Piquet jr. secures the TCR Brasil title and finishes with a win
Nelson Piquet jr. was crowned TCR Brasil champion Saturday at Interlagos, after he finished fourth in Race 1 of TCR South America’s season finale. His title completes a perfect campaign for Honda YPF Racing Squadra Martino that had already clinched the TCR South America crown with Leonel Pernía.
Sunday, Piquet finished the season on a high, as he claimed his third victory in Race 2, inheriting the lead when Léonardo Reis’ CUPRA broke down with three laps to go.
Pedro Cardoso, who had won both titles in 2024, has abdicated in style, winning Race 1 after an impressive recovery from P9 on the grid in his PMO Racing Peugeot 308.
The Copa Trophy titles went to Adrián Chiriano (Squadra Martino, Honda Civic FK7) and Enzo Gianfratti (G Racing, CUPRA Leon) for TCR South America and TCR Brasil respectively.
Race 1 – Leonel Pernía had been fastest in a wet Qualifying, seven thousandths ahead of Piquet who inherited the pole as Pernía was demoted to the back of the grid following an engine change, which promoted Tiago Pernía to P2.
Piquet made a slow start and Tiago Pernía led the field until he retired in lap 11 with a puncture; Gianfratti took over, but one lap later he was passed by Cardoso who went to take his third win of the season ahead of Gianfratti, Leonel Pernía and Piquet who secured the Brazilian title.
Race 2 – The Honda Civic FK7 cars of Chiriano and Mariano Pernía filled the front row of the reversed grid. The start was behind the safety car on a wet track; Léonardo Reis muscled his way past the early leader Mariano Pernía in lap 4 after they made contact. Piquet and Leonel Pernía advanced to second and third, while Reis was notified a five-second penalty for the collision with Mariano Pernía. Reis stretched his lead to 4.2 seconds in lap 14, but then his car broke down and Piquet moved into P1 with three laps to go, winning from Leonel Pernía and Raphael Reis.
Race 1
- Pedro Cardoso (PMO Racing, Peugeot 308), 15 laps
- Enzo Gianfratti (G Racing Motorsport, CUPRA Leon VZ), 1.888
- Leonel Pernía (Honda YPF Racing, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 3.190
Race 2
- Nelson Piquet jr. (Honda YPF Racing, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 17 laps
- Leonel Pernía (Honda YPF Racing, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 3.920
- Raphael Reis (W2 Pro GP, CUPRA Leon VZ), 5.144
Championship points – TCR South America
- L. Pernía, 646 pts; 2. N. Piquet jr., 549; 3. P. Cardoso, 459
Championship points – TCR Brasil
- N. Piquet jr., 277 pts; 3. R. Reis, 207; 3. F. Yannantuoni, 200
Picture: TCR South America/Magnus Torquato
