Felipe and Pipo Massa have an excellent half race the first time together in motorsport

Felipe and Pipo Massa made their motorsport debut this Sunday in the first endurance stage of the year of the Porsche Cup Brazil, at the Algarve Circuit, in Portimão, Portugal. And the first race of father and son together had two very different halves.

Pipo started in 15th place overall, second in the Rookie category, and had a very strong first stint, reaching sixth place overall and first in Rookie, even overtaking the greatest champion of the Porsche Cup, Miguel Paludo.

Felipe took over the car, was already fifth overall and first in Rookie, was doing a consistent stint, until the engine broke and he was forced to stop on the 33rd of the 65 laps of the two and a half hour race.

To complete the second half of the race, Pipo returned to the track with the reserve car in 27th overall and eighth in Rookie, but had to make a longer mandatory pit stop for the driver change, since they had not done it before because Felipe stopped the car on the track. From then on, they no longer aimed for any results. The duo finished 30th overall and 14th in Rookie.

According to the Porsche Cup regulations, the race is divided into two segments and the duo can discard the result of the second half. Thus, with fifth place overall and first in Rookie in the first segment, Felipe and Pipo remain alive in the fight for the title.

“It was a sensational race. Pipo started on slick tires on the wet asphalt, was overtaking, I was very emotional with his performance, everyone was impressed too. Then he handed the car over to me, but unfortunately the engine broke, these things happen, and we returned with the reserve car many laps behind just to finish. A mix of happiness and sadness, because we could have fought for the overall podium and won in our category. I thank everyone who cheered, the sponsors, and we go all out for the next one,” said Felipe.

“We managed to have a very good first segment, but after the engine broke, we tried to fight with the reserve car, but there was not much more to do. It was incredible to share this weekend with my father, we will take the result of the first segment for the rest of the championship and keep fighting. Thank you very much to everyone for the support and cheering,” thanked Pipo.

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The next endurance stage of the Porsche Cup will be held in Goiânia, from October 2 to 4.