How Radical revamped its record-breaking flagship model

Portimao – or, rather, the Algarve International Circuit – is an incredible track. It’s long, fast, undulating, challenging. Every time I drive it, I come away exhausted and exhilarated from the effort and the concentration. Hanging on to the steering (and you really are hanging on!) at more than 120mph around the right-hand parabolica that finishes the lap – unsighted through a plunging downhill entry, nasty bump on apex, trying not to bleed off the throttle too much, or at all if you dare… It never fails to take the breath away.

The first corner is a rapid right-hander, approached at well over 150mph, with a steep, downhill braking zone. There’s an apex over a steep rise at Turn 4, a blind exit at Turn 8, a blind entry at Turn 10. This circuit has ‘kinks’ that require driving rather than relaxing, corners that lead immediately into short, heavy braking zones. There’s uphill, downhill and gravel traps…