061 – JOSE MAGALHAES – 420R
Jose Joao Magalhaes
Date of birth: 6th February 1965
Place of birth: Guimaraes, Portugal
Total number of race years: 34; Races: 397; Victories: 37; Podiums: 111; Poles: 35; FL: 37
Born and raised in Famalicao, JJ Magalhaes is a driver that we are used to seeing on the European podiums.
His career started in saloon cars, in the 1989 Toyota Starlet Trophy, in Portugal. In his first year he was 2nd overall, and in the following year he conquered the championship with 6 victories and a second place in a total of 8 races.
In 1991, he transferred to the Renault Clio and VW Polo Trophies. On his first race, driving the VW, he won it.
In 1992, he was second in the Renault Clio Trophy and in the following year he was granted the overall victory. Also in 1992, he started going out of Portugal driving for Renault Portugal. His start was very promising, as he won the European Clio race in Estoril, under heavy rain.
That international experience was followed with the European Eurocup Renault Clio Championship in 1993, 1994 and 1995. His best result was in the charismatic Monaco racetrack, where he finished second, in 1994.
In 1995, he was again called to drive the Portuguese Renault Spider in the new European Championship. Until 1998, when the Spider was substituted in the racetracks, he drove against professional drivers, coming everywhere from F1 to world kart championships. His experience in circuits all over Europe is greatly appreciated.
He went back to Portugal in 1998, to participate in the Portuguese Renault Megane Championship. He won the championship with 4 victories and 3 second places, in the 8-race championship, amongst 25 Portuguese drivers.
In 1999, representing Renault Portugal, he competed in the Renault Sport Clio Trophy, using the difficult Clio V6. In the very first race, amongst 60 drivers, he was 2nd. He competed successfully two more years with the V6, where he was regularly on the top 5 drivers.
In 2002 and 2003, he changed to the smaller Clio, where again he drove at top level fighting constantly for podium positions. He captured a pole position and 3 podium finishes, completing the series in 6th place in 2003.
In 2004 and 2005, he shifted to an Alfa Romeo, still competing amongst the top one-make saloon drivers in Europe, he has again collected several poles and podium finishes, losing a victory in the challenging Spa circuit by mechanical failure 5 corners from the finishing line!
In 2006 and 2007, he drove in the competitive DTM-support German Seat Eurocopa, where he achieved a podium and a fastest lap. He won a Spa race in a one-off Portuguese Honda Cup. Also drove in the 24h Dubai with a Porsche in 2007.
From 2008 to 2011 he again drove the Clios one-make series in Benelux and Eurocup. Amongst 8 podium appearances, one stands out as his career-max… a victory on a wet Nordschleife!
After a break of 2 years, he came back on 2014 and 2015 to race an Alfa Cup to achieve 4 podiums, 1 pole and 1 FL.
Finally, in 2016, in his 26th career year, he started to be a proud Caterham driver… where he has been since.
2017 won the Portuguese 1600cc championship with 5 victories and 11 podiums and,
2018, upgraded to the fabulous 420R. Since then, has raced in Portugal and UK championships, being vice-champion in 2019, with 3 victories and 8 podium appearances.
All the subsequent years in Cat racing until present, he has finished the championship within the top 5.
