Circuito Internacional de Vila Real

Circuito International de Vila Real
Urban Circuit (2007–present)
Location Vila Real, Portugal
Time zone WET (UTC+0)
WEST (April-October, UTC+1)
FIA Grade 3
Opened 15 June 1931 (re-opened 2007)
Closed 1991
Major events Current:
Classic Endurance Racing (2024)
Former:
WTCR Race of Portugal (2018–2019, 2022)
WTCC Race of Portugal (2015–2017)
ETC (2016–2017)
Website http://www.civr.pt/
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, TC1)
Old Urban Circuit (1958–1991)
Length 6.925 km (4.303 miles)
Race lap record 2:19.920 ( Carlos Gaspar, Lola T292, 1973, Group 5)
Original Urban Circuit (1931–1953)
Length 7.200 km (4.474 miles)
Race lap record 3:51.750 ( Giovanni Bracco, Ferrari 212 Export Vignale Barchetta, 1951, Sports car racing)

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.

The circuit

1958 urban circuit layout of the Vila Real Circuit (1958–1991)

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.

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.

It's considered one of the most challenging tracks, due to its corners, high speed and drivers being very close to the barriers.

Lap records

As of July 2022, the fastest 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)
TC1 1:57.929 Robert Huff Citroën C-Elysée WTCC 2017 FIA WTCC Race of Portugal
TCR Touring Car 2:01.525 Robert Huff CUPRA León Competición TCR 2022 FIA WTCR Race of Portugal
GT4 2:02.852 Patrick Cunha Audi R8 LMS GT4 2023 Vila Real CPV round
Super 2000 2:04.903 Petr Fulín SEAT León Cup Racer 2016 Vila Real ETC round
Super 1600 2:19.656 Niklas Mackschin Ford Fiesta 1.6 16V 2016 Vila Real ETC round
Old Urban Circuit: 6.925 km (1958–1991)
Group 5 sports prototype 2:19.920 Carlos Gaspar Lola T292 1973 Vila Real International race
Group 5 sports car 2:27.240 Mário Cabral Porsche 917 K 1971 Vila Real sports car race
Group 4 2:28.900 Frank Gardner Lola T70 Mk.IIIB GT 1969 Vila Real 6 Hours
Formula Three 2:33.620 Manfred Mohr Tecno TF/68 1968 Vila Real European F3 round
Group 5 special production 2:40.900 Jorge Petiz Porsche 935 K2 1981 Vila Real Group 5 race
Sports car racing 2:55.000 Stirling Moss Maserati 300S 1958 Vila Real sports car race
Original Urban Circuit: 7.200 km (1933–1953)
Sports car racing 3:51.750 Giovanni Bracco Ferrari 212 Export Vignale Barchetta 1951 Vila Real sports car race

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 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 prototypes
2008 41st César Campaniço BMW 320si PTCC
Francisco Carvalho SEAT Leon Supercopa
Pedro Salvador Juno SSE GT & Sports prototypes
Pedro Salvador Juno SSE GT & Sports prototypes
2009 42nd César Campaniço BMW 320si PTCC
João Figueiredo Peugeot 407 S200
Francisco Martins Porsche 997 GT & Sports prototypes
Francisco Martins Porsche 997
2010 43rd José Monroy Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX PTCC
José Monroy Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
Pedro Salvador Juno SSE Sports prototypes
César Campaniço

João Figueiredo

Audi R8 LMS GT
2014 44th Pedro Salvador

Carlos Vieira

Tatuus PY012 Sports prototypes
Pedro Salvador

Carlos Vieira

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
2022 51st Santiago Urrutia Lynk & Co WTCR
Robert Huff CUPRA
2023 52ª José Carlos Pires
Francisco Abreu
BMW M4 GT4 (G82) Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade
Patrick Cunha
Jorge Rodrigues
Audi R8 LMS GT4
  International Event