Ian Rodríguez started his participation in the 2026 Italian Gran Turismo Sprint Championship on the right foot. The Guatemalan driver made his debut this Saturday, April 25, in the GT3 category at the Autódromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, teaming up with the Italian Forenzi Giuseppe under the acronym of the Faems Team.
After completing 24 laps of competition against a historic grid of 34 teams with vehicles from brands such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche, The team crossed the finish line in fourth position in what was an outstanding debut for the Chapín driver.
The result was not easy to achieve. Rodríguez was in charge of opening the competition and for much of the race he remained in seventh position, until after about 20 minutes he began to climb with a competitive pace that took him to fifth place. Despite facing setbacks such as an eliminated lap and a penalty for an incorrect driver change, the Faems Team managed to recover and close the race in fourth place after 50 minutes of competition plus an additional lap.
Rodríguez’s debut in the GT3 category represents an important step in his growth within international motorsports. The Guatemalan arrives in this category after becoming the first Guatemalan driver to win the GT Cup Open Europe, a title that opened the doors to more demanding competitions such as the one he competed this Saturday in Imola against some of the best drivers on the European continent.
The competition continues
The excitement continues this Sunday, April 26, when Ian Rodríguez will return behind the wheel of the BMW M4 with his teammate Forenzi Giuseppe to compete in the second race of the championship at 6:00 AM Guatemala time.
With the confidence that comes from fourth place on Saturday, the Guatemalan driver will seek to improve the result and continue adding points in his debut in the GT3 category of the Italian tournament.
The 2026 Italian Gran Turismo Sprint Championship recorded a historic participation with 80 teams registered between the GT3 and GT Cup divisions, making it the most competitive edition in its history. Ian Rodríguez demonstrated this Saturday in Imola that he arrived prepared for the challenge and that Guatemalan motorsport has a high-level representative in one of the most demanding championships in Europe.