MONZA HOSTS THE SECOND ROUND OF THE ITALIAN GT ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
6/23/20263 min read
Monza Hosts the Second Round of the Italian GT Endurance Championship
The second round of the 2026 Italian GT Endurance Championship took place from 19 to 21 June at the legendary Monza circuit, one of the most iconic and historic venues in world motorsport. Competing aboard the No. 88 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Tresor Attempto Racing alongside Alberto Di Folco and Alberto Clementi, Vittorio Viglietti returned to action aiming to build on the positive signs shown during the opening round at Misano.
Friday’s free practice sessions and Saturday morning’s final practice were entirely focused on adapting the car to the unique characteristics of Monza. Known for its long straights, heavy braking zones and low-downforce setup requirements, the circuit presents a very specific challenge compared to other tracks on the calendar. Together with his teammates, engineers and the entire team, the crew worked extensively on the setup of the Audi to create a package capable of performing consistently over a three-hour race.
An additional challenge came from the weather conditions. Air temperatures throughout the weekend were extremely high, with perceived temperatures approaching 40°C outside the car and well over 50°C inside the cockpit during the race. For this reason, much of the work carried out during practice focused on finding a balanced setup that could suit all three drivers while preserving tyre performance over long stints.
Qualifying on Saturday delivered encouraging results. Viglietti produced a strong performance in his session, placing the No. 88 Audi third in class within his qualifying group. Combined with the laps completed by his teammates, the crew secured fourth position in the Pro-Am class for Sunday's race. The overall feeling after qualifying was positive, providing confidence ahead of the three-hour contest.
The race got underway on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM under scorching temperatures. As required by the regulations, the three drivers alternated through six different stints, executing a strategy designed to maximize performance throughout the race distance. The event proved to be particularly demanding, not only because of the heat but also due to several interruptions. Multiple Full Course Yellow periods and Safety Car interventions repeatedly neutralized the race, creating an unpredictable rhythm and constantly reshuffling the field. Despite a clean race from all three drivers, solid pit work from the team and a strategy executed as planned, the expected performance unfortunately never translated into the lap times. Throughout the race, the crew struggled to match the pace of the leading cars, making it difficult to fight for the positions they had targeted after qualifying.
In the end, the No. 88 Audi crossed the finish line in seventh position in the Pro-Am class. While the result fell short of expectations, the weekend nevertheless highlighted the strong work ethic demonstrated by the entire team and provided valuable information that will be crucial for the remainder of the season.
Motorsport often presents weekends where the final result does not fully reflect the effort invested behind the scenes. Monza was one of those occasions. However, the data collected throughout the event will now be carefully analyzed by the drivers and engineers to better understand the factors that limited performance and identify areas for improvement.
With two rounds still remaining on the calendar, at Imola and Mugello, the focus is already shifting towards the second half of the season. The objective is clear: learn from every experience, continue improving and return stronger for the upcoming races.
Big thanks to Tresor Attempto Racing, TooFastAcademy and all the sponsors supporting this 2026 season for their continued support throughout the weekend.
See you on track for the next race at Imola! 🏁
