Recently crowned Rolex 24 at Daytona winner Filipe Albuquerque has received a presidential award in his native Portugal for his racing achievements in 2020.
Albuquerque received the Commander of the Order of Merit Award by Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in a ceremony at Belém Palace, the presidential residency in Lisbon.
The award is given to Portuguese citizens who ‘distinguish meritorious acts or services that reveal selflessness in favor of the community, practiced in the exercise of any functions, public or private.’
The ceremony commemorated Albuquerque’s 2020 achievement, in which he won LMP2 titles in both the European Le Mans Series and FIA World Endurance Championship with United Autosports and topped off the year with an LMP2 class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Albuquerque also presented the president with the driving gloves he used in his Le Mans win last September.
“I’m really honored,” Albuquerque said. “Last year, I had already received a call from the president congratulating me after my 24 Hours of Le Mans win. Then I received a message from his assistant that I would go to the Belém Palace to meet him and receive the award.
“I’m incredibly honored. I will never forget it and will have it at home with great pride. It means that I’m doing things right and the country is watching my results which is very good, especially when things are hard in Portugal due to COVID.”
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