VILA REAL: MORA AND ALMEIDA CLAIM HARD-FOUGHT VICTORY IN RACE 1

Francisco Mora and Rodrigo Almeida secured a hard-fought victory in the opening GT4 race of the third round of the Supercars Endurance series, staged on Saturday on the demanding streets of the Circuito Internacional de Vila Real in Portugal as part of the Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade and the 55th Circuito Internacional de Vila Real.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal pairing prevailed after fifty minutes of high-intensity racing, featuring relentless pace, numerous on-track battles and minimal gaps between the leading contenders, once again underlining the remarkable competitiveness that has characterised the season.

In front of tens of thousands of spectators lining the streets of the historic street circuit, the race once again showcased the exceptional standard of the GT4 field. On a track where even the slightest mistake can have immediate consequences, the teams delivered an enthralling contest from lights out to the chequered flag.

Francisco Mora made an excellent start, maintaining the lead ahead of José Carlos Pires in the second Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, giving Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal complete control of the opening phase of the race. Behind the leading pair, their closest rivals remained within striking distance, aware that the mandatory pit stops could prove decisive.

When the pit window opened for the driver changes, an incident involving Vítor Costa, who went off the circuit in his Monteiros Competições Porsche 911, prompted many teams to pit earlier than planned, anticipating a possible Safety Car intervention. However, the neutralisation never materialised, allowing the different strategic approaches to play out throughout the second half of the race.

Following the driver changes, Mozambique's Rodrigo Almeida retained the lead but soon came under heavy pressure from the sister Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal entry, now driven by Francisco Abreu. Despite running nose to tail, the team's drivers respected a non-aggression agreement, prioritising the overall result and maximising championship points.

That situation allowed Pedro Salvador to close the gap. The Speedy Motorsport driver was the fastest man on track during the closing stages and piled the pressure on Francisco Abreu. In the final laps, he attempted an ambitious move under braking into the Descida de Mateus chicane. The two Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2s made slight contact during the manoeuvre, but both drivers managed to keep control of their cars and held their respective positions until the chequered flag.

Francisco Mora and Rodrigo Almeida therefore secured overall victory, extending their championship lead. They were followed by the second Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal entry, shared by Francisco Abreu and José Carlos Pires, who also claimed victory in GT4 Pro-Bronze, while César Machado and Pedro Salvador completed the overall podium.

Young debutants Luís Aguiar and Rafael Rajani secured third place in GT4 Pro, taking the SMC Motorsport - McLaren Barcelona McLaren Artura GT4 to the class podium after a consistent performance on one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar.

José Carlos Pires and Francisco Abreu claimed victory in GT4 Pro-Bronze after a very solid race. Orlando Batina and series returnee Sérgio Azevedo finished second in class, once again demonstrating Batina Racing's competitiveness on the streets of Vila Real.

In GT4 Bronze, Vasco Oliveira and returning driver Manuel Gião once again confirmed Racar Motorsport's strong potential. The Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO pairing controlled the class race and secured an important victory over their direct rivals, crossing the finish line in fourth place overall. Ricardo Costa and Bruno Pires, who enjoyed an entertaining battle with experienced German driver Hendrik Still, delivered an impressive performance in the Speedy Motorsport Porsche Cayman RS CS, finishing second in class.

Miguel and André Nabais completed the class podium in the Gianfranco Motorsport Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 after a highly consistent drive. However, they lost second place in the closing stages after making contact with the barriers, which damaged their Japanese GT4 car.

Portuguese gentleman driver Rúben Vaquinhas also stood out by completing the race single-handedly in the Gianfranco Motorsport-prepared Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, showing a clear improvement in pace compared to 2025.

GTC / Touring Cars: Gabriel Caçoilo and Ángel Santos Come Out on Top

GTX provided some of the most entertaining battles of the race. Gabriel Caçoilo and Ángel Santos confirmed the pace they had shown throughout the weekend by taking the Chefo Sport by Petrogold Ligier JS2 R to victory in class after a highly consistent performance on a circuit where both were competing for the first time. At several points, they were even able to challenge some of the fastest GT4 cars.

Britain's Will Hunt and Lebanon's Stephanie Hobeika produced an excellent performance on a circuit completely new to them, finishing second in class aboard one of the TRS Team McLaren 570S GT4s, ahead of José Maria Marreiros and Artur Ferreira. The Veloso Motorsport pairing displayed strong pace in their Ligier JS2 R, consolidating their position among the class frontrunners.

In the Cup division, local hero André Fernandes once again confirmed his outstanding form. The AF Motorsport driver guided his Porsche 911 Cup to another class victory, defeating Adam Fawsitt, who finished second in the Art of Speed Porsche 911 Cup despite experiencing technical issues in the closing stages. Vítor Costa had been in contention for second place before contact forced his retirement.

Among the Touring Cars, Daniel Teixeira once again demonstrated why he leads the class. The JT59 Racing driver took his Hyundai Elantra N TCR to victory in class after overcoming the mechanical issues that had compromised the start of his weekend and forced him to start from the back of the grid. The Murça driver even challenged for fourth place overall before having to make an unscheduled pit stop to replace a punctured tyre.

Michel Fernandes and Charles Valentiny secured second place in their Peugeot 308 TCR, delivering an important result on the team's Vila Real debut. Frederico Formiga finished third in class aboard the Art of Speed SEAT León Supercopa MK2 after a consistent race in which he battled the J. Santos Competição Peugeot throughout for second among the Touring Cars.

António Duarte brought the TRS Team McLaren 570S GT4, which had previously only competed in the Vila Real Historic Car event, home in 18th place after a weekend that had begun with contact during free practice.

The second race of the weekend will take place on Sunday from 2:30 pm, with live coverage on DAZN Portugal and DAZN Spain. International coverage will also be available through Race Ready's digital platforms in both Spanish and English, alongside dedicated broadcasts for Germany on Motorsport TV Deutschland, Italy on Parc Fermé TV, and Brazil on Breaking Zone TV.