between lagoa and val del rei you may notice that there stands 4 huge floodlight pylons overlooking a purpose built international standard go kart track...actuallly its been like that for about 8 years now...some said it was built without a licence (as if 50 metre high pylons can go up without anyone noticing ) others say the owner was fiddling the edp and sent to prison.

i wonder if anyone knows the truth and also in which millenium it will open

is this another case of the super entrepneur meets the "jobsworths - you need a licence" at the camara buildings???'

Ahh ..a welcome diversion from 'La Coq' and Chicken slaughter......This so called International ( Never ) Go Kart track was built about 11 years ago...the owner now lives in south America ( Unless he is back ) and is wanted by the Tax authorities..his son actually did very well in International Karting and went on to do 'OK' in Int Car racing...but havn't heard from him in some time.
Track owner tried to sell this track three years ago through the Uk Karting scene...was advertyised for Euro 1.5 million as a licensed int Track...but it wasn't and never will be.....He then dropped the price almost to ..any price.......I was involved and wanted to buy...but then learned about all the Dodgy background....(There were stories of Drug deals ..microlights in the night etc etc ).......I backed out and now live quietly in Carvoeiro......Dont know where it stands today other than it is really a lost opportunity for somebody and the Camara..........

well that is very interesting..meantime it stands empty and our beloved portimao camara are now busy with plans to dig up near monchique a huge amount of ttees to build another race track for cars....lets hope it is not another disgrace like this one

Ahh..The proposed new F1 track....well Ive been watching this closely for some time now..and I really doubt very much if it will go ahead..certainly they will never get an F1 race there...but IF it does go ahead it will change the area dramatically.......about 18Months ago I did a little survey (My house is nearby) ..drove out to the proposed area and talked to 20 or 30 local residents.....The Portuguese all supported it and told me at least its not another Golf course for rich foreigners and will bring a lot of investment in whilst all the English/German/Dutch residents totally objected to it for all the obvious reasons (Noise and other pollution...plus the value of their house might diminish.......very interesting.
Who is right ???????

Whilst golf courses usually always increase land value in the sorrounding areas, I have my doubts that a race track would.

On the other hand, if there is a good supporting infra-structure (roads, accomodation, etc) it may well draw potencial investors to the region - I am thinking shopping centres or other recreatoinal facilities.

However, all these wonderful ideas futile if the tourist numbers for the Algarve keep dropping....

Yes I agree..thats why the Foreigners dont want a race track and want more Golf courses..(Land prices up) whilst most Portuguese prefer something else that would bring in new businesses...not many have big expensive houses..and of course are more interested in making a living...and don't want land prices to keep climbing fuelled by us foreigners .
I do beleive that if as you say the infra structure is put in place then a lot of new industry will grow in the area..(And it will...the plans include Shops / Hotel etc etc..and looking at a small airfield) ...but there will be a lot of residents (Foreigners) puting up a lot of resistance..( Did you read 'Resident.'.18 months ago........I'm very interested to hear the views of others on this issue......and especially Portuguese .
Personally I have just built a rather expensive house ..and then I found out they are looking to build this Track......only a mile away.....
But I'm NOT objecting to it...........Open to comment !!!

To try and build a so called Formula 1 track in the Algarve is quite rediculous in my opinion.....It was bad enough when they drove the new highway through our countryside ..now it is to be impossible noise and pollution.....in a beautiful country where once we only had peace and tranquility...I'm not sure if this new racing track will ever come to fruition but I must say that yes .we must stand up and fight against this monster if it is to become reality....we have put a lot of out lifetime into our dream and I'm not prepared to let it go to the dogs because of vested interest in money and the false belief that this will bring prosperity to the area.......
Yes I for one am happy with more (Green) Golf courses....I just want peace and quiet ..and if I am honest..I dont care to support anybody of any nationality who wants to take this away in the name of....prosperity.
I have put a lot of money into my home and a formula one track will reaslly devalue my property....
I object to this....and why not.

well a race track ...appalling when today we hear of climate change and its threat to the planet...this means in reality that we may have to stop building tracks which destroy the environment and are used so that some one can watch a car roar round in circles doing ...what 2 miles to the gallon.

the subject of damage to the enviroment from golf courses has been well discussed here....but then environmental issues are always someones elses problem!!!!!blame the greedy brazillians for cutting down rainforest ...well "physian heal thyself"

meantime our no go kart track lies doing nothing ..instead of building something new then why not adapt what has already been done??

now theres a revolutionary thought

Unfortunately the Go Kart track is just that...a rather small concrete track on about 10 acres and close to many villages...The proposed F1 track will encompass hundreds of acres of land and be a couple of miles long plus huge infrastructure /Hotels /shops/Int Kart track etc etc......a whole town almost..they talk of 100 Milion Euro..but it can't really be built for such a small price tag.....What most people dont realise is that a track (Large) has been there for years but is used for dirt track motorbikes only. The new track already has FIA and local approvals and is a fully supported and jointly organised by the group that own/run Silverstone....(Silverstone might lose their Formula 1 status......as the new players come in..China GP is next week......)
So as this monster slowly creeps ahead it is no good for a few Expats here to complain.....IF the Portuguese want this as it seems they do....and the money materialises.....then it will go ahead because whatever we think about the future of our planet...Jobs will always come first.

Maybe this has already been considered, but wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to refurbish the existing F1 track at Estoril? Being close to Lisbon it would also have better international transport links and at least some infrastructure already in place?

Very Political..as always....Once the government got hold of Estoril from semi private hands....almost lost the GP (The last one ever raced there) ...was saved only at the very last minute......now once again it's reasonably succesful but will never meet F1 standards........The Track here is a totally private venture on the builders own land....they want to create a track up to F1 standards and actually compete with Estoril for the top Portuguese race venue...plus the weather is a little better here so overseas teams will plan their test days (Costing up to half million a day) here..........But I beleive they will never get an F1 race here and even if they did..Its one week per year.... No what they will have is an Int track for Bikes/Saloon cars/Karts etc etc.....

well i accept your commonsense answer and reasoning ..but then when it comes to projects like this when everis there commonsense...for example we had built at an enormous cost and using massive amounts of land a football stadium which has ben used 4 times...now it lays empty...when will it ever be used again...

Ah yes...but you see these venue's don't have to be left idle ......It is the Portuguese Government that chose to leave it that way..... I can tell you that the Go Kart track has had many offers to buy the land..over the past five or six years and to clear the tax debt due.......on the understanding that they can either build there......or resume a Go Kart track....a track that complies fully with noise and pollution figures.......the Camera could never come to any agreement....because they just cannot handle such a decision.......one day when the Portuguese people stand up for their rights....sweep aside the heavy heavy Camara oldies and bring in a modern government.........Portugal will begin to rise above much of Europe...but if they just sit around doing nothing......as is happening ....Hello old Eastern block....and Portugal will continue to go down as Europes poorest...even further.

A bit negative ???

Previous view may seem negative but there is a lot of truth in it - the groaning and creaking bureaucracy in some areas and the self serving and corrupt nature of many local politicians continue to hamper progress and the kind of change of attitudes that has already happened in "post Franco" Spain will be required if the country is not to become (again) a European backwater.

For all that though (in case anyone suggests it) I still prefer it to the UK.