Lamera Cup – The art of finding legendary circuits

We're talking about a time that those under forty cannot know. That of the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, contested in appalling conditions. Under endless downpours, when visibility was practically reduced to zero (Safety Cars did not exist and neither were the starts postponed due to bad weather), a man would mark the race with his immense talent and open one of the most glorious chapters in the history of the F1 : On April 21, 1985, Ayrton Senna won the first of his 41 Grand Prix victories at the wheel of a Lotus Renault which was far from being the car the most efficient in the paddock. After taking pole position ahead of a certain… Alain Prost (McLaren TAG Porsche) the day before, Senna achieved one of those feats for which he had the secret. The Brazilian won with almost a minute and 3 seconds ahead of Michele Alboreto (Ferrari), the only driver to finish in the same time as the winner. Of the 26 drivers who started from the grid and 3 from the pit lane, only 9 competitors were classified at the end of the Grand Prix.

Well, it's there, forty years and a handful of weeks later, that the Lamera Cup set up its imposing infrastructure this weekend. Among this perfect mix of experienced drivers and novices who have never set foot on a circuit, everyone is unanimous: Estoril is one of the monuments of motorsport. They can't wait to taste this asphalt shaped by legendary curves.

As usual, the menu is plentiful. After a track day introduction this Friday, all participants will be entitled to 3 hours of private testing this Saturday morning, followed by a 75-minute qualifying session before tackling the first 4-hour race.

On Sunday, a seven-hour race awaits them. It will allow everyone to verify the Lamera Cup's reputation: of all the single-make formulas in existence, it offers – by far – the most track time.

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