The course has two hairpin turns, noticeable elevation changes, and a long (986 metre) start/finish straight. Its original perimeter was , and the maximum gradient is nearly 7%. Throughout the years, Estoril has had numerous problems with safety, failing safety inspections on more than one occasion. After the death of Ayrton Senna at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, a chicane was added which increased the circuit length to . Estoril sometimes has high crosswinds, which remind many of its Spanish counterpart, the Circuit de Catalunya, which has a similar layout. Many teams were fond of using Estoril for winter testing.