Cardoso is TCR South America’s first Brazilian champion
Pedro Cardoso became the first Brazilian driver to clinch the TCR South America title. After having been crowned champion in TCR Brasil earlier in the season at the wheel of his PMO Racing Peugeot 308, Cardoso staked a claim on the South American title with an authoritative win from pole position in the first race at Rosario that earned him a 19-point lead over Juan Manuel Casella before the last race.
The Uruguayan driver’s hopes were wrecked by changeable weather conditions that saw Casella losing positions and eventually retiring after losing a wheel. While his rival was in trouble, Cardoso kept a cool head and cruised to the end in fourth position, while Matías Rossi emerged as the last winner of the season.
PMO Racing also clinched the Teams’ title, while Enrique Maglione won the Copa Trophy in his Squadra Martino-run Honda Civic FK7.
Race 1 – Cardoso had the pole, having beaten Rossi by one tenth and reduced his gap in the standings to three points behind Casella who had qualified ninth, while the third title contender Raphael Reis was fourth on the grid. Cardoso made good use of the pole and led at the start from Rossi, Leonel Pernía, Reis and Matías Cravero. During the first lap, a collision between Damián Fineschi’s CUPRA and Fabián Yannantuoni’s Toyota caused a safety car period while the Corolla was recovered; meanwhile, Cravero pitted with a technical issue and rejoined at the back. Racing resumed in lap 3, with Cardoso rejecting an attempt from Rossi and creating a small gap. With Cardoso, Rossi and Pernía running in the top three places, focus shifted on the battle for P4 between Juan Ángel Rosso and Reis, with the Brazilian who moved ahead in lap 10. Behind them, Casella was defending sixth from Fabrício Pezzini who then retired with a flat rear tyre. Galid Osman replaced Pezzini in putting the pressure on Casella, but he too had a technical issue and dropped from seventh to tenth. That was not the end of troubles for Casella who was chased by Fineschi; during the last lap, Fineschi pushed Casella wide and passed him to finish sixth. Cardoso claimed his third win of the season beating Rossi, Pernía, Reis and Rosso, which restricted the battle for the title to Cardoso and Casella, split by 19 points, while Reis, Rosso and Rossi fell off contention.
Race 2 – Osman and Casella shared the front row of the top ten reversed grid, with the points leader Cardoso in P10 who would need a sixth place to secure the title. The start was under a threat of rain with Osman leading from Rosso, Fineschi and Pernía; both Casella and Cardoso made poor starts and dropped to fifth and 13th. In lap 2, Pernía passed Fineschi for third just before pouring rain hit the track. Yannantuoni immediately pitted for wet tyres, while Osman and Rosso came together, which helped Pernía into the lead. As the track was flooded, the safety car was deployed and all drivers, but Fineschi and Yannantuoni, pitted for a tyre change. Fineschi, the last one left on slicks, pitted too, while Maglione and Pezzini collided and retired. The race resumed in lap 6, with Yannantuoni leading from Rosso, Casella, Rossi, Osman and Cardoso. In lap 7, Rossi overtook Casella who began to drop like a stone as he was passed by Osman, Cardoso and Pernía. In lap 9, Rosso who was chased by Rossi and Osman went wide and slipped from second to fourth; one lap later he lost another position to Cardoso. Up front, Yannantuoni was under pressure from Rossi and Osman who both passed him, while Casella lost a rear tyre and retired, which meant that Cardoso was champion. In lap 3, Osman’s car aquaplaned and went off, but he rejoined in 10thposition. During the last lap, Reis overtook Cardoso for third, while Rossi won ahead of Yannantuoni.
Rosario – Race 1
- Pedro Cardoso (PMO Racing, Peugeot 308 TCR), 16 laps
- Matías Rossi (Toyota Team Argentina, Toyota Corolla GRS), 3.608
- Leonel Pernía (PMO Racing, Peugeot 308 TCR), 4.151
Rosario – Race 2
- Matías Rossi (Toyota Team Argentina, Toyota Corolla GRS), 15 laps
2.Fabián Yannantuoni (Paladini Racing, Toyota Corolla GRS), 6.672
- Raphael Reis (W2 Pro GP, CUPRA Leon VZ TCR), 7.434
Championship points
- P.Cardoso, 466 pts; 2. J.M. Casella, 428; 3. R. Reis, 428
Picture: TCR South America/Hernán Capa
