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Welcome to Avis
Watch the FIA WEC race at Portimão, with Avis car hire
Avis is a Premium Partner of the FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC), which visits Portimão in the Algarve, Portugal for the second race of the endurance motor racing season held at Algarve International Circuit/ Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (AIA).
Soak up the atmosphere and enjoy your road trip to the races from Avis Praia Da Rocha Portimão, or see our other locations at Avis Portugal.
The nearest airport to Algarve International Circuit with an Avis rental location is Faro Airport (FAO) (80km).
The date:
When is WEC Portimão 2023?
The excitement of the FIA World Endurance Championships follows the first race of the season at Sebring (USA) and heads to the sunny Algarve at Portimão, Portugal on 16 April.
How many hours is the Portimão FIA WEC race?
The Portimão FIA WEC race is run over six hours and so is also often referred to as the 6 Hours of Portimão.
The Circuit
Where is the Portimão race track?
The action in the FIA World Endurance Championship comes to the Algarve International Circuit (Autódromo Internacional do Algarve) in Portimão.
What’s the Portimão circuit like?
The motor racing circuit at Portimão is the Algarve International Circuit (Autódromo Internacional do Algarve). It is one of the most modern, high-tech circuits on the motor racing calendar. It was built in 2008 and designed by Ricardo Pena. The FIA WEC at Portimão runs over a technically challenging 4.6 kilometres with 16 turns, climbs, descents, and banks. The main straight is 962m long.
In the pitlane
The driver changeover is one of the most exciting and crucial aspects of FIA WEC racing. There are 42 pit garages at Portimão
The fastest circuit at Portimão
01:27,987 by Sebastien Buemi (F1), January 21st, 2009
Highlight of the Portimão circuit?
The blind Portimão corner is particularly challenging, as the apex of the turn here is at the top of the hill meaning drivers struggle to see where they have to brake.
What to expect, where to stay and what to pack
Portimão is regarded as one of the most demanding racing circuits in the world. The 16,654-seat grandstand is designed to give far-reaching views across the whole of the circuit and over the countryside beyond. The warm and sunny climate makes it doubly popular with fans.
The AIA circuit at Portimão offers a range of restaurants and accommodation from a 5* hotel to family apartments.
What’s the weather like in Portimão and The Algarve?
Portimão and The Algarve are blessed with 300 days of sunshine a year making it a popular year-round destination
Getting there
Where is Portimão?
Portimão is a beautiful coastal town in the Algarve in the South of Portugal. It is 280km south of Lisbon.
Where is the racing circuit at Portimão?
The racetrack at Portimão, Autódromo Internacional do Algarve is 15 mins from the port city of Portimão. It is 4.5 km north of the A22 motorway, via the exit at Mexilhoeira Grande.
How do you get to Portimão Circuit?
To get to the Algarve International Circuit (Autódromo Internacional do Algarve) in Portimão, the nearest Avis car rental location is located at Praia Da Rocha Portimão, Portimão. You can also hire a car from our Avis rental location at Faro Airport.
Which airport is closest to the event?
The closest airport to Portimão, Algarve International Circuit, is Faro Airport which is 85km and approximately one hour’s drive away. Faro Airport or Gago Coutinho Airport as it is known, is just four kilometres west of Faro in Portugal. It is described as the ‘gateway’ to the Algarve.
Lisbon Airport is 288km to the north of Portimão so another option is to fly into the capital and hire from Avis Lisbon Airport to enjoy your own long-distance drive across the stunning Portuguese countryside at your own pace.
What is there to do in Portimão for racing fans?
If you are watching the FIA World Endurance Championships race at Portimão on TV and fancy visiting another time, there is plenty going on at Algarve International Circuit (AIA). The AIA is home to the AIA Racing School where you can enjoy a full range of exciting driver experience days with opportunities available to get behind the wheel for experts for racing fans as well as corporate packages.
Getting tickets
You can get your tickets for FIA WEC Portimao here.
Good to know – more about Portimão and the Algarve International Circuit
Ayrton Senna made Portimão and the Algarve his home
The late Brazilian Formula 1 racing driver Ayrton Senna had his European racing base just outside Portimao.
The opening Grand Tour TV Show was filmed at Portimão circuit
The first ever episode of the TV motoring show The Grand Tour in 2016 with the former Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May taking to the Algarve International Circuit, Portimão in a Ferrari, Maclaren and Porsche. It was watched by millions and broke records as Amazon Prime’s most watched season opener.
Testing circuit
Portimão circuit is a test track designed in addition for racing, for car and bike testing. As well as challenging all the teams involved in motor racing, it offers a range of courses including covering technical handling of vehicles, wet road testing, mountain road driving and off-road courses as well as offering an international kart track.
Avis Preferred members can enjoy the following benefits
... the more you rent the more perks you will receive
- The chance to win FIA World Endurance Championships tickets! Avis Preferred members get the chance to win a pair of tickets (plus parking) for the races at Portimão and Spa-Francorchamps. To enter, all you’ll need is your membership number.
- Priority service with every rental – Avoid unnecessary waiting with pre-filled documents and dedicated Avis Preferred counters
- Earn free upgrades and exclusive discounts
- The Avis app – Get the full Avis app experience, including changing or upgrading your rental enroute to a rental location and being able to choose the exact make and model of vehicle you want.