The maiden race in the history of GTC Endurance Challenge, which took place in Vallelunga, saw Casals Motorsport steal the show throughout the entire weekend. The Italian team came to the Roman racetrack with high hopes, entering two BMW M4 GT4 Evos in the series promoted by Riza International – one in the Pro-Am class, and the other in the Am category.
On their debut, the Pro-Am crew of Davide Nardilli and Giacomo Maman was unstoppable from start to finish. On their home turf, the two Italians were quick straight off the bat, topping both free practice sessions on Friday and setting the fastest qualifying time in Q2. Despite starting from second position in Stage-1, the pair quickly rose to the top after the opening lap, before extending their lead and dominating the opening stage of the season. The script didn’t change on Sunday: Maman’s raw pace and Nardilli’s consistency were the perfect match, making them the first Pro-Am winners in the history of GTC Endurance Challenge – taking home the race win as well as both stage victories.
Casals Motorsport’s great weekend wasn’t just limited to their Pro-Am success. Their second entry in the championship, driven by Sebastian Gavazza and Luca Esposito, was also highly competitive in the Am class. The two drivers both finished second in class in the two qualifying sessions that took place on Saturday morning, leaving them in a great spot ahead of the opening race of the year. Stage-1 saw them take the class lead at the start and build a strong lead; the pair, however, lost top spot during the pit stop window, before dropping to third by the end of the opening stage. On Sunday, the two were looking to improve on their position, but an ill-timed safety car saw them lose vital ground in the fight for the Am win. Still, Gavazza and Esposito were able to secure a podium finish in the first event of the season, climbing to the third step of the Am podium in Vallelunga while displaying strong pace in the face of adversity.
Together with the rest of the GTC Endurance Challenge field, Casals Motorsport will be back on track at the Slovakiaring, when the series promoted by Riza International will be sharing the track once more with TCR European Endurance for its second round of the season, from June 5 to June 7.
