Álvaro Maia Parente (born 4 October 1984) is a Portuguese professional racing driver.

Career

Early career

After winning the Karting European Junior Championship in 1998, Porto-born Parente made his debut in auto racing in 2001 at the age of 16, driving in the Spanish F3 Championship. In the following year, he was integrated into the Team Portugal project and scored a win on his way to fourth place in the series.

Formula Three

Parente than began a more international career in 2003, moving to the F3 Euroseries with Team Ghinzani, but the Mugen-Honda engine proved to be inferior to the Mercedes and he scored a single point. He did better with one-off entries in Italian Formula 3 and at Spa in a round of the British Formula 3 Championship, his first association with Carlin Motorsport, which was repeated that year in the Macau Grand Prix.

This brief contact paved the way for a contract with Carlin for the 2004 season, where Parente took part in the British series, scoring another win and finishing seventh in the championship standings. He also took part in the Marlboro Masters and at Macau, but in the former the Mugen-Honda could not take the fight to the Mercedes drivers and in the latter he was taken out in the first lap.

Parente stayed in the British Formula 3 for another season, and his experience helped him to win the championship with four races to go, scoring a total of 11 wins. This result made him the natural candidate to represent A1 Team Portugal for the new A1 Grand Prix series.

Formula Renault 3.5 Series

For 2006, Parente joined the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with the Victory Engineering team, and achieved his first win at Istanbul in only his fifth race in the category. He took two further wins at the Nürburgring and Circuit de Catalunya to finish fifth in the final standings. He had hoped to progress onto the GP2 Series in 2007, but a lack of sponsorship scuppered his plans. He did, however, return to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with the French Tech 1 Racing team, having signed a contract on the eve of the first pre-season test.

During the 2007 season, Parente took five podium finishes, including two race victories at Monaco and Spa, and was crowned World Series by Renault champion at the final round in Barcelona on 27 October.

As a prize for winning the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, Parente has tested for the Renault F1 team on 17 January 2008 at the Circuito de Jerez.

GP2 Series

For 2008, Parente moved to the Super Nova Racing team in the GP2 Series, widely regarded as the primary feeder series to Formula One.

Parente made a stunning start to his GP2 career in the opening round of the season at the Circuit de Catalunya, Parente won the feature race making him the first Portuguese driver to win in GP2 Series. Alvaro Parente led from start to finish, to claim victory ahead of Bruno Senna and Andreas Zuber. He eventually finished eighth in the drivers' championship.

Super Nova team nicknamed Parente as "Chachi", due to his likeness to the famous character in Happy Days.

In 2009, Parente participated in the GP2 Asia Series with My Team Qi.Meritus, and competed in the GP2 Series with Ocean Racing Technology, finishing eighth once again.

Parente began the 2010 season without a drive, but replaced Alberto Valerio at the Coloni team from the Belgian round onwards. On his return to the category, he scored a double podium finish, and ended the weekend as the highest scoring driver. He was replaced for the final round by James Jakes.

Parente again went into the 2011 GP2 Series season without a drive, but was called up by Racing Engineering for the second round of the championship at Catalunya. He replaced Christian Vietoris, who had complained of recurring headaches following a heavy crash at the first round in Turkey. Vietoris returned after two rounds, but Parente remained in the series by switching to the Carlin team, where he took the seat previously occupied by Oliver Turvey. After a further six races, he relinquished the seat to Mikhail Aleshin. He then returned for the season finale at Monza, ending up in 16th place in the drivers' championship.

Superleague Formula

Parente agreed to race at the 2009 Estoril round of the 2009 Superleague Formula season for his football squad team, F.C. Porto, and went on to win the second race, on his series debut.

Formula One Parente was a leading contender for a seat at Campos Meta, other contenders were Vitaly Petrov and Pastor Maldonado. On 15 December 2009, it was officially announced that Parente would join the new Virgin Racing team as a test driver. However, he was not present at the launch of the VR-01 chassis in February 2010, and it was reported that he had left the team due to sponsorship problems. Andy Soucek replaced Parente as the reserve driver.

