In Armação de Pêra, in the municipality of Silves, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa equated the organisation of the MotoGP Grand Prix of Portugal, eight years after the last race on Portuguese soil, to the return of Formula 1, on 25 October, and to the organisation of the 'final eight' of the football Champions League, between 12 and 23 August.

“It is a triumph for Portugal, for the Algarve, for diplomacy in the sports field. It is the recognition that, at different times, in October and November, the international sports authorities believe in the evolution of the Portuguese health situation”, said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in statements to journalists.