EuroNASCAR: Happinessa and Visser claim first top-10 finishes, Davitidze impresses on series debut
- RACERS
- Apr 21
- 6 min read
Happinessa secured a breakthrough class victory in a Race 1 and a career best eighth place finish; Beitske Visser claimed a top-ten finish and Lady Trophy win on EuroNASCAR debut, and Mariam Davitidze impressed with rapid progress and a strong recovery drive in her first series weekend at Valencia.
The NASCAR Euro Series kicked off its 2026 season with three female drivers on the grid of the Open category, where the Lady Trophy is taking shape to be an exciting competition like in recent years.
Reigning Lady Trophy champion Happinessa, in her second year in the series, made a huge leap forward and secured her first overall top ten with an eighth place finish in Race 1, where the German navigated the field surviving incidents and bringing the #30 machine home in a career-best result, securing the first Lady Trophy award of the season.
Racing star Beitske Visser, one of the most anticipated rookies on the field, bounced back after technical issues on Saturday, where she was forced to start without power steering, to secure her first top ten on Sunday, with a P10 that granted her the Lady Trophy in Race 2.
It was a remarkable EuroNASCAR debut for Georgian racer Mariam Davitidze, who despite the limited experience made an impressive progress over the event, improving significantly in each session to eventually finish 18th overall and on competitive pace in Race 2. having missed the first race to technical issues. Davitidze therefore secured her first Lady Trophy podium, battling Happinessa in the closing stages.
The European division of NASCAR is once again proving to be a strong platform for female drivers, with three entries from diverse backgrounds and levels of experience.
Beitske Visser, from the Netherlands, has built an international career across both single-seaters and endurance racing. She achieved notable success in categories such as the W Series, Formula Renault 3.5 and GB3 Championship, before expanding into sportscar racing with appearances in the European Le Mans Series, International GT Open and NLS. In 2026, she takes on a new challenge by making her debut in the NASCAR Euro Series with Rehberg + Bremotion Racing, driving the #77 Chevrolet Camaro competing in the OPEN championship, making a significant transition from high-downforce machinery to V8-powered stock cars.
Happinessa returns to the NASCAR Euro Series for the 2026 season, aiming to defend her Lady Trophy title in the Open division after a promising rookie campaign. The German driver has stepped up to front-running outfit Hendriks Motorsport, joining the #30 entry operated in collaboration with Rette Jones Racing, in what marks a significant progression in her racing programme.
After gaining valuable experience in 2025, despite results often compromised by technical issues, Happinessa now targets greater consistency and stronger finishes - and her first outing of the season at Valencia was certainy proof of concept.
Georgian Mariam Davitidze made a big step in her career as she made her debut in the NASCAR Euro Series with Kolkhi GRT, also competing in the Open division. The 21 year old driver became the first Georgian woman to race in NASCAR competitions, marking a historic milestone for her country.
A first-generation driver, she built her foundation in karting, before expanding her experience internationally in Germany and across multiple disciplines, including auto slalom, where she claimed the Georgian national title, and touring cars.
In the first practice session, Visser immediately showcased top-10 pace, clocking a 1:45.517 lap; Happinessa followed in P18 with a 1:48.757, returning behind the wheel of a stockcar after a couple of outings in the Nürburgring-based NLS. Davitidze was meanwhile getting up to speed, recording a 1:50.901.
All drivers made big improvements in FP2. Visser was eleventh fastest with a 1:44.803 lap; Happinessa found over two seconds to set a 1:46.573 and Davitidze was one of the most improved with a 1:47.579, almost three seconds quicker than her previous benchmark.
Qualifying on Saturday morning set the stage for the first official session; Beitske Visser continued her impressive form, quickly breaking into the top ten with a 1:45.3 before improving to a 1:43.8 lap. She ultimately secured ninth overall with a 1:43.566, earning a place in the Superpole session. There, she posted a 1:44.111 to confirm P9 on the grid, in a highly competitive result for her first-ever EuroNASCAR qualifying.
