Many of the drivers currently in Formula 1 reached the top under his guidance. But this time, it was behind the wheel and wearing his overalls — and not as a coach — that Nuno Pinto achieved one of the most rewarding moments of his career in motorsport.
In the city where he grew up and where his passion for rallies was born, he won the 6th edition of the Templários Rally Classic, with João Jardim Pereira as navigator — also Tomar’s “adopted son”. Organized by the Motor Clube de Tomar, the event was once again a success, reinforcing its status as one of the most emblematic events on the national calendar of historic rallies.
It was in Tomar, where he grew up and was thrilled by the events of the old Rally de Portugal, that Nuno Pinto decided to pursue a career in motor racing — a passion instilled by his parents. His first steps were taken in karting, with outstanding results, before venturing into rallies and a foray into single-seaters, where he won the Formula BMW. But rallies always spoke louder. With occasional appearances — often just for the pleasure of competing — this victory marks his second triumph in the sport, four years after savoring the champagne of victory… in Indonesia.
Recognized in Portugal and abroad, Nuno Pinto has been a key player in the development of talents that shine in F1 today, such as Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon and, more recently, Lance Stroll, among others. This time, however, it was the coach who became a driver again — and a winner.
“I am happy and I recognize that the victory has a very special flavor, as it was a rally held in a region where my parents lived for more than 20 years and where I also grew up. Carlos Fernandes was an excellent opponent and he deserves congratulations for the performance he did with a car that must not be easy at all. We went much faster than last year and Paulo Carvalheira also impressed me. Thank you to Sports&You for the excellent car they provided me with.”
After the success in the 2024 edition, Carlos Fernandes, with Bruno Abreu alongside him in the Porsche 997 GT3 Cup, had to settle for second place, but only 5.7 seconds behind the winner.
In addition to the exciting duel for victory between Nuno Pinto and Carlos Fernandes, the 2025 edition also stood out for the record number of entrants and the excellent third place of Paulo Carvalheira, also at the wheel of a Porsche 997 GT3 Cup. The race also crowned the winners of the different classes:
• Manuel Cristino / Luís Costa – H1 Historics, with a Morris Mini
• Pedro Silva / Joaquim Duarte – H3 Historics, with a Ford Escort MKII
• Alexandre Alves / Rúben Martins – S2 Sport, with a Peugeot 106
• Vítor Gomes / Oliveira – S3 Sport, with a Peugeot 306
• Nuno Carreira / João Paulino – S4 Sport, with a Mitsubishi Evo VI
(Nuno Carreira is the father of Danny Carreira, current Clio Trophy Portugal champion)
• António Alcobia / Flávio Vieira – Open 2, with a Peugeot 306 GTi
• Victor Calisto / Marcio Calisto – Open 3, with a Toyota Yaris GR
The organization of the Motor Clube de Tomar once again received praise from drivers and teams. The debut of the new Dornes section, in the municipality of Ferreira do Zêzere, was an absolute success, while the now traditional Friday night super special, held on the streets of Tomar, was once again one of the highlights of the race, bringing together an impressive crowd that cheered at each pass — in a true celebration of motorsports.
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