Kartódromo Internacional de Leiria

Overview

The Kartódromo Internacional de Leiria is a kart circuit in the parish of Milagres, about 8 kilometres from the centre of Leiria in central Portugal. It is owned and run by the Núcleo Desportos Motorizados de Leiria (NDML), a motorsport club that also organises rallies, hill climbs and regularity events across the region. The circuit hosts national karting championship rounds, club races and corporate events, and it is open to the public for rental karting and for drivers who bring their own karts. Cars and motorcycles can also use the track by arrangement.

Technical Specifications and Track Features

The permanent asphalt track is 1,006 metres long in its longest form and 8 metres wide. It was designed with several link sections, so that seven different layouts between 820 and 1,006 metres can be set up in a few minutes by moving barriers, from short technical loops used for training to the full circuit. The track was granted FPAK homologation 65/2024, valid until the end of 2026, and races there use rolling starts with pole position on the right-hand side of the grid. The club states that the FIA recognised the track for international events in 2000. The rental fleet uses Sodikart GT4R karts with 270 cc engines, with electronic timing and lap-time screens in the boxes, and group sprint and endurance races take between 10 and 30 karts.

Facilities and Specialized Areas

The complex covers about five hectares and includes an administrative office, permanent boxes, a bar-restaurant, changing rooms with showers, stands and a large free car park with direct access to the boxes. Helmets and other safety equipment are provided for users, and members can rent garages on site. Two-seater karts allow people with disabilities to drive, and the NDML karting school runs Sunday morning courses for children aged six to eleven. Besides karting, the track has been used for stages of car events such as the Rally de Portugal Histórico, the Rallye Verde Pino and the Leiria Festival Rallye.

History

NDML was founded on 24 June 1982 and became a public-utility association in November 1993. The club's founders financed and built the circuit, which opened on 13 February 1994 as the first permanent motorsport track in central Portugal. It was the largest facility of its kind at the time and drew drivers from across Portugal, Spain and France, and one of the founders, Victor Sousa, organised Sunday races for private drivers. The track was first homologated by FPAK at Grade 1 for national and leisure events. In January 2015, after twenty years of dispute with the local parish council, NDML completed the purchase of the land. On 28 January 2026 Storm Kristin caused damage estimated at more than half a million euros, and in July 2026 Leiria council approved 72,000 euros towards rebuilding the main building and new accessible facilities. Racing continued that year, including the GP Victor Sousa in September 2026, which revived the club's original Sunday races.