New Delhi– Indian racer Mahaveer Raghunathan narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the opening round of the 2025 Italian Gran Turismo Championship, bringing home a solid result for AF Corse. Teaming up in the #51 Ferrari 296 GT3, Raghunathan and his co-driver finished sixth overall and fourth in the Pro-Am class—just 1.2 seconds shy of a top-three result after a dramatic and hard-fought race.
The weekend kicked off with promise as Raghunathan’s teammate made a strong start, climbing to second in class by the end of the first lap. However, early contact with a rival led to minor damage and a loss of positions, pushing the car down the order.
Raghunathan took over during the second stint, roughly 30 minutes into the race, and began a determined recovery drive. Demonstrating strong pace and composure, he worked through the field, aided by strategic decisions and well-timed safety car periods. By the final hour, the Ferrari was running within striking distance of the Pro-Am leaders.
Despite a spirited late charge, traffic from slower cars hindered progress in the closing laps, ultimately preventing the team from clinching a podium finish.
“Overall, it’s been an up-and-down weekend,” said Raghunathan after the race. “Our pace was strong, and I truly believe we deserved a podium. But fourth in class still gives us good points to start the season. I’m already looking forward to the next round in three weeks.”
Reflecting on the team’s recovery, he added, “After the contact early on, we dropped to the back, so fighting back into the top five was a positive. We’ve taken a lot of lessons from this race, and we’ll be even better prepared for the next one.”
Raghunathan is the only Indian driver competing in this year’s Italian GT Championship—a season expected to be more competitive than ever. With the grid expanding from 30 to 36 cars and entries from the GT World Challenge and FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the 2025 campaign is shaping up to be one of the most intense in recent years. (Source: IANS)
