Maserati Corse ended the season on a high note in Portimão
Maserati Corse ended the season on a high note in Portimão for the final round of the 2026 GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli—the year marking its 100th anniversary in motorsport. On the Portuguese track, the Trident secured five class podium finishes in Race 1 (one win, three second-place finishes, and one third-place finish) and four in Race 2 (three class wins and one third-place finish), for a total of nine podium finishes.
The Maserati Biturbo still turns heads today: the photos
The weekend was highlighted by the overall victory in Race 2 by Philippe and Louis Prette (LP Racing), father and son. The more experienced Philippe had already been crowned champion in the Masters category at the previous round in Zandvoort. This time, having already secured the title, he took to the track in the Pro Am class. The two Prettes finished ahead of another LP Racing crew, consisting of Niccolò Pirri and Stefano Rosina. During the first race, held in the morning, they had finished third in the overall standings.
Maserati, represented by six teams along the 4.6-kilometer Portimão circuit, also secured pole position in both qualifying sessions, occupying the top two spots on the grid in the first race and the top four positions in the second.
The Iron Dames, Sarah Bovy and Laura Van den Hengel, also returned to Portuguese soil, finishing on the podium in their respective class. Antoine Potty (i4Race), after sitting out the previous round in the Netherlands, returned to racing and racked up points in both races: in the morning, he finished second overall (and first in Silver). Thomas Yu Lee (LP Racing) won the Masters class in Race 2. Roberto Pampanini and Mauro Calamia (DINAMIC Motorsport) also took to the track in Portugal, finishing fourth in Pro Am in the afternoon event.
The Maserati Biturbo still turns heads today: photos
Maserati Corse’s commitment to this championship was further strengthened by its role, for the second consecutive year, as the official car supplier for the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, with the Maserati GT2 Stradale and MCPURA serving as the Safety Car and Leading Car, respectively.
The Maserati GT2 also comes off a spectacular debut in the GT America powered by AWS, with two overall victories at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Fielded by the Risi Competizione team and driven by Peter Dempsey, the No. 100 car won both 40-minute races held on October 10 and 11.
At the start of Race 1, held on Sunday morning, the front row was occupied by Maserati’s GT2s, with Potty on pole and Pirri starting from second place. The leading duo got off to a good start, with the young Italian Pirri pulling off a nice counter-pass to defend second place. A Safety Car midway through the race triggered a flurry of pit stops. When the race resumed, it was the Tridente cars that stole the show. In the overall standings, Potty finished second, the Prette family took the third step on the podium, and Pirri-Rosina came in fourth. In the Silver class, Potty took first place and Pirri-Rosina finished second. In Pro Am, the Prettes crossed the finish line in second place, while the Iron Ladies Van den Hengel-Bovy finished third. In Masters, a strong race performance allowed Yu Lee to finish second.
In the second race on Sunday afternoon, following a superb qualifying session, Maserati occupied the first two rows: Louis Prette on pole, followed by Potty, Calamia, and Rosina. In a race full of twists and turns, the Trident’s haul was substantial. Louis and Philippe Prette claimed the overall victory, ahead of Pirri-Rosina, with the latter pair winning their class (and Potty finishing third). Yu Lee, the star of a remarkable comeback, triumphed in the Masters class, capping off a memorable weekend for Maserati.
“This season finale is the best way to celebrate another important year for Maserati GT2, in the year that Maserati marks 100 years in motorsport. Seeing so many different cars and teams competing under the Trident banner is a source of great pride for us. The results achieved here in Portimão once again confirm the competitiveness of the Maserati GT2 and its ability to excel with different teams and drivers. Together with the third consecutive title won by Philippe Prette, they reward the commitment of Maserati Corse. “We firmly believe in the GT2 European Series and want to continue growing in this championship, consolidating the GT2 and looking to the future with the development of Project GT4,” emphasized Vincent Biard, Head of Maserati Corse.
