Algarve Classic Festival Draws to a Close, with Return Confirmed for 2027
With a wide variety of races on the programme, the 2026 Algarve Classic Festival came to a celebratory close, turning the Algarve International Circuit back into a showcase of motorsport’s glorious past. Bathed in glorious autumn sunshine, the event delighted everyone who visited Portugal.
All told, the event, co-organised by Race Ready and the Algarve International Circuit, brought together more than 200 cars, over 300 drivers from 30 different countries and more than 8,000 spectators at Portimão’s spectacular circuit. They were treated to a packed programme featuring prototypes, GTs, Touring Cars and even single-seaters.
The open-cockpit prototypes of the Equipe Sports Prototype series were the first to take to the track. Graham Hofmans, at the wheel of a Revolution 500 EVO, took victory ahead of Phil Brown in a Radical SR3 SRX and James Abbott in a Revolution HyperSport. Abbott, after all, is one of the marque’s co-founders.
Next up were the GTs and prototypes of the British-based GT & Sports Car Cup, which contested a two-hour race that marked the end of its twentieth season. Combining speed with strategy, Connor Kay and Dominic Mooney guided their Lotus Elan 26R to victory. Justin Maeers and Ben Maeers finished second in a Cooper T49 Monaco. The leading two cars traded the lead during the race before crossing the finish line just eleven seconds apart. Ross Hyett, Charlie Hyett and Nick Hyett completed the podium, also driving a Lotus Elan 26R.
The first half of the day concluded with the Iberian Historic Endurance 2 (HE2) race, reserved for cars in the GTP & SC, H-1971 and H-1976 categories. As expected, the Ford GT40s took control at the front, with Paulo Lima and the pairing of Alex Collins and Martin Stretton leading the way. Paulo Lima was first to take the chequered flag, but a penalty for failing to meet the mandatory pit-stop time handed victory to the identical car shared by the British duo. Portugal’s Carlos Barbot and Filipe Campos, in a Merlyn Mk4, fought their way through the field to finish second.
The second Historic Endurance 1 (HE1) race, for the Gentleman Driver Spirit (GDS) and H-1965 categories, featured more than fifty cars, once again making it one of the most entertaining races to watch. A thrilling finish and several changes of position among the leaders kept spectators on their toes. In a contest that went right down to the chequered flag, Olivier Muytjens and Brice Pineau came out on top in a Shelby Cobra Daytona, beating Jac Meeuwissen and Ties Meeuwissen in an identical car. Connor Kay and Dominic Mooney returned to the podium in the same Lotus Elan 26R that had won the GT & Sports Car Cup race.
The Single Seater Series, Portugal’s only single-seater championship, brought together some of the most illustrious names in the history of junior formula racing, including Tatuus, Mygale, Swift, Ralt and Van Diemen. In the second race of the weekend, André Pardal started from pole position and was never seriously challenged, securing his second win. Fernando Laranjo made a blistering start to move into second place in his former Fórmula Novis by Ford single-seater, but was eventually overhauled by the pack of Tatuus FR2.0 cars. Duarte Pires finished second, with João Vasconcelos completing the podium.
The Group 1 Portugal and Troféu Mini field contested both of its races. The morning race produced a Ford Escort 1-2-3, with Rui Azevedo taking the win ahead of Vasco Monory/François Monory and Nuno Breda/João Moreira. In the final race of the programme, Rui Azevedo repeated the feat, this time finishing ahead of Pedro Gordo/Ruben Ferreira’s Porsche 928 and Nuno Breda/João Moreira.
The centrepiece of this feast of motorsport was served late yesterday afternoon, with the 300km Algarve Sports Cars race. Kyle Tilley and Phil Keen were the overall winners in a Chevron B19 after a race packed with incident that put the teams’ strategies to the test. Five cars took turns at the front, but in the end the British pairing prevailed. With headlights blazing as the cars crossed the finish line, in true endurance-racing style, Joel Hopwood and Oliver Bryant took second place in a Chevron B8, while Georg Kjallgren and Roger Wills finished third in a Daren Mk2. Olivier Muytjens and Brice Pineau, at the wheel of a Porsche 911 3.0 RS, won the GT and Touring Car class.
As the curtain falls on this year’s event, one thing is already certain: the Algarve Classic Festival will return next year, from 29 to 31 October 2027.