SIX THINGS WE LEARNED FROM THE OFFICIAL ESTORIL TEST DAY

The Supercars Endurance series Official Pre-Season Test took place yesterday at the Autódromo do Estoril, in a day marked by strong participation and several developments across the paddock, offering an early glimpse of what promises to be a particularly dynamic 2026 season of Iberian Supercars, the Campeonato de España de Supercars and Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade.

A total of 13 teams and 22 cars took to the track during the test day, comprising 11 GT4 cars, nine GTC entries and two Touring Cars. These figures confirm the championship’s strong health and the growing interest from teams eager to prepare as thoroughly as possible for what is expected to be a highly competitive campaign, especially in a year when the grid split between GT4 and the Touring Cars and GTC categories reshapes the sporting landscape.

1)   Busy off-season in the GTC and Touring Car

The Cup division attracted particular attention following several significant changes. Adam Fawsitt has joined Art of Speed, where he will compete at the wheel of a Porsche 911 Cup. Meanwhile, Dave Benett and Marcus Fothergill will team up at Protech Motorsport, continuing with their familiar Porsche 911 Cup. The team will also field Lucas Fothergill, Marcus’s son, who will share a Ferrari 430 Challenge with Pedro Paiva Raposo. The squad is also expected to run a second Maranello machine during the season.

For many of these teams, the test provided their first opportunity to get acquainted with the Hankook tyres that will equip the GTC and Touring categories this year.

Also noteworthy was the debut of Irish driver Nicole Drought with one of the Art of Speed Porsche 911 Cup cars, as well as the presence of João Castanheira, who tested the SEAT León Supercopa Mk.2 entered by the Coimbra-based outfit in his first outing with the Spanish machine.

Chefo Sport was also present with three Ligier JS2 R cars, using the session to evaluate drivers for the upcoming campaign, with Máximo Varela and Gabriel Caçoilo among those taking part. The Spanish team is expanding its line-up this year and positions itself as one of the contenders for top honours in the GTX division.

2) Carlos Vieira exploring a potential return

Another point of interest was the presence of Carlos Vieira, who took to the track in one of Veloso Motorsport’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport entries.

The Braga-born driver, a former Portuguese rally champion, has previously competed in the series, driving a Racar Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 in 2023 and a Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO with Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal in 2024. He has yet to decide on a return in 2026, with this test serving as an opportunity to evaluate that possibility.

It is worth noting that Luís Veloso’s team, celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, won one of the races during the 2025 season finale at Estoril.

3) SMC Motorsport targeting a three-car line-up

SMC Motorsport – McLaren Barcelona, one of the longest-serving teams in Supercars Endurance, attended the test with two McLaren Artura GT4 cars, one of them with virtually zero mileage.

Team principal Emilio de Villota, who has yet to reveal his drivers for the 2026 season, expressed confidence that the team will run three cars, each entered in a different division.

The Spanish outfit’s McLarens were not the only ones on track, as series newcomer Zome Racing continued its learning programme with the McLaren 570S GT4, which will compete in the GTX division.

4) Speedy Motorsport to unveil new livery

Speedy Motorsport was present with a Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 and a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, both driven by team owner and experienced racer Pedro Salvador.

The Portuguese team will hold its official season launch on 1 April, when it will reveal its driver line-ups. However, during the test day it also became clear that Speedy Motorsport will compete with a new livery, much closer to the team’s traditional colours.

5) Monteiros Competições evaluate an Aston Martin

Monteiros Competições brought the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 operated by Araújo Competição that claimed the 2023 GTX title in the hands of Fernando Soares and Álvaro Ramos.

The British built car was driven by Henrique Moura Oliveira and Chloe Grant, who competed for the team last season with a BMW M4 GT4 (F82) in the GTX division. Both drivers expressed satisfaction with the Aston Martin’s behaviour, making it a potential option under consideration for the upcoming season and a step up to the GT4 class.

6) FPAK Junior Team selection process underway

The FPAK Junior Team programme once again attracted strong interest, with more than twenty candidates competing for a place in the two BMW M2 Racing cars that will form part of the programme in 2026.

During the test promoted by the Portuguese ASN, drivers were evaluated by César Campaniço, running at the wheel of a Ginetta G40 operated by Befast Motorsport.

Initial impressions point to a new generation of drivers with considerable potential, with the announcement of the four selected drivers expected soon. Those taking part in the evaluation included Diego Sirgado (24), Bernardo Passanha (22), Afonso Natário (19), Gonçalo Moura (19), Nathan Corbet (17), André Quaresma (21), Guilherme Matos (19), and Pedro Nunes (15).

NEXT STOP

The 2026 Supercars Endurance season will get underway on 16–17 May at the Algarve International Circuit, launching a calendar that runs through to December and is set to further consolidate the sustained growth of the Iberian Peninsula’s leading circuit series.