GT

Since 2012, Parente has regularly been a factory GT3 driver for McLaren customer teams. His highlight was winning the 2016 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour for Tekno Autosports alongside Shane van Gisbergen and Jonathon Webb as well as taking the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge Championship title. He has also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2012 for Ram Racing in a Ferrari 458 Italia GT2.

Racing record Career summary Season Series Team Races Wins PolesF/LapsPodiums Points Position 2001 Spanish Formula 3 Championship G-Tec 2 0 000 50 12th E. V. Racing70000 2002 Spanish Formula 3 Championship Racing Engineering 13 1 111 133 5th 2003 Formula 3 Euro Series Team Ghinzani 19 0 000 1 25th Italian Formula 3 Championship 2 1 112 34 9th Masters of Formula 3 1 0 000 N/A 22nd British Formula 3 International Series Carlin Motorsport 2 0 000 7 22nd Macau Grand Prix 1 0 000 N/A DNF F3 Korea Super PrixF3 Korea Super Prix 2003 results driverdb.com 1 0 000 N/A 10th 2004 British Formula 3 International Series Carlin Motorsport 23 1 204 137 7th Masters of Formula 3 1 0 000 N/A DNF F3 European CupF3 European Cup 2004 results driverdb.com 1 0 000 N/A 8th Macau Grand Prix 2 0 000 N/A DNF 2005 British Formula 3 International Series Carlin Motorsport 16 11 9713 289 1st Masters of Formula 310000N/ADNF 2005–06 A1 Grand Prix A1 Team Portugal 20 0 003 66‡ 9th‡ 2006 Formula Renault 3.5 Series Victory Engineering 15 3 005 94 5th 2006–07 A1 Grand Prix A1 Team Portugal 6 0 000 10‡ 17th‡ 2007 Formula Renault 3.5 Series Tech 1 Racing 17 2 215 129 1st 2008 GP2 Series Super Nova Racing 20 1 004 34 8th Formula One ING Renault F1 TeamTest driver 2008–09 GP2 Asia Series My Team Qi-Meritus Mahara 6 0 020 1 21st 2009 GP2 Series Ocean Racing Technology 20 1 112 30 8th Spanish GT Championship - GTA Aurora Racing Team 2 0 110 10 25th Spanish GT Championship - Super GT2010048th Superleague Formula F.C. Porto 2 1 001 302‡ 5th‡ 2009–10 GP2 Asia Series Scuderia Coloni 4 0 001 12 8th 2010 GP2 Series Scuderia Coloni 4 0 002 13 15th Superleague Formula F.C. Porto202023495‡7th‡ Le Mans Series - GT2 AF Corse10000921st International GT Open Aurora Racing Team211010NC† Spanish GT Championship - Super GT102231078 3rd 2011 GP2 Series Racing Engineering 4 0 001 8 16th Carlin 8 0 0002012 FIA GT1 World Championship Hexis Racing1801146511th Blancpain Endurance Series - Pro United Autosports410013113th British GT Championship - GT3110110NC† Blancpain Endurance Series - Pro-Am Von Ryan Racing101001722nd2013 FIA GT Series Sébastien Loeb Racing124135824th Blancpain Endurance Series - Pro Hexis Racing500012410th British GT Championship - GT3 United Autosports50000135th International GT Open - GTS Bhai Tech Racing200010NC†2014 FIA World Endurance Championship - GTE Pro Ram Racing20000827th 24 Hours of Le Mans - GTE Pro10000N/ADNF ADAC GT Masters MRS-GT Racing200000NC Blancpain Endurance Series - Pro ART Grand Prix51212497th Blancpain GT Sprint Series Bhaitech200000NC Stock Car Brasil Voxx Racing100000NC† 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Dörr Motorsport10000N/ADNF2015 Blancpain Endurance Series - Pro Von Ryan Racing500001020th International GT Open - Pro-Am Teo Martín Motorsport143661194 1st GT Asia Series FFF Racing Team400014123rd FIA GT World Cup20000N/A7th Stock Car Brasil Voxx Racing100000NC†2016 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup Garage 59101112566th International GT Open - Pro-Am20001919th Pirelli World Challenge - GT K-Pax Racing2075491657 1st Intercontinental GT Challenge Tekno Autosports11111404th K-Pax Racing101012017 FIA World Endurance Championship - GTE Am Clearwater Racing100001610th 24 Hours of Le Mans - GTE Am10000N/A6th Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup Strakka Racing10000441st Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup80010230th Australian Endurance Championship Tekno Autosports2000013525th Pirelli World Challenge - GT K-Pax Racing214328315 3rd Intercontinental GT Challenge Tekno Autosports/McLaren GT10000275th K-Pax Racing100012018 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup Strakka Racing400012023rd Pirelli World Challenge - GT K-Pax Racing1724562465th IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian911052646th Intercontinental GT Challenge Strakka Racing300012811th K-Pax Racing100002019 Blancpain GT World Challenge America K-Pax Racing1447412237 2nd2020 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Bentley K-PAX Racing400000NC Intercontinental GT Challenge10000121st IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Heinricher Racing with MSR Curb-Agajanian9001122512th2021 24 Hours of Le Mans - GTE Pro HubAuto Racing10100N/ADNF 2023 GT World Challenge Asia - GT3 HubAuto Racing1201001431st Indian Racing League Hyderabad Blackbirds0000056‡6th‡ 2024 24H Series - GT3 E2P Racing700001043rd Indian Racing League Speed Demons Delhi 4 1 1 1 4 82‡ 6th‡2026GT3 Revival Series - Pro-AmLeopard Racing Team Quinntech † Guest driver ineligible to score points

