SEASON OPENER LOOMS AS 30 CARS TURN UP THE HEAT AT OFFICIAL TEST DAY

The official test for the Iberian Supercars, Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade, and Supercars España took place this Saturday at Autódromo do Estoril, marking the first showdown of 2025 for many teams and drivers.

The day started wet but steadily improved, allowing teams to switch from wet-weather tyres in the morning sessions to slicks in the afternoon. It was in the later sessions that the first competitive pace emerged, with several drivers setting blistering lap times. Despite the track losing its rubber due to the earlier rain, reigning GT champion César Machado set an impressive benchmark of 1m44.420s, putting his Speedy Motorsport Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 at the top of the timesheets - just two-tenths off the pole time from last year’s Estoril race in July.

Of course, these times must be taken with caution, as variables such as tyre choice, fuel load, and Balance of Performance (BoP) remain unknown.

Behind Machado’s Speedy Motorsport GR Supra GT4 EVO2, another GR Supra GT4 EVO2 - this one from Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal, driven by Francisco Mora and series returnee Francisco Abreu - trailed by just three-tenths. Third place went to a third GR Supra GT4 EVO2 from Gianfranco Motorsport, a new team making its series debut, with Nuno Afonso and Alexandre Areia - both also newcomers - showing strong intent by finishing within a second of the best lap.

Veteran Pedro Salvador was at the wheel of a Porsche Cayman GT4 RS CS for his Speedy Motorsport, delivering a solid performance to go fourth fastest. Another Porsche Cayman GT4 RS CS, this time from Veloso Motorsport, finished sixth with Patrick Cunha and Jorge Rodrigues, the reigning GT4 Bronze champions. Splitting the two Porsches was one of three Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4s entered by Racar Motorsport, with Matthieu Martins setting the best time for the British marque cars.

Fierce Battles in GTC

In the GTC class, Rui Miritta was fastest in his Monteiros Competições Porsche 911 Cup, maintaining his dominance as reigning champion. His closest rivals were two series newcomers: the Ferrari 430 Challenge from Protech Motorsport and Vítor Costa’s Porsche 911 Cup, both entering the Cup division to challenge Miritta’s supremacy.

The ultra-competitive GTX division saw the Autoworks Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 (F82) of Borja Hormigos narrowly edge out the Speedy Motorsport Porsche Cayman GT4 CS, shared by Duarte Camelo and Pompeu Simões, by less than two-tenths of a second. The third-fastest time went to another BMW M4 GT4 (F82), set to be driven this season by Rúben Silva and Henrique Moura Oliveira, both former FPAK Junior Team drivers.

Meanwhile, the three Ginetta G55s from Tockwith Motorsport were not far off the pace, with the British outfit using the wet conditions to give their drivers valuable track time - ironically, a first-time experience on a damp circuit for many, despite their UK origins.

FPAK Junior Team Makes Its Debut

The test also marked a significant milestone for the FPAK Junior Team as its six 2025 drivers - Diogo Figueiredo Castro, João Faria, Martim Romão, Rodrigo Vilaça, Tomás Gomes, and Tomás Martins - took to the track in the Ginetta G40.

Under the guidance of seasoned coach César Campaniço and with technical support from Monteiros Competições, the young talents had their first real taste of race car dynamics, focusing on car control, racing lines, and pushing the limits in a controlled environment. For many, it was their first time behind the wheel of a proper race car - a crucial step in their motorsport careers.

What’s Next?

After Saturday’s official test, with every detail potentially making a difference in what promises to be a closely contested and thrilling championship, drivers and teams head home with plenty of data to analyse and refine both car and driver performance.

As teams finalise their driver pairings and secure their remaining partners and sponsors for the new season, the coming weeks promise to be filled with exciting updates and key announcements.

The season officially kicks off from April 4-6 at the iconic Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, where the Iberian GT and Touring car series will feature a grid of over 40 cars at the Portimão circuit. Live broadcasts will be available on DAZN in Spain and Portugal, paving the way for an electrifying start to the new season.