Although the Algarve International Circuit did not return to the Formula 1 schedule for the 2022 season, F1 22 players will still be able to drive the venue very soon. Like, tomorrow soon.
A free update is scheduled for Tuesday (2nd August 2022) and with it, EA and Codemasters are bringing back Portimão for Time Trial, Grand Prix, and Multiplayer functionality. A fantasy update, sure, but this game addition will likely be the only avenue to see the 2022 spec F1 cars on this particular track.
This Algarve course in Portugal was an audible to the 2020 Formula 1 schedule following the COVID-19 pandemic’s shutdown of various areas around the world. The Portuguese Grand Prix returned for a second straight season in 2021. Both the 2020 and 2021 races were won by Lewis Hamilton.
Portimão was first seen in the F1 games last year in F1 2021, also added in as free DLC. It was the first of three tracks added to last year’s edition, and once again, even though it won’t be visited on the real-world schedule, it will come to the popular Formula 1 racing title.
The track features 15 corners and measures in at 4.653-kilometers or 2.891-miles in length. Hamilton also holds the track record, a blistering 1:18.750 second lap completed successfully in the 2020 event.
This begs the question if EA and Codemasters will drop any other tracks for the F1 22 title. I’d say the bet is safe that they will. The official F1 22 Twitter also dropped a tease of the return of the Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai International Circuit, which hasn’t been run since 2019 but will return in 2023.
