May 25, 2026
VALLELUNGA, ITALY
Rafael Duran took on Round 2 of the Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo Sprint this weekend at the Autodromo Vallelunga "Piero Taruffi", sharing the #50 Spirit of Race Ferrari 296 GT3 with teammate David Perel - a weekend that delivered serious pace from the very first session but, ultimately, not the results the squad had been targeting.
The pair set the tone early, with a mega qualifying performance and consistent pace across every session of the weekend confirming that the #50 entry was firmly in podium-contention territory. The platform was there to fight at the sharp end - the question was always going to be about converting that speed into points across the two sprint races.
Race 1 saw Perel deliver a brilliant start, slotting the #50 Ferrari into a strong position from lights out and putting the squad squarely in contention for a podium. After the driver change, Duran picked up the baton in a competitive position but was ultimately unable to finish off what had been set up, with the #50 crossing the line in P4 - a solid result on paper, but one that felt well below the weekend's potential given the underlying pace.
Race 2 made the conversion job even harder. A difficult getaway from Duran's side at lights out cost the #50 vital track position in the opening sequence, leaving the duo to manage damage rather than fight for the result they had shown they were capable of throughout the weekend. The team brought the car home, but well below where the weekend's speed had promised.
"Mega qualifying and strong pace all weekend at Vallelunga, but we couldn't convert when it mattered," said Duran. "David pulled off a brilliant start in Race 1, I just wasn't able to finish the job, and in Race 2 I didn't have my own good start to give us a chance to fight for what we deserved. Now it's time to recharge for my home race - Monza up next."
The Vallelunga weekend leaves the #50 Spirit of Race squad with plenty of work to do on race-day execution, but with the speed in qualifying and across the long runs giving them every reason to believe the next round will be a different story. Duran now turns his attention to the iconic Autodromo Nazionale Monza, ready to bounce back in front of the tifosi at one of the most legendary venues in world motorsport.
Race Results - Spirit of Racing #50:
About Rafael Duran
Born to a Spanish mother and an American father, Rafael Duran grew up surrounded by international motorsport culture. He is part of the Ferrari Corsa Clienti and progressed through the Ferrari Driver Academy, competing in the Ferrari Challenge before stepping up to endurance racing in 2024. Rafael is currently active across multiple international GT championships, marking a decisive step toward a professional career in top-tier GT racing.
About Spirit of Race
Spirit of Race is the gentleman-driver programme operated by AF Corse, one of the most successful Ferrari customer teams in international motorsport. With a strong presence across the Italian GT Championship and other premier GT series, Spirit of Race combines AF Corse's technical expertise with a passion for developing driver talent at the highest level of GT competition.
