Is Mahaveer Raghunathan Securing P2 in the Italian GT Championship After the Mugello Round?

Italy, July 23 (NationPress) As the Italian GT Championship approaches its midpoint, Mahaveer Raghunathan continues to impress in his inaugural season with AF Corse, presently occupying P2 in the overall Sprint Championship standings, just two points shy of the leader, and P3 in the Endurance Championship.

In the Endurance Cup, Mahaveer collaborates with Italian drivers Lorenzo Ferrari and Riccardo Ponzio, creating a robust and well-complemented trio for AF Corse.

The season kicked off strongly for Mahaveer and his co-drivers at Misano, where they achieved a commendable P4 finish despite suffering early-race contact that cost them precious time. However, the team rebounded effectively with a solid race pace and strategy, narrowly missing the podium by just one second.

In the first race, Mahaveer secured P2 with competitive pace and a smart strategy. During race two, he executed an outstanding drive, ascending to P1 after the pit stop and holding the lead under pressure. He dominated the restart, ultimately crossing the finish line with a commanding victory, propelling him to the top of the championship standings.

With a strong qualifying effort, the team began from P3. Mahaveer and his teammates maintained front-running pace throughout the race, finishing in P2.

Despite a 15-second success handicap from their previous victory, the team concluded the race in P4, missing the podium by a mere tenth of a second.

They finished P5 after an unfortunate series of events. A poorly timed safety car right after the pit stop disrupted their strategy, hindering tyre warm-up and leaving Mahaveer vulnerable at the restart, which led to further position losses due to contact.

Reflecting on the season, Mahaveer stated, “The first half of the season has been solid. Four podiums and a win are promising, but I believe we can achieve more. I’ve gained valuable experience, not just in terms of speed but also in race craft, restarts, and managing races under pressure. I'm eager to implement those lessons and return stronger at Imola on August 3rd.”

From the Pit Wall, Amato Ferrari, Team Principal of AF Corse, commented, “I’ve been collaborating with Mahaveer since the WEC rookie test in Bahrain last November. He’s a highly focused driver, deeply engaged in driving and racing. Since joining the team, Mahaveer has adapted excellently to the Ferrari 296 GT3. The engineers are pleased with his progress. He works well alongside Lorenzo Ferrari in the sprint and with Lorenzo and Riccardo Ponzio in the endurance series. Our collective goal is to win the championship, and we are continuously striving towards that.”

With two more rounds each in the Endurance and Sprint formats remaining, Mahaveer Raghunathan and the AF Corse team are in a strong position, fully committed to transforming their early-season promise into a championship-winning campaign.