The president of the International Motorcycle Federation (FIM), Portuguese Jorge Viegas, mourned last Wednesday the death of Paulo Pinheiro, director of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve (AIA), considering it “a great loss for the country”.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, Jorge Viegas identified Paulo Pinheiro figure “very important for motorsport in Portugalespecially when it comes to international competitions, such as MotoGP, Formula 1 or the World Superbikes”, championships he brought to the Algarve circuit.
“For some time we have cooperated a lot to keep the Portuguese MotoGP GP and to help some Portuguese riders to compete in international championships”, explained Jorge Viegas, who heads the highest motorcycle body in the world.
Viegas admitted that “the death of Paulo Pinheiro is a big surprise because he was very young and still had a lot to give”.
“He is a great loss to the country because he was such a serious prosecutor”said Jorge Viegas, leaving “heartfelt condolences to the family and to everyone who worked with him”.
The president of the Portuguese Automobile and Karting Federation (FPAK), Ni Amorim, considered that motorsport loses a “great driver” with the death of the founder of the AIA.
“I followed the case for the last two months, when I was admitted to intensive care in France. I was very sad this morning when I received a message with the news. He was an entrepreneur, fighter and great promoter of motor sport“, suggested Ni Amorim.
The president of FPAK recalled that, “before joining FPAK”, there were “projects with him and the [francesa] Michele Mouton, especially with the organization of the Race of Champions (ROC), it can only be done through her willpower.”
“Motorsport loses a great driver and dynamist. He was a personal friend, in a reciprocal and respectful relationship. It is a great loss for the country”, emphasized Ni Amorim.
The president of FPAK recalls that Paulo Pinheiro ” had just received an award from the Portuguese Sports Federation, which praised FPAK, but he could not receive anymore because he was already in the hospital”.
The President of the Republic also mourned the death of the founder of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, emphasizing his passion for motorsport.
In a note published on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic on the Internet, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa regrets “the early death of Paulo Pinheiro, the founder of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, an institution he led with the same passion he had for motorsport and motorcycles“.
“To his family and friends, the President of the Republic offers his sincere condolences”, reads the same note.
The Portimão City Council considered that “the people of Portimão are mourning today”, due to the death of the “extraordinary man” Paulo Pinheiro.
“It was with great sadness that the Portimão City Council learned of the death of Paulo Pinheiro, president of the Board of Directors of the AIA, a ‘son’ of Portimão, an extraordinary man who dared to dream and achieve his dreamsallowing our city, the region and the country to express itself internationally as a reference destination for motor sports”, reads the message published on the social media of the Municipality of Algarve.
The founder and current president of the AIA Board of Directors, Paulo Pinheiro, died this Wednesday, aged 52, according to the press office of the Algarve circuit.
“It is with great regret and concern that the AIA Administration announces the death of engineer Paulo Pinheiro, its founder and President of the Board of Directors”, reads the statement.
Trained mechanical engineer and ex-pilot, Paulo Pinheiro conceived and built the AIA, in Portimão, in 2008, and was one of those responsible for bringing Formula 1 and MotoGP back to Portugal .
The Algarve circuit has been part of the MotoGP World Championship calendar since 2020, with five races since then, and was also the stage for the return of Formula 1, in 2020 and 2021.
Paulo Pinheiro created and directed the motorcycle and motorsport team Parkalgar Racing Team.
The leader was the victim of a fulminant oncological disease.
Updated at 10:27pm