Carrera 80 Delivers Two Intense Races at the Algarve Classic Festival

As part of the Algarve Classic Festival programme, the Carrera 80 once again thrilled spectators with two action-packed races, with British newcomer Rob Cull claiming a remarkable double victory at the ever-majestic Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.

Qualifying for the first race — open to Touring and GT cars built between 1976 and the early 1990s — turned out to be the closest of the season so far, with the two fastest drivers separated by just 0.020 seconds. The Ford Escort RS1800, meticulously prepared by Classic Racing and driven by Rob Cull, secured pole position, edging out Diogo Cavaco’s BMW 325i E36 by a mere two hundredths of a second. The second row was filled by Luís Nunes (Ford Escort RS1600), another newcomer to the grid, and the Franco-Belgian pairing of Brice Pineau and Olivier Muytjens (Porsche 911 RS).

With the track drying after a morning shower and sunlight breaking timidly through the clouds, Saturday morning’s race began under challenging but exciting conditions. Rob Cull made full use of his prime starting position, setting a strong early pace to pull clear of the pack. Behind him, two other front-runners were on the charge — Pedro Poças, making his debut in a Porsche 944, and Miguel Garcia, returning to the Carrera 80 at the wheel of his striking BMW 635 CSI. Interestingly, all three men would lead the race at different stages over the intense forty minutes, only briefly interrupted by a Safety Car period.

After losing the lead on lap seven, Cull — who also set the fastest lap — had to dig deep to catch Miguel Garcia. The Portuguese driver, running on semi-slick Toyo R888 tyres, had a 55-second shorter mandatory pit stop than those on slicks, adding a strategic twist to the race. In the end, all three had reason to celebrate, taking victory in their respective classes: GR2, T-MAX, and GT COPA.

The battles were not limited to the front of the field. All throughout the grid, fierce duels kept the crowd entertained, with César Freitas (BMW 323i) and Manuel Ferrão (Ford Escort RS1800) joining the GR2 podium, while Pineau/Muytjens (Porsche 911 RS) and Cavaco (BMW 325i E36) impressed in GT COPA — though Cavaco’s promising run was hindered by an electrical issue.

On Sunday afternoon, now running slick tyres on his Ford Escort, Rob Cull dominated the first half of the race, opening a substantial gap to second place. However, after the pit stops and handicap adjustments, Miguel Garcia’s shorter stop allowed him to take the lead. Both drivers maintained a relentless pace, each managing tyre wear differently due to their contrasting setups.

On the penultimate lap, the experienced Brit — his rear tyres on the limit — managed to close in on the BMW 635 CSI and make the decisive move down the main straight, sealing both overall victory and another GR2 win. Miguel Garcia crossed the line second after an excellent drive, once again winning the T-MAX class.

Pedro Poças repeated his Saturday result, finishing third and taking back-to-back GT COPA victories with the Porsche 944. Pineau and Muytjens finished runners-up in class after recovering twenty seconds of handicap time, but a pit stop infringement earned them a drive-through penalty that cost them the win. Diogo Cavaco, who had briefly led the class early on, finished sixth overall.

It was also a day of celebration for César Freitas and Manuel Ferrão, who once again completed the GR2 podium in second and third, respectively.

Arlindo Bessa, in his Toyota Carina E — a winning car from the 1990s Portuguese one-make cup Toyota Carina Trophy — overcame electrical issues that had plagued his recent outings to complete both 40-minute races and take a double victory in the T-2000 class.

Unopposed in GR1, the Iberian duo Guillermo Velasco and Francisco Freitas (Datsun 1200) took two comfortable class wins, while enjoying close battles with Francisco Moreno’s “Spanish” Ford Capri from GR2.

As a guest entry, Spanish driver Antonio Escalante had fun at the wheel of a Hyundai Coupé, finishing seventh and fifth overall across the two races.

The 2025 Iberian Carrera 80 season will conclude with two final races at the Endurance Estoril Festival, taking place on the weekend of 29–30 November at the Autódromo do Estoril.