Rosario turned sky blue as Mauricio Lambiris put on an absolute masterclass to win the Gran Premio AFA de Rosario from start to finish. Piloting his Ford Mustang, the Uruguayan put an end to a rough patch in the most emphatic way possible, claiming his 4th career victory and pushing his total to 69 points in the Copa de Oro. It was a complete masterclass over the weekend as he dominated qualifying, his heat race, and the final itself. His last trip to the top step had been back in Termas de Río Hondo last year, but fresh air at his new team, JT Racing, has clearly unlocked something special in this machine.
When the lights went out, Lambiris had to weather an immediate storm, absorbing heavy pressure around the outside from Matías Rossi through the opening moments. Drama struck almost instantly in the slow section of the track on the first lap when Facundo Ardusso spun, catching Germán Todino in the chaos. Further back, a multiple-car pileup triggered the safety car. Amidst the early shuffle, Mariano Werner put on a clinic after starting all the way back in 16th, carving his way straight into the top ten before the race even settled.
Once racing resumed, the front order held firm, but the attrition soon hit hard. Opening the 10th lap, Otto Fritzler suffered a terminal gearbox failure that forced him out of the race, dealing a massive blow to his championship aspirations. Marcos Landa briefly captured fourth place, but he was powerless against Werner's blistering pace. By lap 14, Werner sliced past Julián Santero to snatch the final step of the podium.
Down the order, incredible recovery drives were unfolding. Agustín Canapino clawed his way up from 14th on the grid to finish eighth, while Facundo Chapur charged through from 37th to take 17th at the flag. Up front, however, the leading trio managed to pull clear of the chasing pack, leaving no doubt about the podium.
When the dust settled, Lambiris crossed the line untouched, Rossi held on for second, and Werner completed a stunning 13-position charge to finish third. Behind them, Santero took fourth, Landa fifth, Diego Azar sixth, Hernán Palazzo seventh, Canapino eighth, Elio Craparo ninth, and José Manuel Urcera rounded out the top ten.
With this chapter closed, the field now turns its eyes toward the next stop. The fourth and penultimate round of the Copa takes place at Río Cuarto on November 14 and 15.
