Tatiana Calderón secures podium in Barbados despite mechanical issues
- RACERS
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Tatiana Calderón added another podium finish to her GT Challenge of the Americas campaign despite facing a demanding weekend at Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados, where a mechanical issue prevented the Colombian from fighting for the win, nevertheless coming away with a second-place finish.
Tatiana Calderón added another podium finish to her GT Challenge of the Americas campaign despite facing a demanding weekend at Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados.
Making its first visit to the 2.01-kilometre Caribbean venue, the championship presented Calderón and the team with a completely new challenge after their victory at the previous round in Guyana, and although a mechanical issue prevented the Colombian from fighting for the win and ultimately forced the McLaren 720 GT3X out of the second race, she came away with a second-place finish and further evidence of the pace of the Nacent Racing package.
Located in St. Philip, Bushy Park is one of the Caribbean's most important motorsport venues, with its 11 corners combining fast sections, technical areas and heavy braking zones. For Calderón, it was her first experience of the circuit, adding another unfamiliar venue to a season that has seen the GT Challenge of the Americas continue to expand its reach across the continent and provide international drivers and teams with the opportunity to race at new tracks.
The weekend began positively for Nacent Racing, with the McLaren showing competitive pace from the opening practice sessions. Calderón and her teammate Juan Diego Hernández qualified second and third for the two races, putting the team among the leading contenders and confirming the speed of the McLaren 720 GT3X following its breakthrough victory in Guyana.
Calderón took responsibility for the opening race and immediately found herself involved in the fight at the front. Conditions were particularly demanding, with high temperatures making the race physically challenging, while the lack of air conditioning inside the McLaren added another difficulty for the Colombian driver.
Despite the conditions, Calderón maintained second position from the green flag and quickly started a close battle for the lead with Gustavo Ortega's Lamborghini. The Colombian pushed hard to find an opportunity to move ahead, attempting a pass for first place, but contact between the two cars prevented her from completing the move and briefly cost her a position.
The battle was subsequently decided by mechanical reliability rather than outright pace. Ortega's Lamborghini was forced to retire with a mechanical failure, allowing Calderón to recover second place and put the McLaren back onto the podium. However, Tatiana was also dealing with an issue of her own, as a problem prevented her from making proper downshifts, that increasingly compromised the car.
The gearbox-related issue significantly limited her ability to attack and, despite the strong pace shown by the McLaren, Calderón was unable to mount another serious challenge for the victory. The team therefore had to concentrate on bringing the car to the finish and securing the best result possible, eventually taking second place.
The mechanical issue would become even more significant in the following race. Juan Diego Hernández took over driving duties for the second contest, but the same failure resurfaced and ultimately forced the team to retire the McLaren, bringing its Barbados weekend to an early conclusion and preventing Nacent Racing from converting its qualifying pace into another opportunity to fight for the podium.
Despite the disappointment of losing a potential victory and being unable to complete the second race, the second-place result gave Calderón another podium and provided encouragement for the Nacent Racing operation ahead of the next round in Puebla, Mexico.
“I really enjoyed this weekend with Nacent Racing,” Calderón said. “The whole team worked extremely hard, especially in trying to get the car back on track despite the mechanical issue. It’s a shame we couldn’t achieve the result we wanted, but I’m happy with this second-place finish, and I know a victory is within reach.”
“Barbados is a very technical circuit and somewhat challenging for a car as big as the McLaren. Also, being turbocharged, keeping the revs up on a track with so few straights can become a competitive disadvantage compared to cars like the Mercedes. Even so, I really enjoyed the battles on track, and we’re going for more.”
Beyond the sporting result, Calderón once again used her international racing programme to carry the name of Colombia onto a new stage. Her participation in Barbados also provided another opportunity to call on the international motorsport community, companies and partners to support initiatives assisting families affected by the recent earthquake in Colombia.
“Continuing to race for Colombia means so much to me,” Calderón said. “I want to take every opportunity to carry this message to new places and call on the international motorsport community to come together and help. Every contribution can make a huge difference for the families who need it today.”
With another podium secured despite the mechanical setback, Calderón and Nacent Racing now turn their attention to the next GT Challenge of the Americas round in Puebla, Mexico, where the team will look to put the lessons from its first visit to Barbados to use and return to the fight for victory.
For Calderón, the next stop in her 2026 campaign will come in a different discipline, as she returns to the NASCAR Brasil Series for its next round at the Curvelo oval on September 30.
