The action is already underway at the Autódromo do Estoril, where the second round of the 2024 Iberian Supercars and the Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade is happening this weekend. Two non-official test sessions have been conducted to allow teams and drivers to prepare for the qualifications and races.
Lap Times Highlight Intense Competition
Test sessions can always be deceiving, as one never knows under what conditions each car is running. Some teams do not like to show their hand, hiding their true potential, which can often give unrealistic images of the true balance of power.
However, no one refrains from looking at the timing tables to try to understand who might be the most competitive on a circuit that, especially for Portuguese teams, is well known to all.
In the first session, which was significantly shortened due to a red flag, GT4 Pro duo Miguel Lobo and Francisco Mora were the fastest, with a time of 1m46.121s, leaving Bernardo Sousa and Carlos Vieira (Toyota Supra GR GT4) two-tenths of a second behind and Manuel Gião and Mathieu Martins (Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4) five-tenths behind.
In the second session, the protagonists changed substantially, with Stepan Suslov, in an Aston Martin Vantage GT4, setting the best lap at 1m45.722s. The Mirage Racing driver left Bronze drivers Alberto de Martín and Nil Montserrat just one-tenth of a second behind, with the top eleven separated by less than a second.
As expected, the balance of performance is significant, promising highly contested and exciting qualifications and races for the public.
Red Flags and Track
With so many cars on the track, it's nearly impossible to avoid incidents during a test session. Many drivers have complained about traffic, feeling that their laps were compromised.
There were also red flags that caused some disruption to the teams' programs, which will need to continue preparing for the competitive weekend in tomorrow's free practice session.
In the first session, the new generation Aston Martin Vantage GT4 from Araújo Competição spun out, causing a long interruption, and the track was not ready for a restart. In the second session, there were three incidents, but they were much shorter, as it was only necessary to remove cars that had gone off track from the gravel.
A Long Night for Araújo Competição
The most significant incident involved the number 007 Aston Martin from Araújo Competição, which went off track at the Parabólica Interior.
The front end of the English car was damaged, leaving the Lisbon team with a long night of repairs to ensure Bruno Pereira and Gonçalo Araújo can participate in tomorrow's qualification.
On a more positive note, Aston Martin Racing customer department is present at the Estoril and will continue to support the remaining stages of the season with a technical support truck, providing all necessary components for the Vantage's recovery.
Gabriela Correia Sidelined
Unfortunately, Gabriela Correia will not be able to participate in the weekend at Estoril.
The youngster from Braga went off track in the Supercars Jarama RACE at the Circuito de Jarama. The JC Group Racing Team did everything possible to repair the Mercedes AMG GT4 in time for this weekend, but it was impossible due to the late arrival of parts from Germany.
Like Aston Martin Racing, Mercedes AMG and Toyota Gazoo Racing also have technical support trucks here at Estoril, a setup that will remain for the rest of the season's races.
Paddock ready for the public
Only test sessions took place today and the circuit was closed to the public, but the paddock is almost ready to welcome the many fans expected for the weekend.
As well as the teams' spectacular trucks, which are always imposing and eye-catching, you'll also be able to see some of Aston Martin road cars and there will be NAPA activities in the paddock.
A sophisticated giant screen will be available in the catering area, where fans will be able to follow every moment of the races on the programme, and there will also be a mini-kart track for children, so that little ones can take their first laps.
On Sunday, all those in the paddock will be able to take part in the Pit-Walk for Fans, during which they can visit the pit lane and get up close and personal with the drivers and cars.
Access to grandstand A is free, but paddock tickets are already very close to selling out, and there are still a few left for those wishing to take part in the great party that is expected this weekend at the Autódromo do Estoril.
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