Eagerly awaited by the fantastic audience attending the Goiânia International Speedway to watch the opening of the Stock Car season, the clash between the descendants of two drivers who totaled 10 Formula 1 championships ended with an advantage to the Frenchman Nicolas Prost. Son of four-time champion Alain Prost, making his debut in the only dual race of the season, and partnering with Júlio Campos, from Paraná, for the Prati-Donaduzzi team, he crossed the finish line in 11^th place and helped his teammate score his first two points in the Series. With mechanical problems and an unscheduled pit stop, Bruno Senna – Nicolas teammate at Prati-Donaduzzi, finished the race in 24^th place after taking the steering wheel of Antonio Pizzonia’s car. The victory went to Ricardo Maurício and the Argentine Nestor Girolami, from RC Motorsport.

The representatives of the three clans did not only occupy most of the media interest during the week, but they were also box neighbors. Prati-Donaduzzi’s idea of reuniting a Senna and a Prost 26 years after Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost split from McLaren at the 1989 Australian GP succeeded both in the image perspective and in the technical aspect. It was the third participation of Ayrton’s nephew and the second with Pizzonia, but the constant rain natural to these times in the capital of Goiás hindered his re-adaptation. Nicolas faced the same hardships, plus the fact that he didn’t know the circuit or a heavy car – 1,325 kilograms heavier – that he had never driven. Even so, they met the expectations of technical-director Juan Carlos “Mico” Lopez. “They did a great job. I should be the one apologizing to them for the lousy pit stop we made,” he admitted.

Campos, 12^th place on the grid, and Pizzonia, 21^st, started racing and gained several positions. The race seemed headed for an exciting outcome for the team, but the loss of time during the pit stop for changing tires, drivers and refueling proved costly. Bruno got as close as the 8^th place, but the car began to show problems turning to the right, which is most of the track. In the end, he even had to go back to the pits to complete a liter of fuel that had been missing. Nicolas got involved in good matchups and received the checkered flag, fighting with Jaime Alguersuari for a Top 10 spot.

Regardless of reporting that there was no pull in the shift, Nicolas enjoyed the experience. “Too bad we erred during the pit stop, because we left it after several drivers who came in after us. Then I tried to save the tires to see if, in the end, it would be easier. I was not very aggressive because I saw that some drivers were risking a little too much, although I had made a nice overtaking in the chicane and others with the push-to-pass. I think that, with the right strategy, we could have done finished perhaps in 6^th place. Of course there is still a bit of race rhythm rust for me, comparing me to the best, because everything is still very new to me.” About the possibility of returning in 2016, he was emphatic. “I’d like it very much.”

Although they know each other for several years, it was the first time that Bruno and Nicolas kept such close contact. “It was awfully cool working with him,” praised the Brazilian driver, who next Monday leaves for Malaysia, where he’ll return to his job as a technical analyst for British channel Sky Sport for Formula 1. Regarding the race, he recognized that the team’s potential has not been reached. “It was disappointing because we got as close as 8^th place, even with engine problems. Unfortunately, because of half a second during refueling, we failed to add one liter of fuel and I got punished. Anyway, the car was defective and it would be a miracle to finish within the first 10 drivers. But that’s racing.”