“Batmobile” and Morgan Share the Carrera 80 Wins at the Algarve Classic Festival

With a grid packed with stunning Touring Cars and GT machinery, the Carrera 80 delivered two excellent races as part of the Algarve Classic Festival programme. A BMW 3.0 CSL and a Morgan Plus 8, two cars rarely seen competing in Iberian racing, came out on top on the rollercoaster circuit of the Algarve International Circuit.

On Friday morning, with inviting weather conditions for both spectators and drivers, the competitive field took to the track for qualifying. Mike Manning quickly climbed to the top of the timesheets at the wheel of his Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth, improving his best lap time as the session progressed before securing pole position. Alongside him on the grid was the BMW 3.0 CSL shared by Ross and Nick Hyett. The next places went to Steve Dance in a Ford Capri RS2600 and the pairing of Marc Devis and Nick Padmore in a Ford Escort RS1800 Group 2.

As expected, once the lights went out for the opening race, the four British cars broke clear at the front of the field, with the Texaco-liveried Sierra RS500 pulling away from its rivals. Behind him, Steve Dance snatched second place from the Hyett family's BMW, while a three-way battle, also involving the Escort RS1800, provided plenty of entertainment. Unfortunately, on lap three, an injector problem slowed the Capri RS2600, and on the following lap the Equipe Classic car returned to the pits and retired.

Until the mandatory pit stops, the BMW, prepared by Pegasus Classic Engineering, steadily closed the gap to the Sierra, which was no longer showing the same early-race pace. The blue oval machine subsequently returned to the pits and failed to reappear. The same misfortune had already befallen its rival in the T-Max class, Fernando Espírito Santo and Pedro Mello Breyner's formidable BMW 635 CSi, which had suffered a broken gear lever.

Having taken the lead in the second half of the race, the Hyett family's 'Batmobile' pulled clear and cruised to victory, securing an emphatic Group 2 win.

Second place went to Richard and William Plant's Morgan Plus 8, which had spent the first half of the race locked in a three-way battle with Luís Nunes' Ford Escort RS1600 and the Ferrari 308 GTB shared by John Dickson and Paul Whight. Following the pit stops, the Morgan pulled away to claim the GT Copa victory, while Olivier Muytjens and Brice Pineau produced an impressive recovery drive in their Porsche 911 3.0 RS to take second in the class. The final step of the podium went to the British pairing in the 'Cavallino Rampante'.

Growing stronger as the race progressed, local racer Luís Nunes fought his way to second place in Group 2, while Marc Devis and Nick Padmore completed the class podium, ahead of Manuel Ferrão in the ex-Rodam Ford Escort.

In Saturday morning's race, under glorious Algarve autumn sunshine, Ross and Nick Hyett again made a strong start from pole position. Behind them, the Plant family's Morgan Plus 8 kept within striking distance despite an initial battle with the immaculate Ferrari 308 GTB. In the second half of the race, however, the order was reversed as the Morgan Plus 8 took the lead and held it until the chequered flag fell at the end of the 40-minute contest, earning a well-deserved victory and another GT Copa win.

Olivier Muytjens and Brice Pineau finished second in their Porsche 911 3.0 RS. The HY Racing team produced a spectacular recovery after receiving a drive-through penalty early in the race for an incorrect grid position.

This time, Ross and Nick Hyett were third across the line, but they secured victory in the highly competitive Group 2 class, finishing a comfortable ten seconds ahead of the experienced pairing of Marc Devis and Nick Padmore.

Manuel Ferrão took third in the class, benefiting from a 39-second penalty imposed on Luís Nunes for failing to comply with the mandatory pit-stop time.

Arlindo Beça and Canadian newcomer John Hawkes, making a welcome return to the Carrera 80 with the ex-Portuguese one-make series Toyota Carina E, won the T-2000 class in both races. They first put pressure on the VW Golf GTI Mk1 driven by António Duarte and Rui Moura in the opening race, before delivering a consistent performance in the second.

Fernando Espírito Santo and Pedro Mello Breyner were forced to retire after just two laps, once again with a broken gear lever, but were nevertheless awarded victory in the T-Max class.

The 2026 Carrera 80 season will conclude from 4 to 6 December at the Estoril Circuit, where two closely fought races are expected as part of the Estoril Endurance Festival.