Portugal's ambition of returning to the Formula One world championship with an all-new circuit at Portimão on the Algarve took another step towards fruition this week with the official presentation of the nascent facility - and the revelation that one F1 team has already booked testing time, despite earthworks still to be completed.

Although the planned 4.7km Autódromo Internacional do Algarve is not due to be ready until October - when it is slated to open with a round of the World Superbike Championship - circuit director Paulo Pinheiro told Reuters at Monday's presentation that one F1 team had already booked the venue for a pre-season test next January, while talks were in progress with other operations. The operators also revealed ambitions to bring A1GP to the tourist region in coming seasons.

“Building works are on schedule," Pinheiro proudly announced at the launch, as he surveyed the latest stage in a seven-year commitment to the project, "In October, the circuit will be completed in order to enable us to inaugurate it with the Superbikes competition. We are also concluding negotiations to host A1GP within our technology park. We are convinced that this project will constitute an asset, not only for the Algarve region, but also for Portugal as a whole.”