Porsche Exhibition

There was a weekend Porsche event last weekend, in celebration of the 50 year history of the infamous Porsche 911. It started on the Saturday morning with a parade from Cascais through to Estoril of over two hundred 911's. It then continued throughout Saturday with various events around Cascais and Estoril including an exhibition of the cars and a veritable multitude of all manner of stalls and merchandising outlets. Sadly, due to other commitments, I missed the lot.

Sunday though was another matter. I had read on the interweb that there was to be an event up at the Circuito Estoril, hosted by a rally championship driver that drove for a Porsche team a few years back and culminating in a "Sprint Race" to exhibit again the 50 year history of the 911. I was wholly unaware of who the driver was, but that didn't matter. It was a chance to get up to the circuit and see some fast cars. And it was due to start at three in the afternoon. Of course, we arrived just in the nick of time, parked up, and then, after having tried to gain entry through the paddock gate was told in no uncertain terms by a very stressed out guard that we needed tickets and that if we didn't have them, then we must use the main gate along the road. Okay, no bother. It was only a few minutes walk to the main grandstand gate, where we quickly found out that grandstand entry was free. By the time we had walked up the steps and out into the stand, the cars were lining up on the grid ready to start the race. The engines were revving and before too long the Safety Car took the racers out around the track in readiness for the rolling start as they came around to cross the line. The Safety Car dodged into the pit lane at the last moment and they were off, screaming past us they disappeared around the first corner. The horde of ticket possessing paddock entrants dashed across the pit lane roof to watch the cars around turns 2, 3 and 4, and pass along the back straight, only then to disappear down the hill into the far side of the track. 30 seconds later we saw them come around the final bend onto the home straight, to scream past us at full pelt once again. Awesome!

After the race, which very predictably was "won" by the most modern car, we made our way back down the steps towards the exit, where we found to our surprise, most of the people were not walking off across the car park but sneaking off through the tunnel under the track towards the infield to join the horde of bona-fide ticket holders. Not wishing to seem rude, we followed the crowds through the tunnel, which of course was the highlight of the day for my four year old, to come up the far side into a concrete field of 911's of many colours and vintages. We kept following the crowds as they led us, not up on to the pit lane roof as I had expected, but through a green gate right out onto the pit lane! Hallowed ground indeed. We walked along, getting close up to the cars that had only moments before been on the track, now sitting there, silently. Then suddenly, with the throb of engines once again, one after one, they came out, to line up at the exit from the pit lane onto the track. From the absence of helmets and the presence of passengers, I can only assume that this was some kind of parade lap where the people that had paid some extra money (or perhaps acquired a VIP Paddock Ticket?) got to enjoy a lap of the circuit in a Porsche 911.

On the starting grid.

Mid race.

In the pit lane.

Queueing up for their "Porsche Experience" lap.