Santiago Alves, a 17-year-old driver from Sintra, became the national karting champion in the X30 Senior category, the main class of the Toyota Portuguese Karting Championship. The title was won at the fifth and final round of the championship, held at the Braga International Karting Circuit. Leading the competition heading into the final round, Santiago Alves sealed the victory by winning the Final, after finishing the qualifying heats in second place.
The young driver thus closed out a season of great consistency, after having been the national runner-up in 2025. Following the victory, Santiago Alves stated he was very happy and considered this the highest point of his career. The champion thanked his family, the Paulo Pita Racing Team, and all his friends, also mentioning the goal of achieving the "double" at the Portuguese Cup.
The title also represents the third national karting championship won by the Alves family. The older brother, Nuno Alves, was a two-time national champion in the Junior category, in 2001 and 2002. Throughout his career, Santiago Alves has achieved notable results, including a national runner-up finish in the Initiation class, a victory in the Portuguese Open in Cadet, and a third place in the Portuguese Junior Karting Championship.
The Sintra driver is now targeting the Portuguese Karting Cup, which will be held on November 21st and 22nd at the International Karting Circuit of the West Region, in Bombarral.
