European Le Mans
Portimao: A lap with Tiago Monteiro
Third episode of the "Tracklap with..." series, discover the advise of the former Formula 1 driver Tiago Monteiro, one of the rare Le Mans Series driver who already knows the Portimao circuit. "The track is really original, different and ...
Published: Oct 2, 2009, 4:36 PM
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Third episode of the "Tracklap with..." series, discover the advise of the former Formula 1 driver Tiago Monteiro, one of the rare Le Mans Series driver who already knows the Portimao circuit.
"The track is really original, different and difficult! It is a great challenge because it winds up and down and includes blind corners. Drivers should find the track difficult, but very interesting. It is a mix of several tracks such as Spa or Laguna Seca. The race should be sunny but may be windy! The circuit is a success on the whole.
The pit-straight dives downhill into the first right-handed corner, which is taken in fourth gear and very bumpy, but fortunately, there is a large gravel bed. You accelerate before arriving to the second flat-out turn. Hard on the brakes and you are into turn 3, a very tight right-hander taken in second gear, that you have to sacrifice to the next uphill left-hander, which should be flat till the hairpin. The entrance of this downhill left-handed hairpin is blind and bumpy and it is very important to exit well because of the coming long straight line and left-handed flat-out Turn 6. You then come down the hill into a double-apex right-hander, Turns Seven, where you go over the kerbs, and Eight, in second gear. There is a short but very steep climb before going briefly downhill and uphill again after the long left-hander Turn 9 leading to the fully blind braking area of Turn 10. You need the maximum downforce to take the corner in third gear. It goes up and down again with a flat-out left-hander before you jump on the brakes for an uphill left-hander taken in second gear. A short burst of power down to the long braking for double-apex Turn 13, which is off-camber. This is one of the most important corners on the track because you need to carry your exit speed all the way up the hill towards the last corner, so it's vital that you make a good exit and get onto the power as early as possible. The last corner before the start-finish line is flat-out, but very difficult because there is a small jump in the middle and now it is flat out till Turn 1 for another lap."
-credit: lms
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