Raptor Engineering concluded its first Porsche Carrera Cup Italia campaign at Monza with some very brilliant performances that confirm the constant progress of the new team based in the Modena area. For the first time the squad led by Andrea Palma, who is a very well-known driver among GT racing and he is already planning the 2021 season together with his staff, lined up two Porsche 911 GT3 Cup’s, clinching a fantastic front row in the qualifying session thanks to Giacomo Barri, who lapped on the Autodromo Nazionale at an avarage speed of 191.5 km/h, just 52 thousandths away from pole position (1’48.838). Unfortunately, a hesitation at the start of race-1 forced the 29-year-old driver from Bologna to finish seventh overall (well in the points anyway) despite a very good pace, while in race 2 a contact with another car ruined his race when he was fighting for a top-5 position.
An impressive potential was also shown by a very young rookie like Alessio Bacci, who made his overall debut on a GT car. Not yet 18 years old, the Italian driver from Lucca has begun a path of growth by learning about the team, the car, the circuit and the series promoted by Porsche Italia. Coming from karting, Bacci started the weekend with a 26th position in free practice and kept on improving session after session, until he finished 19th in race 1 and 16th in race 2 without ever making any mistake.
Team Principal Andrea Palma said after the season finale: “We have done exceptional team work since the beginning of 2020 and finishing it deploying two 911 GT3 Cup’s was really important. The goal is to continue growing in this same direction. For me and all the guys in th team this is the greatest success at the debut in such a competitive series like Carrera Cup Italia, in such a particular season and in such a difficult moment for the whole world. We worked hard to find the right fit on the 911 GT3 Cup, a car we didn’t know. In this first season every race was a test. We also did a great job in terms of promotion and in bringing a second car. We put a lot of things together, we lacked something in terms of performance. Monza has repaid us for many sacrifices and now we are more ready than ever to prepare everything the right way for next season
