The team enjoyed a positive weekend, once again finishing races inside the Top 10 and avoiding incidents. However, there are still areas to improve, particularly in qualifying.
Circuito de Madrid Jarama hosted the second round of the EuroCup-3 Spanish Winter Championship on February 28 and March 1. The team faced a unique challenge, competing with the EuroCup-3 car at the demanding Madrid circuit for the first time.
To take on this challenge, GRS fielded the same line-up as in the previous round. Yani Stevenheydens arrived aiming to continue fighting at the front after a strong start to the season, while Gianni Giovanelli remained in a learning phase following his debut in Portimão.
Track action began on Friday with two test sessions. Although red flags interrupted our drivers’ running on several occasions, it was a productive and useful day ahead of the rest of the weekend.
Saturday opened with the first qualifying session, which set the grid for Race 1 and the Sprint. It proved to be a difficult session, and the unfavourable results shaped the remainder of the day. Stevenheydens qualified 21st, with Giovanelli in P27.
In the races, both drivers demonstrated strong pace and clear recovery potential. They capitalised on on-track chaos to gain positions and achieved solid results. Stevenheydens finished 14th, while Giovanelli crossed the line in 20th despite being involved in contact with another driver. In the Sprint, the Argentine enjoyed a completely clean race to finish 19th. The Belgian, meanwhile, delivered a standout performance, gaining positions throughout the race and taking the chequered flag in P11. A post-race penalty for a rival later promoted him to 10th, adding another valuable point for the team.
On Sunday, both drivers improved their lap times in the second qualifying session. Stevenheydens secured 17th place, ready for another recovery drive, while Giovanelli qualified P28.
In Race 2, Yani lost positions at the start but remained composed and began working his way forward. Gianni, meanwhile, made a strong start and fought to break into the Top 20. Over the course of the 30-minute race, the Safety Car was deployed four times, disrupting recovery opportunities for both drivers. Nevertheless, both delivered solid performances. Stevenheydens crossed the line in 13th, which became P9 after post-race penalties were applied, scoring points once again. Giovanelli finished P19 in a positive race.
This concludes a weekend with several positive takeaways, particularly in terms of points scored and race pace. The entire team has given its all to achieve our current level of performance. However, we remain committed to improving in the areas that require further development, especially qualifying. On March 14-15, the team will head to MotorLand Aragón for the final round of the Spanish Winter Championship.