Behind her, Davitidze continued her steep learning curve, setting a 1:46.251 to secure P18 overall, just ahead of Happinessa, who clocked a 1:46.476 for P20, having lost a lap due to track limits and battling some car balance issues. Both drivers broke the 1:47 barrier, showcasing the rapid progress made over the weekend.
Race 1 on Saturday began in dramatic fashion, with a major multi-car incident at Turn 1 followed by further chaos at Turn 2, eliminating several cars and triggering an early full course yellow. Visser expertly avoided the incidents and surged up to P7 overall, while Happinessa was the protagonist of a superb avoidance in the opening laps, navigating through the chaos despite contact from another car and climbing to P13.
Davitidze, unfortunately, was unable to start the race due to unresolved technical issues stemming from her teammate’s earlier race.
At the restart with ten laps remaining, the action intensified once more. Happinessa was again involved in contact from another car but managed to keep her car on track, dropping only slightly to P15. Meanwhile, Visser, whose car had sustained damage prior to the race, initially held position but soon began to struggle with a power steering issue that dramatically affected her pace. After dropping to P12 and then P14, she fought to keep the car on track with lap times in the 1:49–1:51 range, a testament to her determination under difficult conditions.
Happinessa, on the other hand, continued to gain momentum, consistently lapping in the 1:47s and eventually closing in on and overtaking Visser as the Lady Trophy battle intensified. The German driver then continued her superb stint, improving to a 1:46.9 and pulling away from her rivals.
As issues struck multiple competitors, including the overall leader, Happinessa capitalized, climbing into the overall top ten. In a chaotic final phase, she briefly lost a position but regained it when her rival encountered problems on the final lap.
At the chequered flag, she secured P10 overall, later promoted to P8 following post-race penalties, clinching her first Lady Trophy win of the season in a breakthrough performance.
Visser, after a heroic effort without power steering, was ultimately forced to retire but was classified P16.
Sunday’s Race 2 took place under sunny conditions and featured a much cleaner start. Visser, starting from P15, made an excellent launch to climb to P13 on the opening lap, while Happinessa, starting P12, was boxed in and dropped to P17. Davitidze, making her race debut from P24, gained two positions on lap one and immediately began building confidence.
As the race progressed, Visser steadily worked her way forward, overtaking Leogrande and later finding pace in the 1:44 range to break into contention for the top ten.
Happinessa, meanwhile, showed strong pace in the 1:46 range but remained stuck in a tight midfield train. A bold move attempt resulted in her being forced onto the kerbs and briefly onto the grass, but she produced an impressive save to continue, albeit losing some positions.
Davitidze emerged as one of the highlights of the race. Rapidly improving her lap times, she progressed from the 1:47 range down to a remarkable 1:45.8, over two seconds quicker than cars ahead. She overtook multiple competitors, including Andre and later Leogrande, before setting her sights on Federico Monti. With a decisive move on lap 12, she secured P18, in a highly impressive recovery drive in her first-ever race in the series.
A late full course yellow, triggered by an off-track incident, bunched up the field and set up a final sprint. Visser capitalized on the restart phase, closing in on Michael Bleekemolen, who made a mistake under pressure. Visser seized the opportunity on lap 13 to move into P10, securing a top-ten finish and her first Lady Trophy win.
Happinessa recovered to finish P17, maintaining solid pace once she found her rhythm. Mariam Davitidze crossed the line in P18 after a remarkable debut race that showcased her rapid development and strong racecraft.
Overall, the weekend marked a highly encouraging start to the season for all three drivers: Beitske Visser demonstrated immediate front-running potential, Happinessa secured a breakthrough result and strong points haul, and Mariam Davitidze delivered one of the most impressive improvement curves of the field.
The next round of the championship will take place on May 22–24 at the Circuit Paul Ricard, where the battle for the Lady Trophy is set to intensify further.
