Le Mans Ultimate Track Guides

One of those tracks that have featured in the games since F1 2021 is the former Portuguese Grand Prix venue Portimão (also called Algarve). Since last hosting the GP, the track has soared in popularity and is even coming to iRacing in a couple of weeks.

The track’s immense undulation can be quite daunting at first. But we intend to help you out with how best to tackle the Portimão circuit! This lap was done with the Peugeot 9X8.

You arrive at the first corner called Primeira, and the dip can catch you out. It can be tricky to spot your braking zone, but once it starts levelling out, you want to get on the brakes. By the time you are braking, you want to start committing to the first corner and throw your car in with a quick flick.

Start opening the wheel out but be careful to not stray too far off the track, it is quite easily done in any car. By the time you have processed if you kept the car on the track, you now have to turn sharply for the next flick before immediately braking for the Lagos hairpin.


Hold your car as far to the right side of the track to get a good exit from this uphill left-hander. Image credit: Studio 397

It would be quite easy to just let the car run to the left after the hairpin, but you want to keep the car to the right to set up for the next corner. So sacrificing the exit out of the hairpin is the way to go here.

Then start pointing your car towards the apex with as much momentum as you can, and the uphill camber will help shoot your car out of the corner. Now follows a bit of a breather as you head down the next straight towards another hairpin.

Massive Undulation, Unusual Lines​

Once again, the braking zone for the corner may be a bit unsighted but we suggest try using the alternate left-hander as your reference. The layout that the MotoGP riders use is a more flowing and open corner starting before the Torre VIP corner, and you can look for the start of this and see if it works as a braking point.

After navigating that, it is now a small meander to the left – then, you will want to be ready to straight-line the braking zone for the next corner as much as possible. You go as far to the left as you can, then carry the speed into the right-hander before you brake for the tighter uphill right corner called Samsung.


Be careful on throttle application as it is quite easy to spin your wheels exiting this corner. Image credit: Studio 397

Be careful on throttle application as the track will start to dip down like a rollercoaster. Try gently opening up the steering as you reach the crest and get most of your turning done upon entry before hitting the apex, maybe even short-shift on exit.

Tricky Blind Corners​

Now you are dropping down a crest and immediately see the Craig Jones uphill left-hander ahead. This corner can be done flat in pretty much any car, but the next blind corner will catch anyone out if they have not put their car in the right place.

Go to the left of the track and point towards the outside kerb on the initial turn-in. Then half commit to the apex, but open up your steering to hit the kerb on the left side of the track as you brake. Squaring off the corner may seem like a suboptimal line, but if you turn for the corner (simply named Portimão) too early, you will be caught out by how much it tightens.



Once you have slowed down sufficiently, you can turn towards the apex.

Carry the Momentum​

Now you are in the last portion of the lap, and most of the corners ahead are relatively simple compared to the rest of the lap. A minor flick to the left after dropping downhill and you are back on the brakes for another hairpin, which still requires a lot of momentum and a relatively late apex.

The penultimate Sagres corner is a long right-hander and a bit slower than it might appear. Now, only the also long, but much faster Galp corner remains. Depending on your car, lines might differ- a GTE will benefit from a late apex in order not to be carried to the outside too much.

On the other hand, the prototypes can even take the turn full-throttle on low fuel and with the right approach over its deceptive crest. Just carry as much momentum as you can into this corner – the earlier you can get on the power, the better. After the crest, it is a simple run up to the line, with a mostly easy flat-out downhill sweeper.

Another ramp leads up to the start/finish line – and that is your lap of Portimão completed. Now, onto another rollercoaster ride!

Author: Luca Munro