The Portuguese Grand Prix on the Estoril circuit is, for the second year in a row - last year it was replaced by the European Grand Prix at Jerez (Spain), very much in doubt. A minister of the government said there was no guarantee that the modifications to the track would be ready before the Grand Prix date. Economy Minister Joaquim Pina Moura said: "I decided today to tell the International Automobile Federation (FIA) there are no conditions to guarantee the completion of repairs to the circuit in time for the Grand Prix to take place in October."

The state owns 51% of the track while Autodril own the other 49. But because of Autodril the modifactions are not going ahead as planned the government says. Moura commented: "I was obliged to take this decision because of the attitude taken by Autodril to systematically create obstacles to block the completion of the necessary repairs."