Portugal has been a major part of the Grand Prix scene, and while it has been a regular on the MXGP calendar for the last couple of decades, its entry onto the GP calendar wasn’t until Dave Strijbos won the 125cc GP at Agueda in 1985 and again in 1988. In the 125cc class, Alex Puzar won at Corthela in 1989 Donny Schmit in Agueda in 1990, Pedro Tragter in Corthela in 1992 and Alessio Chiodi in 1999 at Agueda.

In the 250cc class, Eric Geboers won at Agueda in 1987, and Stefan Everts also won at Agueda in 1997 and 1998. In the 500cc class, it was Marcus Hansson who won at Arganil in 1993, Jacky Martens at Agueda in 1994, Joel Smets at Arganil in 1995 and Shayne King at Arganil in 1996.

Portugal hasn’t really been a regular on the MXGP calendar since the turn of the century, but in 2000 Mickeal Pichon won the 250 class at Agueda, in 2001, 2002 and 2003 with the triple headers and all three classes racing at the same track on the same day, Portugal missed out on being involved.

In 2004 Agueda returned to the calendar and it was again Mickeal Pichon who won the MX1 class and Ben Townley won the MX2 class at the same circuit, on the same day. With Agueda now a regular stop again, in 2005 Stefan Everts won the MX1 class and did the same in his final year on the GP scene in 2006. It was Everts fourth win in Portugal. Antonio Cairoli won the MX2 class in 2005 and Tyla Rattray in 2006.

In 2007, Kevin Strijbos won around the red clay of Agueda and Cairoli won again in MX2. Sebastien Pourcel pulled off a surprise victory in MX1 in 2008, again at Agueda and in the MX2 class Cairoli won his third overall in Portugal.

Moving to the MX1 class in 2009, the Italian legend Cairoli won again and in MX2, his good friend, Rui Goncalves sent the fans into a frenzy with an overall victory. Clemen Desalle stopped the domination by Cairoli in 2010, winning the MX1 class (Cairoli finished second) and in MX2 that year Marvin Musquin stamped his name on the red clay with a win over Jeffrey Herlings and Ken Roczen.

Desalle won the MX1 class again in 2011 and again Cairoli was second, and in the MX2 class Jeffrey Herlings made his first step into the winner’s circle in Portugal. Desalle won his third straight overall at Agueda in 2012 (this time Cairoli was third) and in the MX2 class it was Herlings for win number two in Portugal.

Frenchman, Gautier Paulin won the MX2 class in 2013, ahead of Cairoli and Desalle and Herlings showed his liking for Agueda, with his third straight win there. Portugal and Agueda disappeared from the GP calendar for 2014, 2015, 2016, but when it returned in 2017, yep, it was Cairoli with another victory, this time ahead of Herlings who had joined the big boy class. In MX2 it was Jeremy Seewer scoring his first victory in Portugal.

In 2018, it was the year of Herlings, and he won his fourth Portuguese GP ahead of Cairoli and Gajser with MX2 going to Jorge Prado. Gajser won in 2019 at Agueda (sensationally Cairoli again on the podium in second place). Prado took win number two in Portugal in the MX2 class.

Agueda missed the Covid years, but returned in 2022 with Jorge Prado winning the MXGP class and claiming his third victory in Portugal and Tom Vialle won the MX2 class that year.A year later in 2023, Herlings won his fifth Grand Prix at Agueda and in MX2, Jago Geerts joined the club with victory.

We all remember 2024 and that mud race, with Paul Jonass splashing his way to a win, and Liam Everts showing ridiculous mud skills to join his father as a Portuguese GP winner.