The Caramulo Experience Center, the most recent museum space created by Museu do Caramulo dedicated to motoring passion, now has “two veterans” of Formula 1, a Jordan 199 and Sauber C18, both from 1999.
Inaugurated a little over a year ago in that town in the municipality of Tondela, Viseu district, the Caramulo Experience Center received the two cars for a period of three months.
Piloted by Heinz-Harald Frentzen, the Jordan 199 was “the most successful car of the Jordan team, during its fifteen years of presence in the Formula 1 World Championship”, emphasized Museu do Caramulo.
“With this single-seater, Heinz-Harald Frentzen achieved two victories, a pole-position and contributed decisively to Jordan’s third place finish in the Constructors’ World Championship, and had a realistic chance of winning the Drivers’ Championship, in what would also be his best Formula One season,” he added.
As for the Sauber C18, the museum explained that “it was in the service of Jean Alesi, the mythical Italian-French driver who also worked for teams such as Tyrrel, Ferrari, Benetton, and Prost Grand Prix.
“In the course of Michael Schumacher’s serious accident at the British Grand Prix in July 1999, Jean Alesi was on the verge of returning to Ferrari to replace the German champion after the poor results achieved during that season with the Swiss team from Hinwil,” he recalled.
The Jordan 199 and the Sauber C18 can be visited every day of the week between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm.
Inaugurated in April 2022, the Caramulo Experience Center is housed in an old industrial building built in the early 1970s.
In its more than 2,400 square meters, it has a workshop for restoration and maintenance of classic cars, the reserves of the Museu do Caramulo collection, an exhibition area, a documentation center, and a classics products store.
The Museu do Caramulo, which has more than 70 years of history, holds three collections: one of art, another of cars, motorcycles and bicycles, and a third of antique toys.
On a regular basis, it organizes thematic and temporary exhibitions and several events, such as the Motorclássico Fair, the Caramulo Motorfestival, the Freedom of Speed, the Museu na Rua, the Rider – Classic Motorcycles Ride, and the Race of the Founders by Cartrack.