Feldmann takes both victories in TCR South America at Goiânia

Alceu Feldmann scored two victories in the TCR South America series at the Goiânia circuit in Brazil, leading from the front in the first race with his W2 Pro GP CUPRA Leon Competición, before scything through the field in Race 2.

Feldmann put his CUPRA on pole for the first race, outqualifying the Squadra Martino Honda Civic of Juan Ángel Rosso by just over a tenth of a second. Rosso got the better start and led into Turn 1, while Feldmann had to fight to keep back the PMO Motorsport Lynk & Co 03 of Fabricio Pezzini to hold on to second place. Feldmann then began to close in on Rosso, but an attack was soon unnecessary, as Rosso was handed a drive-through penalty for jump-start. Rosso served his penalty just before there was drama on lap 5, with the Audi of Adalberto Baptista making contact with the Alfa Romeo of Roberto Possas, while at the same time Gabriel Lusquiños’ Honda suffered a front-left puncture. The safety car was called and bunched up the pack before the race was restarted on lap 8. Feldmann pulled away from Pezzini who was left fighting to hold back Feldmann’s teammate Raphael Reis. Feldmann was unstoppable up front and claimed the win ahead of Pezzini and Reis.

For Sunday’s race, Bia Figueiredo started from the pole in her Cobra Racing Audi RS 3 LMS, but Pedro Aizza made a good start from P2 in his Scuderia Chiarelli Hyundai Elantra N to get ahead of her. At the same time, the Lynk & Co of Márcio Basso bogged down in third, while the PMO Racing Peugeot of Juan Manuel Casella blasted around everyone to claim the lead from fifth on the grid.

Aizza was now in second but fighting to keep back the PMO Lynk & Co of José Manuel Sapag, before he was also given a drive-through penalty. Feldmann was making up ground from the midfield, passing Rosso for sixth on lap 4, before passing Reis a lap later. Feldmann then overtook Pezzini in lap 6 by the time Aizza came in for his drive-through from second place, which meant Sapag was now three seconds behind race leader Casella, with Feldmann right on his tail. Feldmann overtook the defensive Sapag on lap 8 and the latter eventually dropped behind teammate Pezzini. Feldmann closed down on Casella, eventually catching him and making his move on the penultimate lap to claim another victory; Casella was resigned to finish second ahead of Pezzini who retained the leadership in the standings, 23 points clear of Reis.

The next event of TCR South America takes place at Rivera in Uruguay on July 16/17.

Goiânia – Race 1
1. Alceu Feldmann (W2 Pro GP, CUPRA Leon Competición), 15 laps
2. Fabricio Pezzini (PMO Motorsport, Lynk & Co 03), 2.678
3. Raphael Reis (W2 Pro GP, CUPRA Leon Competición), 3.630

Goiânia – Race 2
1. Alceu Feldmann (W2 Pro GP, CUPRA Leon Competición), 17 laps
2. Juan Manuel Casella (PMO Racing, Peugeot 308), 1.005
3. Fabricio Pezzini (PMO Motorsport, Lynk & Co 03), 4.082

Championship points
1. F. Pezzini 223; 2. R. Reis 200 pts; 3. JM. Sapag 167 

Picture: TCR South America/Duda Bairros