Ferrari Challenge: Manuela Gostner claims double runner up in Brno, gains championship lead
- RACERS
- Jun 9
- 5 min read
"Sometimes the win doesn’t come, but consistency counts" - Manuela Gostner enjoyed a highly positive weekend at Brno, claiming two runner-up finishes in the fourth round of the Ferrari Challenge Europe season under very tricky weather conditions. The strong performance gained the Italian racer the lead in the Shell Cup championship standings.
Manuela Gostner enjoyed a highly positive weekend at Brno, claiming two runner-up finishes in the fourth round of the Ferrari Challenge Europe season under very tricky weather conditions. The strong performance gained the Italian racer the lead in the Shell Cup championship standings.
A consistent frontrunner and multiple race winner in the Ferrari Challenge Europe Shell Cup, Gostner returned to the series in 2025 after previously battling for the title in past seasons. Her 2025 campaign, however, began with misfortune at the Monza season opener despite showing promising pace, but she rebounded with a strong drive to a podium finish in Race 2 at Misano.
Heading into the third round at Hockenheim — a track which returned to the calendar for the first time since 2022 — Gostner built momentum and capitalized to claim her first win of the season, taking the lead into Turn 1 of Race 1 from second on the grid, effectively kickstarting her recovery in the championship. On older tyres, she salvaged fifth place in Race 2, collecting a healthy haul of points before the series headed to Brno for round four.
At a circuit where she had not raced since 2018, Gostner completed a positive test with the new 296 Challenge at the Czech venue, ensuring she was well-prepared for the weekend. Free practice on Friday confirmed her form, as the Ineco - Reparto Corse RAM driver finished both sessions third fastest, with the top three separated by just a few tenths.
However, weather conditions shifted dramatically on Saturday. A damp track greeted the drivers for Q1. With no prior wet experience at Brno, Manuela waited in the pits before setting a first representative time with five minutes to go — a 2:00.423 that initially placed her eighth. She quickly improved to a 1:58.9 and climbed to third. A further improvement to 1:58.3 kept her in third position, although traffic on her final attempt denied her a potential front-row spot.
A rain shower just before the start of Race 1 meant the race began behind the safety car, allowing drivers to acclimate to the conditions and limited visibility. NM and Van der Vorm led from the front row, with Manuela and John Dhillon starting from third and fourth. At the end of lap 2, the race went green and Dhillon immediately attacked Gostner, but she defended well, and Dhillon lost a position to Ernst Kirchmayr instead.
After a smart start, Manuela launched her own attack on Van der Vorm, executing a brilliant switchback at the final corner to move up to second. Van der Vorm then fell into the clutches of Kirchmayr. Ahead, NM built a gap of over three seconds, but once in clean air, Gostner began running in the 2:11s — one of only two drivers to do so at that stage.
While NM extended his lead with a 2:10.7, Kirchmayr cleared Van der Vorm and started closing in on Manuela. She responded with purple sectors and a personal best on lap 8, just as Kirchmayr made a mistake and lost touch with the #193 Ferrari. Over the final laps, Gostner gained ground on the leader, reducing the gap steadily but not enough to challenge for the win.
With another strong run in extremely difficult conditions, Manuela Gostner finished second in Race 1, collecting valuable championship points.
“Race 1 in Brno finished in P2 for me, but it feels like gold today,” Manuela commented.“We came here without ever driving this track in wet conditions — and guess what? It rained."
"Qualifying was a gamble, and the race turned into a full-blown storm, then into a drying track, then into a what tyres are we even on? situation. I had to fight for every inch out there, but I managed a bold move at the end of lap 1 to grab second and held it with everything I had. No words for how proud I am of this result. Days like this make the chaos worth it.”
Sunday brought even heavier rain for Q2, presenting an even greater challenge. Manuela went second after the first representative times and improved to a 2:14.933 — again second, just a tenth behind Kirchmayr. She attempted another run, setting a purple first sector, but couldn’t improve.
David Gostner went off, bringing out a red flag with four minutes to go. After a short green-flag window, another red flag followed when John Dhillon ended up in the gravel, ending the session. Despite the interruptions, Manuela’s performance earned her a front-row start for Race 2.
The final race of the weekend at the Czech circuit was once again held in the rain, leading to another safety car start for the Shell Cup field. At the green flag on lap 2, Gostner had a great restart and attacked Kirchmayr; the two leaders immediately pulled away in extreme conditions and heavy spray.
Manuela looked for a way past the Austrian on the first lap but had to settle into second after a firm defense from Kirchmayr. Dhillon initially attempted to follow the lead duo, but Manuela extended her gap by lap 3.
Despite the challenging visibility, Gostner ran consistent 2:11.1s, eventually closing the gap to Kirchmayr with a 2:10.3, bringing her within a second of the Kessel Racing Ferrari. A safety car was deployed with nine minutes to go when the #147 Ineco Ferrari of Skrimpias went off into the gravel.
At the restart, Dhillon briefly tried to challenge Gostner, but she held firm and resumed the chase for the lead. With Dhillon then coming under pressure from NM, Manuela focused ahead and set a 2:09.9 in the closing stages to secure another second-place finish — a double runner-up result that marked her most successful weekend of the season.
“Another P2 today here at Brno, and it was another wild race,” Gostner said.“The battle at the front was intense, wheel to wheel, corner after corner. Sometimes the win doesn’t come, but consistency counts, and with today’s result I’m now leading the championship!"
"Proud, happy, and ready for what’s next. Thanks to the team, to everyone cheering, and to this rollercoaster of a weekend.”
With the series reaching the halfway point of the season, the Valencia Ricardo Tormo Circuit will host the next round on 26–29 June — a track where Manuela Gostner has enjoyed success in the past.
