Now, that is how you bounce back. Mariano Werner drove a brilliant weekend to take a third-place finish in Rosario, launching himself straight up to third position in the playoff standings. He now sits just 21 points adrift of the championship leader, Julián Santero, firmly establishing himself as a genuine threat for the crown with only two dates remaining before the Gran Premio Coronación. It is a massive recovery, especially considering how badly the previous weekend at San Nicolás went.
Speaking about the weekend's turnaround, Werner was quick to credit the garage. “I am very happy and grateful to the whole team for the work done; it is all their merit,” he said. “The bad thing that led us to be behind in qualifying was the same thing that helped us for the heat and final on Sunday.”
I saw the TC Pista race and the paces dropped five seconds compared to what qualifying was and that showed a little that we had to attack the grip and performance, so we have worked based on that,
That DNF at San Nicolás certainly left a mark, but the veteran racer knows how this sport treats you when things get tense. “Unfortunately, the fact of stopping in San Nicolás conditioned us, but that's how these final dates are,” Werner admitted. “Many times the machines punish you, or they help you, but you must not lower your guard and work harder than ever.”
Behind that recovery was some sharp engineering observation and clever setup work on his Ford. By paying close attention to the support categories, the team found a crucial direction. “I saw the TC Pista race and the paces dropped five seconds compared to what qualifying was and that showed a little that we had to attack the grip and performance, so we have worked based on that,” he explained.
Looking ahead, the battle moves to the province of Córdoba, where the championship picture could finally snap into focus. Río Cuarto awaits, and the margins are razor thin. “In the race in Río Cuarto it will be defined who the firmest candidates are, because there are still many points at play,” Werner concluded. “All circuits are different, first because of the asphalt and then because of the curves, but whoever finds the best general performance is going to take advantage.”
