The Hankook 24H PORTIMAO makes a welcome return this weekend, with the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve providing a similarly fitting venue for round three of this year’s 24H SERIES powered by Hankook championship fight. 

Following a frenetic weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, six category leaders head into the sixth edition of the Hankook 24H PORTIMAO looking to increase their championship lead at CREVENTIC’s first 24-hour event of the year in Europe. Something that, given the close on-track action synonymous with Portimão, a circuit layout that tests the mettle of even the most experienced drivers, and the Algarve’s notoriously intense heat, will be far easier said than done. 

With a podium at Mugello already under its belt, and having shown front-running pace last time out at Spa-Francorchamps, 2017 Overall GT Teams’ ‘Continents’ champion Herberth Motorsport (#91 and #92) will hope for a similarly impressive run for its Porsche 992 GT3 R at the Hankook 24H PORTIMAO. An event the Bavarian team won outright in 2020.

Hofor-Racing (#11) will look to bounce back from a difficult start to its 2024 European program with its Mercedes-AMG GT3. Where better than at Portimão, where the Swiss team finished 3rd overall en-route to the 2017 Overall GT Teams’ ‘Europe’ crown.

Fresh from its GT3-Pro/Am win at Spa-Francorchamps, E2P Racing (#90) heads the category’s title standings going into its first Hankook 24H PORTIMAO, and will want to keep that momentum going with its Porsche 991.2 GT3 R. Similarly, Spa runner-up Saintéloc Junior Team (#18) will look to secure another podium finish in the Algarve with its Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II to close the points gap.

Grove Racing (#10) rounds out the GT3 runners, and makes its first European start of the season in Portugal. The Australian team will look to improve on a difficult weekend in Dubai on its Hankook 24H PORTIMAO debut with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO.

992 Teams’ standings leader Red Ant Racing headlines the provisional 992 field for the 2024 Hankook 24H PORTIMAO. The Belgian team, already with two class wins to its name this season, finished 1-2 finish in-class at the event in 2022, securing an overall podium in the process. Success Red Ant will no doubt hope to replicate with its two Porsche 992 GT3 Cups (#903 and #904). 

Like Red Ant Racing, the Orchid Racing Team has also registered two Porsche 992 GT3 Cups for its Hankook 24H PORTIMAO (#917 and #963), and will look to secure its second 992 podium of the season in Portugal.

24H SERIES staples HRT Performance (#967) and MRS GT-Racing (#988) return to action with CREVENTIC in the Algarve, the former, currently at the top of the 992-AM Teams’ standings, looking to strengthen its championship advantage, the latter hoping to replicate the podium it secured at Portimão in 2019.  

Reigning 992-AM Teams’ champion RPM Racing (#907) topped an impressive comeback at Spa by finishing 3rd in-class, and will aim to repeat its class win with CREVENTIC last year in Portugal. Similarly, Red Camel-Jordans.nl (#909) will hope its run of bad luck at the Hankook 24H PORTIMAO will finally come to a close in 2024.

SebLajoux Racing by DUWO Racing (#908) and Holmgaard Motorsport (#902) are the final 992 entrants. Securing the first category podium for its new Porsche 922 GT3 Cup could be at the top of the reigning TCR Teams’ champion’s to-do list in the Algarve.

Vortex V8 (#701) secured the first category win for its brand-new '2.0' lightweight sports car at Spa-Francorchamps. Heading into the Hankook 24H PORTIMAO, the result has propelled the French independent into the lead of the GTX standings by four points.

Buggyra ZM Racing (#416) and Lionspeed GP (#424) are set to continue their GT4 championship dual in Portugal. Buggyra, last year’s GT4 Teams’ runner-up, now holds an eight-point advantage over its German rival, the #416 Mercedes-AMG GT4 having led the #424 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport home at both Mugello and Spa.

Tellingly though, while Buggyra ZM Racing makes its Hankook 24H PORTIMAO debut this weekend, Lionspeed GP took a GT4 podium at the event in 2022. 

GSR Motorsport (#405) is set to make its first start with CREVENTIC since last year’s Hankook 24H BARCELONA. The Lithuanian team has registered a Ginetta G56 GT4 in the hopes of securing its first podium since 2022. 

Series debutant W Autosport Garage (#491) rounds out the GT4 entries, and has registered the field’s only Toyota GR Supra GT4.

France’s PR-V (#125) and Britain’s CWS Engineering (#178) are set to go one-on-one for TCE victory in Portugal. PR-V, back for its first race with CREVENTIC in more than two years, has registered a Peugeot 308 Racing Cup, a model that, fittingly, took TCR class victory at Portimão in 2017. Former SP3 and TCX Teams’ champion CWS meanwhile will field its trusted Ginetta G55.

After two CREVENTIC ‘track days’ on the Wednesday and the Thursday, official track action for the 2024 Hankook 24H PORTIMAO begins with Free Practice on Friday 10 May. The 90-minute session, scheduled to run from 13.30 hrs to 15.00 hrs local time, will be followed by 55 minutes of qualifying, for all classes, later that evening from 17.00 hrs to 17.55 hrs. 90 minutes of Night Practice rounds out the day from 20.30 hrs to 22.00 hrs.

The green flag for the Hankook 24H PORTIMAO itself will be flown at 12.00 hrs on Saturday 11 May, and the 24-hour event will run uninterrupted through the night until the chequered flag is flown at 12.00 hrs on Sunday 12 May. Entries are still open, and further details can be found HERE