It wasn’t until 2017 when I went to see Oliveira’s 3 rdcup round that I first thought about competing. More recently he and my dad participated in some track days hosted at Circuito do Estoril and I went to watch them most times and enjoyed it a lot.

However, I was always curious about his racing, I saw his trophies at my grandma’s house and I always wanted to know the stories behind them. He ended his career when I was around 1 year old so I wasn’t a part of the paddock/racing life. He became a national 125cc championship winner several times and also took part in international championships. “I have always been surrounded by motorbikes throughout my childhood, my uncle competed in the 90s. But racing also resides in Simões’ blood, and her inspiration isn’t only on the TV, but in the home too.

However, what I consider to be the highlight of the year was my first race in a racetrack (4/6 of my races were held in KartTracks) where I felt amazing and won with a minute advantage to my team mate who finished second.”Īlong with many, many MotoGP fans around the world, it is The Doctor who stole Madalena’s heart. “My rookie season went great, I won my very first race, made the most poles and victories of the season. 2018 saw Simões enter Portugal’s Moto5 national series for her debut season, in which she stunned viewers by taking 2 nd overall, with many awesome achievements along the way. These days there are less photos of the GOAT, and more of her own racing. In the last year, however, Madalena’s photos have progressed. With the continuous upsurge of Portugal’s impact on world racing, one might ask who could be next to bear the flag on the top step.įor those who follow Madalena on social media, it’s clear to see how influential motorsport has been on the 18-year-old it doesn’t take long to find something Rossi-related on her feed. The world has also witnessed the rise of Almada’s Miguel Oliveira as he tore through the classes and has now made his MotoGP debut. Estoril played host to the MotoGP championship from 2000 to 2012, and Portimao continues to host the World Superbikes as it has for the last decade.

Portugal’s involvement in motorcycle racing has been one of growth over recent years, as the country has begun making its mark on the world stage.

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