Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have completed a TPC test for McLaren at Portimao; the rumoured venue for the 2026 Formula 1 season finale.
With the Middle East conflict not easing up, rather escalating, F1 is facing a tough proposition with its 2026 calendar.
After the cancellations of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain races in April, speculation was rife about potential replacements for these events, or whether this season would only sport 22 rounds.
Earlier this month, however, it was announced that while the Sakhir International Circuit will not be hosting a Grand Prix this season, the Bahrain GP would in fact be reinstated – at the Sepang International Circuit, historically the venue of the erstwhile Malaysian GP.
While this has bumped the number of confirmed races up to 23, the Qatar and Abu Dhabi GPs are still in danger of being axed given the recent escalations in the region.
With the season finale slot now seemingly vacant, Portimao has cropped up as a potential replacement to hold the final race of 2026 as the Portuguese GP.
This came as a welcome surprise for the Woking-based squad – having planned a TPC (Testing of Previous Car) test for Norris, Piastri and reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli, for this week, a long time before the Algarve Circuit was ever in the 2026 F1 calendar conversation.
Naturally, for McLaren, getting its first laps in at Portimao, for the first time since 2021, before any of its rivals will be a handy advantage it will carry if the race goes ahead, especially in terms of correlation, setup and acclimatisation.
The trio completed a sum total of 151 laps with the MCL60 on Wednesday, with Norris calling it a “productive” day for McLaren.
“It’s been a productive test for us, and it was good to be back in Portimao,” he said.
“This was where I drove an F1 car for the very first time, so it’s a special track for me. It’s also one that’s enjoyable to drive, with some fun, challenging corners.
“We were able to complete everything we wanted and add some valuable mileage. It’s a good way to sign off for the summer break.”
Oscar Piastri lauds McLaren’s “interesting” Portimao F1 test
Piastri has endured a difficult European leg of the season, culminating in an excruciating loss despite leading the majority of the race at the Hungarian GP last weekend.
And unlike Norris, the Australian had never driven an F1 car around the undulating and technical Algarve track.
The McLaren driver will, therefore, be quite pleased with the chance to test a relatively recent and comparable package on the track before he takes to the simulator for a potential race weekend, if it materialises.
“This was my first time driving the F1 circuit in Portimao,” Piastri said.
“The changing conditions made it an interesting place to drive, and the elevation changes made it really fun. We got through the entire programme we set out to do, and the team are happy.
“It’s a good point to pause for the summer shutdown. It’s been a pretty intense season for us, so it will be nice for everyone to switch off before we get back to it.”
F1 returns after the summer break for the Dutch GP at Zandvoort, late in August.
As far as the fate of the remaining Middle Eastern races are concerned, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has set September as the deadline to make the decision, with Imola also being suggested as a close competitor to Portimao to take the season finale slot away from Abu Dhabi.
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