Miguel Amaral
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Miguel Amaral | |
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Count of Alferrarede | |
Full name | Miguel Maria de Sá Pais do Amaral |
Born | 31 July 1954 Lisbon |
Spouse(s) | Maria da Luz Lagos do Amaral Cabral |
Father | Manuel José Maria de Sá Pais do Amaral |
24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
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Years | 2006 - 2011 |
Teams | Quifel ASM Team |
Best finish | 20th (2008, 2010) |
Class wins | 0 |
Miguel Maria de Sá Pais do Amaral, 4th Count of Alferrarede, KHDSMOM, commonly known as Miguel Amaral (born 31 July 1954) is a Portuguese aristocrat, businessman and amateur racing driver.
Family
Miguel Amaral, born in Lisbon, Portugal, is the only child of Manuel José Maria de Sá Pais do Amaral, 7th Count of Anadia and Dona Maria Mafalda de Figueiredo Cabral da Câmara, of the Counts of Belmonte[1]
The head of the Amaral family has the hereditary title of Count of Anadia, and owns the Palácio Anadia in Mangualde, one of the most important baroque residences in the country, as well as the Palácio Anadia in Amoreiras, Lisbon. Miguel Amaral is heir to the title as well the family Properties. He is also a Knight of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. He was granted the hereditary title of Count of Alferrarede by Charter of the Portuguese Council of Nobility, still in his father's lifetime, a title that was originally created by King Carlos I of Portugal in 1903 to his great-granduncle Carlos de Sá Pais do Amaral Pereira de Menezes, 1st Count of Alferrarede, formerly 1st Viscount of Alferrarede.
He married Maria da Luz Lagos do Amaral Cabral at Estoril on 5 November 1983. Maria was the daughter of Joaquim Emílio do Amaral Cabral, a lawyer, and Maria Elisabeth da Silva Lagos. Maria and Miguel had two daughters: Maria da Assunção de Sá Pais do Amaral, born at São Domingos de Benfica, Lisbon, on 29 December 1987; and Carolina Rita de Sá Pais do Amaral, born at São Domingos de Benfica, Lisbon, on 23 January 1991, before separating in 2010.
Career
Personal career
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Miguel_Amaral.jpg/220px-Miguel_Amaral.jpg)
A Mechanical Engineer diplomed with a MBA from INSEAD,[2] Amaral was the former majority owner of the Media Capital group, a conglomerate that owns the TVI TV channel and several radio stations, including Rádio Comercial and Rádio Clube Português in Portugal. He sold a majority stake in the group to PRISA in 2005.
His current business interests are concentrated in Quifel Holdings, and include the following activities: a) LEYA, the leading education and book publishing operator in Portugal, b) REDITUS, one of the leading IT companies in Portugal, c) TEG, a Real estate operator foccusing on retail, tourism and residential segments, d) QUIFEL NATURAL RESOURCES, a natural resources and renewable energies company, e) GRYPHON HOLDING, a financial services company based in London, d) COMPANHIA DAS QUINTAS, a wine production company based in Portugal,
Racing career
He began racing in the Portuguese Cross-Country Rally Championship, as well as in the Portuguese Classic Touring Car Championship. In 2001, he teamed up with Pedro Couceiro to drive in the Spanish GT Championship before the two joined ASM Team. Later, he teamed up with Miguel de Castro driving a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR, and in 2009 he won the Trofeu Iberico de GT.
In 2006. Amaral purchased a Lola B05/40 Le Mans prototype, formerly run by Chamberlain-Synergy Motorsports in the Le Mans Series. After one win under the Chamberlain name, the team scored two more victories as ASM, but this prevented Amaral and his co-drivers Miguel Angel de Castro and Angel Burgueño from winning their class. Amaral and ASM Team continue to run their Lola in the Le Mans Series in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, Amaral and Olivier Pla raced a Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S/2, and won the LMP2 championship.
24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
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2006 | ![]() ![]() |
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Lola B05/40-AER | LMP2 | 196 | DNF | DNF |
2007 | ![]() |
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Lola B05/40-AER | LMP2 | 137 | DNF | DNF |
2008 | ![]() |
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Lola B05/40-AER | LMP2 | 325 | 20th | 4th |
2009 | ![]() |
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Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S/2 | LMP2 | 46 | DNF | DNF |
2010 | ![]() |
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Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S/2 | LMP2 | 318 | 20th | 7th |
2011 | ![]() |
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Zytek 09SC | LMP1 | 48 | DNF | DNF |
References
- ^ Miguel Maria de Sá Pais do Amaral Geneall.net Portuguese
- ^ Anuário da Nobreza de Portugal, III, 1985, Tomo I, p. 223 and Tomo II, p. 145