PCC Brazil: Antonella Bassani secures top five with strong run in race 1 at Estoril

Antonella Bassani had another strong run in Porsche Carrera Cup Brazil at the fifth round in Estoril – the series’ second Portuguese trip of the season – where she claimed a top-five finish in the first race of the weekend after a recovery drive.

Photo credits: Rafael Gagliano

Antonella Bassani had another strong run in Porsche Carrera Cup Brazil at the fifth round in Estoril – the series’ second Portuguese trip of the season – where she claimed a top-five finish in the first race of the weekend after a recovery drive. The second race was more unfortunate: the rookie was again battling among the front-runners, but a technical issue in the final laps forced her to retire.

A former Porsche Sprint Challenge champion in 2023 and vice-champion in 2024 with several wins and podiums to her name, Bassani took a big step in her career in 2025 by moving up to the main Carrera Cup Brazil series. Last time out, she had delivered a highly promising performance at Circuito do Algarve in Portimão, securing a career-best-equalling fourth-place finish in Race 1 and fighting among the leaders all weekend.

The Porsche Cup C6 Bank returned to Portugal for the second European leg of the season, celebrating the category’s 20th anniversary. After Portimão, the series moved to the historic venue of Estoril – a track that made history in Brazilian motorsport as the site of three-time Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna’s first victory in 1985.

Bassani adapted quickly to the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup car – a notoriously challenging machine – and had already finished twice in P4 as her personal best this year. Returning to Estoril, where she had won last year in the Porsche Sprint Challenge, she entered the weekend with high hopes of contending for podiums, sitting sixth in the championship standings.

On Wednesday, the weekend kicked off and Bassani was immediately strong, setting the second-fastest time just two tenths behind pace-setter Marçal Muller in practice. Her momentum continued into Thursday’s qualifying, where she set the third-fastest time to secure a second-row start.

Muller lined up on pole ahead of Christian Hahn, with Bassani sharing the second row with Thiago Vivacqua.

When the lights went out for the first race of the weekend, Bassani stayed right behind polesitter Muller, but she was squeezed and sandwiched into Turn 1, received contact, and – with Vivacqua going around – Bassani was shuffled back to sixth.

She then used the battle ahead between Comparatto and Regadas to close back in, before the stricken cars of Vivacqua and Bruno Campos triggered the safety car.

At the restart with 16 minutes to go, Bassani had a great getaway, immediately going side by side with Comparatto and trying a move around the outside at Turn 1. She was forced to defend from Pires instead, who managed to demote her after a close duel in the following corners.

Antonella kept Mohr at bay and was soon back pressuring Pires, as a multi-car battle for fifth intensified. She attacked and went side by side on the main straight, but Pires just about stayed ahead.

The move came off one lap later, however, and Bassani reclaimed sixth place. She then quickly pulled away and began chasing Marcos Regadas with six minutes left on the clock.

Pushing hard, Bassani set the fastest lap of the race with just a handful of laps remaining, and was soon glued to the back of Regadas. On the final lap she completed a stunning switchback move at Turn 2 to take fifth, sealing a really strong recovery drive in Race 1.

"This race was very positive," Bassani commented. "I think it could have been a little better, I just needed to put in a little more effort. At the start, I got into a bit of a tangle, which hurt things a bit, but I still managed to put in the best lap and make a recovery run afterward, finishing fifth. Now it's time to focus on tomorrow's race. I saved a lot of momentum for the second race, and the goal is to get an even better result."

Photo credits: Rafael Gagliano

Damp conditions greeted the drivers on Friday morning for the second and final sprint race of the weekend. Starting from the third row in sixth, Bassani took the inside line and gained a place to slot into P5. Muller led, while Antonella was immediately pressuring Comparatto. The two went side by side on the main straight on the second lap, but both were surprised around the outside by Thiago Vivacqua just before the safety car was deployed for several opening-lap spins.

At the restart, Bassani was boxed in at Turn 1 and lost a position, but the safety car was out again soon after when Carlos Campos and Bruno Campos collided, with the latter collected by Wagner Pontes.

Racing resumed with 13 minutes to go, with Bassani in seventh; she had to defend hard from Salles, who eventually got past after several corners of wheel-to-wheel battling. Despite further multiple-car collisions at Turn 9, the race stayed green.

Bassani stayed glued to the back of Salles, but a new neutralization followed when Malucelli was hit by Ziemkiewicz and suffered suspension damage.

The final restart came with under three minutes to go. Bassani went side-by-side with Feldmann Neto and slotted into eighth, but with one lap to go she was forced to pit with a technical issue, ending her race in retirement.

Despite the unlucky second race, the penultimate round of the season ended with Bassani scoring valuable points thanks to her top-five finish in Race 1. The series now heads to Interlagos for the season finale on 8-9 November. However, Antonella Bassani faces an even bigger moment in her career in the meantime, as she gears up to make her Stock Car debut this weekend at Velocittà, replacing Rubens Barrichello for the round.