Formula 1 is heading back to Portimão, with the Algarve International Circuit locked in to host the Portuguese Grand Prix in 2027 and 2028 under a two-year deal announced in December. The 2027 race is pencilled in for June 18-20, giving holidaymakers a rare excuse to combine a summer Algarve break with top-level motorsport.
The circuit already has recent F1 history. It stepped in during the Covid-affected 2020 and 2021 seasons, when Max Verstappen finished third and then second there. The four-time world champion sounded genuinely thrilled about the return, telling the P1 with Matt & Tommy podcast: "I'm excited to go back to Portugal. I love Portugal." He called it a great track and praised the area itself, saying "being in the Algarve is very beautiful" — though he did warn that "racing can be a bit tough" on the 4.653km layout.
That toughness is part of the appeal. The Portimão circuit is a driver favourite thanks to its dramatic elevation changes and fast, rolling corners — it swoops up and down over terrain rather than sitting flat like many modern venues. For spectators, that means natural vantage points and a more dramatic show than you'd get at a purpose-built flat track.
For travellers, the timing is a gift. June is one of the nicest months in the Algarve: warm but not scorching, sea temperatures turning swimmable, and the summer crowds not yet at their peak. Portimão itself sits on the mouth of the Arade river, famous for its sardine grills, the rocky coves of Praia da Rocha next door, and easy access to the cliff-and-grotto coastline around Alvor and Benagil. A race weekend can easily stretch into a proper holiday.
Practical details are still being finalised, but organisers have pointed fans towards ticket information already. Expect strong demand: Portuguese fans have waited since 2021 to see F1 on home soil, and a Verstappen-fixated European crowd will be watching the calendar closely.
If you were already considering an Algarve trip for 2027, mid-June might be the week to pick — just book accommodation early, as Portimão and the surrounding resorts will fill up around race weekend.
