is now and now is the time, as they say.

F1 teams are finally starting to arrive at the circuit, in Portimão. The first of many at the Southern Portuguese track, hopefully.

It’s really hard to believe that it’s been what, 24 years since the last GP in Estoril, which in my book will forever remain the spiritual home of the race, it will never be beaten in terms of awesome memories. But we do have a lot of historic events happening in Estoril and you can tell it needs a desperate update in the facilities department if it’s to compete for a spot on the F1 (Formula E?) calendar in the near future.

Algarve, Estoril’s very promising hotshot cousin, definitely has the upper hand over the classic Portuguese venue when it comes to space. Although Estoril is quite cosy and the atmosphere is always fabulous, I can’t stress that enough; with a bit of investment and a clear management it can compete against any modern track in the world.

Moving on to Portimão, the weather could be a factor…

https://www.ipma.pt/en/otempo/prev.localidade.hora/#Faro&Portim%C3%A3o

A few surprises in store perhaps? A win for Daniil Kvyat now that Gasly won one and has one in the AlphaTauri AWRAP V1.Y4.01 Waterproof Roll bag… How about a maiden podium for Haas? Only one car finishing the race? (Gotta be Kimi.) That would be a record that’s hard to beat… Well, should hungry-for-F1 fans be allowed in the grandstands (we’re hearing DGS/Public Health Department is undecided on that one), we want all 20 cars and their respective HALOs in it by the race’s end.

Will Formula E champ and Comendador da Ordem do Mérito, AFC (Félix da Costa), take part in the proceedings?

Will Will Buxton be back? Won’t he?

I remember asking the fastest Swede in the world, another Felix, but this time Rosenqvist, what’s the secret to a decent lap around Portimão? Said Felix: “Here, at AIA, you have to be nice and tidy everywhere, otherwise you’d lose time.”

I’m two hundred per cent buzzing with excitement peeps! Like, you can’t imagine how F1-buzzed I am.

And coming to us LIVE are these fantastic images of team trucks from Portimão, courtesy of Nuno Portugal who is a friend of the show and a lifelong F1 fan.

Portugal the Man endorses the Portuguese Grand Prix, it simply doesn’t get better than that!