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Estoril Classics 2025 Roars into Action with Excitement and Living History

  • historicendurance
  • Oct 3
  • 2 min read
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The Estoril Classics opened its doors today for another memorable edition, and right from the first day the public responded enthusiastically. The paddock was already buzzing, as fans immersed themselves in the unique atmosphere of a living museum in motion.


The roar of engines echoed around the Autódromo do Estoril, bringing to life legendary machines such as the Porsche 917K, Ferrari 512 BB/LM S2, and BMW M1 Procar — cars that left their mark on the world’s greatest races.


A special Formula 1 cars demonstration, celebrating 75 years of the sport’s premier category, thrilled spectators. Among the highlights was the Benetton B191 Ford Cosworth, the car that gave Nelson Piquet his final victory and marked his last season in Formula 1. It also marked the beginning of Michael Schumacher’s association with the team, with whom he would go on to win two of his seven world championships.


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Classic GP: Williams on Pole


In qualifying for the Classic GP – Pre-1986 for Formula 1 cars, Japan’s Yutaka Toriba shone at the wheel of the iconic 1981 Williams FW07C, securing pole position with a lap of 1m34.815s. Nicolas Padmore took second place in the 1981 Lotus 87, with Jamie Constable third in the 1978 Fittipaldi F5A.


With twenty-three cars on track, the crowd was treated to a spectacular display of variety, from the pioneering Lotus 78 to the flamboyant 1985 Ligier JS25, one of the defining symbols of the turbo era. This grid perfectly captures the technical and historical richness of the Classic GP, featuring cars that wrote different chapters in world motorsports' history.


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Historic Grids: A Journey Through History


Estoril Classics also brings together seven grids organised by Peter Auto, along with the Iberian Historic Endurance, each representing a distinct era of motor racing. The Gentleman Challenge revived the spirit of pre-1966 sports cars, with Kyle Tilley claiming pole position in the elegant 1960 Lotus XV.


In the Classic Touring Challenge, which recreates the vibrant atmosphere of 1960s and 70s touring cars, the 1965 Ford Mustang 289 driven by John Spiers and Nigel Greensall secured the front of the grid.


Tomorrow, each of these categories will take spectators on a journey through time: from the dream GTs of The Greatest’s Trophy, to the legendary prototypes of Classic Endurance Racing 1 and 2, the evocative machines of the Sixties’ Endurance, the pure Porsche 911s of the 2.0L Cup, and the touring cars of the Historic Touring Challenge.


Every race will be a living time capsule, offering fans the rare thrill of seeing and hearing some of the most extraordinary cars ever built in action on track.



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Getting up close to these machines will now be difficult, as paddock tickets are already sold out. However, fans can still share in the experience, with free access to the main grandstand on the start/finish straight throughout the weekend.


The Classic GP races will be broadcast on DAZN, with Saturday’s race live at 16:40 and Sunday’s race shown on delay at 14:40 (local time). All other races will be streamed live on the event’s official YouTube channel.







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