‡ Team standings.

Complete Spanish Formula Three Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 DC Points 2001 G-TecVAL1VAL2JAR1JAR2 EST1 EST2 12th 50 E.V. Racing ALB1 ALB2 JAR1 JAR2 VAL1 VAL2 CAT1 CAT2 2002 Racing Engineering ALB1 ALB2 JER1 JER2 EST1 EST2 VAL JER1 JER2 JAR1 JAR2 CAT1 CAT2 5th

Complete Formula 3 Euro Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Points 2003 Team Ghinzani Dallara F302 Mugen-Honda HOC1 HOC2 ADR1 ADR2 PAU1 PAU2 NOR1 NOR2 LMS1 LMS2 NÜR1 NÜR2 A1R129† A1R2 ZAN1 ZAN2 HOC1 HOC2 MAG1 MAG2 25th 1 † Driver did not finish the race, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.

Complete Italian Formula Three Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Points 2003 Team Ghinzani Dallara F302 Mugen-Honda MIS BIN MAG IMO PER MUG VAR MNZ VLL 9th 34

Complete British Formula Three Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 DC Points 2003 Carlin Motorsport Dallara F303 Mugen-Honda DON1 DON2 SNE1 SNE2 CRO1 CRO2 KNO1 KNO2 SIL1 SIL2 CAS1 CAS2 OUL1 OUL2 ROC1 ROC2 THR1 THR2 SPA1 SPA2 DON1 DON2 BRH1 BRH2 22nd 5 2004 Carlin Motorsport Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda DON1 DON2 SIL1 SIL2 CRO1 CRO2 KNO1 KNO2 SNE1 SNE2 SNE3 CAS1 CAS2 DON1 DON2 OUL1 OUL2 SIL1 SIL2 THR1 THR2 SPA1 SPA2 BRH1 BRH2 7th 137 2005 Carlin Motorsport Dallara F305 Mugen-HondaDON1DON2 SPA1 SPA2 CRO1 CRO2 KNO1 KNO2 THR1 THR2 CAS1 CAS2 MNZ1 MNZ2 MNZ3 SIL1 SIL2 SIL3 NÜR1 NÜR2 MON1 MON2SIL1SIL2 1st 289

Complete A1 Grand Prix results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)