The 2026 Italian GT Endurance Championship season has come to a successful conclusion for Daniel Mancinelli, who played a key role in the final round at Mugello Circuit behind the wheel of the No. 26 Ferrari 296 GT3 entered by Easy Race, alongside teammates Leonardo Gorini and Massimo Perrina.
The weekend was marked by particularly challenging weather conditions, with the crew securing second place in the GT3 AM class, a crucial result that allowed Gorini and Perrina to clinch the Italian championship title in their category.
The weekend got off to a promising start in free practice, with the Ferrari showing strong pace and competitive performance in dry conditions. That form carried over into qualifying, where the crew secured 12th place overall and pole position in the GT3 AM class. Mancinelli delivered a particularly impressive performance, qualifying second in his group, just one-tenth of a second shy of the overall pole position.
However, conditions changed dramatically on Sunday morning, when heavy rain and low temperatures made the Tuscan circuit particularly treacherous. The race started behind the Safety Car and quickly became a demanding test of race management, with poor visibility, limited grip and numerous Safety Car periods.
Starting from 12th position overall, Leonardo Gorini approached the opening stint with great caution, avoiding mistakes in extremely difficult conditions. Massimo Perrina was equally effective during the middle stint, keeping the car in contention for the leading positions in class before handing over to Daniel Mancinelli for the final part of the race.
During the final hour, with the No. 26 Ferrari leading the GT3 AM class, Mancinelli became involved in an intense battle with the No. 93 Kessel Racing Ferrari, their direct rival in the championship fight. Contact between the two cars briefly sent both off track, but the Italian driver managed to rejoin the race and cross the finish line in third place in class.
A subsequent penalty handed to the No. 83 Ferrari promoted the Easy Race crew to second place in the final classification, a result that proved sufficient to overturn the championship standings and secure the Italian GT3 AM title for Leonardo Gorini and Massimo Perrina.
“It was a very positive weekend, even though the rain that arrived on Sunday morning completely changed the conditions compared to practice.” – commented Daniel Mancinelli – “We had shown that we were very competitive in the dry, but during the race, the priority was to stay on track and avoid mistakes. Leonardo and Massimo did an excellent job during the first two stints, managing an extremely challenging situation. In the closing stages, we were leading our class and fought right to the end. The contact with the No. 93 Ferrari cost us some ground, but we managed to get going again and secure a result that ultimately proved decisive for the championship.”
For Mancinelli, who finishes the season third in the individual GT3 AM championship standings, there is also the satisfaction of having contributed to a success built throughout the year alongside his team and teammates.
“I’m really happy with this result and with the title won by Leonardo and Massimo. It’s a success I also feel part of, thanks to all the work we’ve done together throughout the season.” – Mancinelli added – “I want to thank the entire Easy Race team for making this racing program possible and for their commitment at every round. Leonardo consistently did a great job managing the starts and opening stages of the races, while Massimo delivered an outstanding season. It was his first year racing a GT3 car in Europe, and winning the Italian championship straight away is an extraordinary achievement. I’m proud to have shared this experience with them.”
