While the European automotive industry continues to debate electric cars, co2 standards and the future of the big historic brands, Carlos Tavares seems to have turned the page. The former CEO of Stellantis, now away from the hustle and bustle of boardrooms and strategy conferences, leads a very different life in his native Portugal.
Between restoring classic cars, managing hotels and his passion for motor sport, Carlos Tavares continues to do what he's always loved: drive. And on the weekend of May 16 and 17, he wasn't behind the wheel of an electric car or a futuristic prototype. No, the former Stellantis boss was taking part in the Portuguese single-seater championship in Portimão... in a 1983 Alfa Romeo Formula 3.
An Alfa Romeo racing car from the '80s
The car entered by Carlos Tavares is not just any single-seater. It's a 1983 Ralt RT3 powered by an Alfa Romeo engine, a machine that has become a cult in the world of Formula 3 racing.
In its day, the Ralt RT3 was one of the absolute references in the category. This single-seater fully exploited the principles of ground effect that dominated motorsport at the time. Its extremely narrow aluminum monocoque chassis, inboard suspension and F1-inspired aerodynamics made it a formidably efficient car.
Under the rear hood is an Alfa Romeo 2.0-liter, naturally-aspirated, 4-cylinder engine derived from the famous production Twin Cam. Competition-prepared, this engine developed between 165 and 190 horsepower, depending on configuration. Modest figures today, but combined with a weight of around 455 kg, they enabled this F3 to reach between 240 and 250 km/h with a typically Alfa Romeo sound, racy and mechanical. The Ralt RT3 is often considered one of the best Formula 3 cars of the early '80s, and served as a springboard for several future F1 drivers.
An eventful weekend in Portimão
Carlos Tavares shared several moments from his race weekend on the legendary Portimão circuit in the Algarve. A track he himself describes as “a treat”, with its blind corners, uneven gradients and high average speed.
The weekend got off to a complicated start, however. During free practice, the Alfa Romeo Ralt RT3 was involved in contact with another competitor, but qualifying went more smoothly, with a time of 1’59 giving Tavares sixth place overall and first place among the “Non FR2000s”.
Sunday was much more intense. In the first race, a clutch problem forced him to start... on the starter. As if that wasn't enough, a loose rear wheel with three laps to go further complicated the situation. The result: ninth place overall and third place in class. In the second heat, the clutch failed again after just two laps. Despite this, Carlos Tavares continued the race without the clutch, even improving on his best time of 1’58.604. In the end, he finished sixth overall and first in the “Non FR2000” category.
In 2026, there's something rather symbolic about seeing the former boss of the Stellantis group, who wanted to make Alfa Romeo a 100 % electric brand, driving today in a 40-year-old Alfa Romeo single-seater, equipped with a naturally-aspirated engine screaming at nearly 10,000 rpm.
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