July 1, 2026
MISANO, ITALY
Rafael Duran took on Round 3 of the International GT Open this weekend at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, sharing the AF Corse #51 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo with teammate Tommaso Mosca - and left the Adriatic circuit with his strongest weekend of the championship to date, two P4 finishes and plenty to build on for what comes next.
The weekend didn't get off to the clean start the crew had hoped for. Race 1 played out as a "mixed" affair for the #51 entry, with the pair grafting through a troubling opening to the meeting to salvage a P4 finish - a solid result on paper, but not what the underlying pace of the Ferrari was capable of delivering.
Momentum came flooding back on Sunday morning. Mosca delivered a stunning lap in Qualifying 2, banking P2 on the grid for Race 2 and putting the #51 on the front row for the second race of the weekend. From lights out, the Italian used every ounce of that starting position to attack for the lead, ultimately handing the car over to Duran in P1 during the pit stop window - a mouth-watering platform for a maiden GT Open podium and a genuine shot at victory.
The final stint proved to be the toughest challenge of the weekend for Duran. The Spanish-American driver defended hard as the leading pack closed in, but was ultimately unable to match the pace at the very sharp end and slipped back to a P4 finish - matching his Race 1 result and delivering AF Corse a double top-four haul on the weekend.
"Our best result in GT Open," said Duran. "Mixed first race and a troubling weekend until Tommy did a mega lap in Qualy and handed me the car in first place. Unfortunately I just couldn't keep up and we ended up P4. Lots of positives to take away, but I leave Misano more hungry than ever, because I know the pace I have wasn't what I showed - even if I gave it my all."
Despite the frustration of not converting Sunday's front-running opportunity into silverware, the weekend represents a clear step forward, banking two solid top-four results and confirming that the #51 crew belong at the sharp end of the Pro class fight. Duran now takes a well-earned break before the next round of the championship, using the time to reset and come back sharper for the challenges ahead.
Race Results - AF Corse #51:
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 AF Corse
AF Corse is one of the most successful Ferrari customer teams in international GT racing. Based in Italy, the squad has built a reputation for technical excellence and a winning culture across endurance and sprint disciplines, fielding a fleet of Ferrari 296 GT3 Evos across the world's leading GT championships in 2026.
