Tatiana Calderón charges from 22nd to first top-10 finish in NASCAR Brasil

Tatiana Calderón secured her strongest result of the 2026 NASCAR Brasil season to date with an impressive recovery drive at Interlagos, fighting from 22nd on the grid to finish inside the top ten in Race 2 and conclude a challenging weekend on a high note.

Photo credits: SG28

Tatiana Calderón secured her strongest result of the 2026 NASCAR Brasil Series season to date with an impressive recovery drive at the legendary Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos, fighting from 22nd on the grid to finish inside the top ten in Race 2 and conclude a challenging weekend on a high note.

The Colombian racer, competing for SG28 by PoleMotorsport in the #25 machine, was making her first appearance at the iconic Brazilian circuit, one of the most historic and demanding venues in world motorsport. Despite facing a series of technical setbacks throughout the event, Calderón demonstrated determination, resilience and racecraft to deliver a memorable comeback and claim her first top-ten finish of the season.

For Calderón, the weekend represented another important milestone in her diverse international racing career. Racing for the first time at the São Paulo circuit, she faced the challenge of learning the track while simultaneously dealing with a number of technical issues that limited her preparation.

Problems emerged from the very first practice sessions, as brake issues affected the #25 car and significantly reduced valuable track time. The difficulties hampered the team's ability to complete its planned programme and gather data around a circuit where Calderón was still building experience.

Throughout the weekend, the SG28 by PoleMotorsport crew worked tirelessly to address the problems and provide the Colombian driver with the best package possible. Despite their efforts, the team continued to face challenges as the event progressed.

Photo credits: SG28

Race 1 proved particularly frustrating. Just as Calderón was beginning to find her rhythm, a wheel bearing failure brought her race to a premature end. The mechanical issue forced her retirement after only a handful of laps, denying her the opportunity to build experience and capitalize on the progress she had been making.

The setback left Calderón facing an uphill battle heading into the second race of the weekend.

Lining up 22nd on the grid for Race 2, she knew a strong recovery drive would be required to salvage the event. Determined to make the most of the opportunity, the Colombian immediately set about moving forward through the field.

Despite continuing technical limitations, including steering alignment issues and a lack of straight-line speed, Calderón steadily worked her way up the order. Drawing on the racecraft and experience gained throughout a career that has taken her to some of the world's most competitive championships, she maximized every opportunity available.

As the race progressed, Calderón continued to gain positions and eventually broke into the top ten, where another challenge awaited.

Former Formula One driver Ricardo Zonta emerged as one of her closest rivals in the closing stages, but Calderón remained composed under pressure and successfully defended her position to secure a valuable tenth-place finish.

The result marked her best finish of the season and represented an impressive gain of twelve positions from her starting spot.

Given the difficulties experienced throughout the weekend, the top-ten result was a significant reward for both driver and team. It also provided tangible evidence of the potential from both Calderón and SG28, despite a difficult start to the season.

"Finishing in the top 10 after starting 22nd with the car we had gives me a huge boost of energy," Calderón reflected after the race, praising the team's efforts throughout the challenging weekend.

"We know the potential is there. The team has worked incredibly hard throughout this weekend, and this result belongs to them as well."

"We now have a short break that will allow us to review everything that has happened so far and take the necessary steps to maximize the potential we know we have during the second half of the season."

The NASCAR Brasil Series now enters an approximately one-month break, providing SG28 with an opportunity to continue refining the car and addressing the issues that have affected the team's results during the opening rounds of the championship.

The objective for the second half of the season is clear: convert the speed and potential shown by Calderón and the team into the consistent results that are achievable.

Tatiana's busy racing schedule however continues: the Colombian will return behind the wheel on June 6 when she contests the 500 Km of Panama in the GT Challenge Americas championship. Calderón will share a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 with Carlos Hernández, with support from Terpel and Davivienda Panamá, as she adds another endurance event to her rich resumé.