The third round of the Iberian Supercars Endurance took place at the Circuito de Jerez, which put the spotlight on some of the teams and drivers who were making their first appearence in the most important circuit competition in the Iberian Peninsula.
Promising Debut for Faria
Roberto Faria had a promising debut during the Jerez weekend, securing two second-place finishes alongside Manuel Gião in his first appearance in GT and Iberian Supercars Endurance.
This year, the Brazilian youngster competed in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with PHM Racing in 2023, following his participation in the GB3 Championship (formerly known as the British Formula 3) as a driver for the Sauber Academy, the Swiss team's young drivers development program.
After concluding his season in single-seater racing, Roberto Faria made the transition to GT racing, opting to join Iberian Supercars Endurance and partnering with Manuel Gião in the Racar Motorsport-run Mercedes AMG GT4.
With only one day of testing completed before this race weekend, Roberto Faria proved himself equal to the challenge, securing two second-place finishes alongside his veteran teammate and also posting the fastest lap in the second race.
The Nabais brothers with a new car
Miguel Nabais and André Nabais made their debut at Circuito de Jerez in a McLaren 570S, leaving behind the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport they used for the first half of the season.
The SMC Motorsport car operated by Speedy Motorsport allowed the two brothers to grab two pole-positions results, one each, and also took them to a podium finish in the second race of the weekend.
"The improvement in performance, switching from the Porsche to the McLaren, is remarkable in terms of power, acceleration and throttle response. The pole-position results in the GTC category were due not only to the change of car, but also to all the work done by Speedy Motorsport and Pedro Salvador with us," said Miguel Nabais.
For the season finale race at the Autódromo do Estoril, Miguel Nabais and André Nabais will be back on track with the McLaren 570S they used in Jerez.
Encouraging Start for Beatriz Correia
Beatriz Correia had her inaugural circuit races at the Circuito de Jerez, where she teamed up with her father, José Correia, in a Cupra TCR. Meanwhile, her sister, Gabriela Correia, competed independently in the JC Group Racing team's Mercedes AMG GT4 in the GT4 Bronze division.
The sixteen-year-old driver showed confidence throughout the three-day event, achieving two podium finishes in the TCR division. The Braga-native faced a significant challenge during her time at Jerez, as the weather conditions, including rain and strong winds, particularly in the second race, didn't favor her adaptation.
Nevertheless, Beatriz Correia expressed great satisfaction with her performance: "It was my first time racing on this circuit, but I found it easy to memorize the track, although those with more experience have an advantage due to its technical nature. I enjoyed the circuit, and despite it being my debut race weekend, it went well.”
The possibility of concluding the Iberian Supercars Endurance season at the Autódromo do Estoril is being considered for the JC Group Racing Team, with both cars.
Romero and Almeida's Impressive Debut
Spain’s Miguel Romero and Portugal’s Manuel Almeida also made their debut in Iberian Supercars Endurance, racing a GT car, driving the Ginetta G40 under the banner of Monteiro Competições.
Both drivers, hailing from Spain and Portugal, respectively, come from a background in touring car racing; the former from TCR Spain and the latter from classic car racing. Throughout the three-day event, they displayed promising performances, securing a second-place finish in the TC division during the first race.
The presence of both drivers in Jerez de la Frontera could mark the beginning of their journey in Iberian Supercars Endurance, as they have demonstrated significant potential.
Mini Cooper, a car with potential
The Iberian Supercars Endurance field, which featured twenty-four cars on track at the Circuito de Jerez, included two machines that had never been on the starting grid of the series.
PRM Racing, also making its debut in the Iberian event, brought to the Andalusian track two Mini Coopers, originally from the Spanish one-make cup, which proved to be competitive in the TC division in the hands of Antonio Albacete and Alejandro Barambio and Javier Moreno and César Serrano, with both pairs taking podium finishes.
Both cars were involved in a fight with Monteiros Competición's Ginetta G40 throughout the weekend, and could be a good option for a very interesting performance.
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