Rocco Mazzola made history after a chaotic race at the high‑speed Monza circuit in the third round of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, becoming the first Silver car ever to win overall in Endurance. The 20‑year‑old Italian started all the way back in P29, driving the #66 Audi R8 LMS GT3 for Tresor Attempto Racing. It was only the third time in history that a team has won from such a low starting position; what makes it even more special is that both the team and the driver are Italian.
The Unthinkable Comeback
Before the race began, the aim was simple: starting from P7 in the Silver Class, try to win that category. But when Italian commentator Marco Nesi asked in the Fan Zone if he had something more in mind, Rocco jokingly replied, “Yeah, why not.”
What happened next is something nobody expected.
The young Italian is competing in his first full GT World Challenge Europe Silver Cup Endurance season with Tresor Attempto Racing. His teammate Ariel Levi took the start from 29th overall and, after the big crash on the opening lap, the team suddenly found themselves up in P17.
The climb didn’t stop there. Around the midpoint of the three‑hour endurance race, with Danish driver Sebastian Øgaard behind the wheel, the team had fought their way up to P6.
To get into this position wasn’t just down to luck; the team also competes in the Italian Gran Turismo Championship and, because of that, they have strong knowledge of this track.
“I think the experience is really important. And we showed it with the good strategy, even if we were not as fast as the Pro cars.”
With around one hour remaining, the 20‑year‑old took over after the team stopped during an FCY period, and by minute 45 they found themselves in an already incredible third place.
The #87 Winward Racing Mercedes‑AMG GT3 driven by Marvin Dienst was running second, and the leading #23 RJN McLaren looked set to win with Benn Dörr behind the wheel after showing strong pace all weekend, but an unfortunately timed pit stop made his race a lot harder.
This moved the #66 car up to second, with only the Mercedes ahead as both cars headed into the pits with just 20 minutes to go.
“We were actually quite lucky, because for the last pit stop I saw ‘Full Course Yellow in 20 seconds,’ and when my engineer said, ‘Box, box,’ I knew we would be so much in front.”
The Italian‑based outfit pipped the German manufacturer in the pit lane. “I didn’t expect to be P1, honestly,” he says to GT REPORT.
Leading the race, and with the FCY having turned into a short Safety Car period that bunched the field back together, the race was on. With just six minutes left, history was there to be written in a car that hasn’t had factory support since 2024.
Holding Nerve, Making History
Winning an endurance race is nothing new for the former Ferrari driver, having already claimed the CIGT Endurance and Sprint Pro-Am title in 2022 with the Ferrari 488 Challenge.
Last year he added another trophy to his name, becoming Endurance champion once again but this time with Tresor Attempto Racing in the Audi R8 LMS GT3.
Now he is set to add new silverware to his collection; doing it in his own country.
“Everyone was talking to me about, yeah, your own race will be great, you will feel the fun and everything. But I wasn’t believing that, because I always did the Italian championship only.”
With that thought in mind beforehand, he was proven wrong.
“When I arrived, seeing a lot of support was crazy.”
But his experience kept him cool‑headed.
“When I saw that we were leading, I was not stressed, to be honest. I was just focused and trying to do my best.”
The Audi driver knew exactly what he had to do. With Marvin Klein and Benn Dörr behind him, he was calmer than the people on the pit wall.
“My engineer said, okay, I know it’s a stressful situation, but keep calm.”
What followed was a reaction only a handful of drivers would give.
“Why stressful? We are first!”
With his visor down and full of confidence, the race went underway again.
The Audi and Mercedes drivers went head‑to‑head into Variante del Rettifilo, with the Tresor Attempto driver taking the inside line into Turn 1. He made sure the Mercedes had just enough space to hold the inside of Turn 2, but was forced over the kerb and the hard but fair racing from the CIGT champion paid off as he stayed out in front.
One lap later, another big incident followed as Kelvin van der Linde in his #32 Team WRT BMW misjudged his braking point. Another Safety Car was brought out, and it meant the win was secured as the race would not be resumed.
Despite that moment, the Audi driver had only one thing on his mind.
“The cars behind were flying. It was going to be a tough battle. But with three laps to the end, I was not giving up for sure. I would have tried my best to hold them.”
With history being written, and rewritten, in an Audi without factory support, the achievement becomes even more special.
“It’s really hard. It shows the experience and how good the team is. Managing to put everything together and win. It’s crazy.”
Standing on the top step of the podium alongside names like Lucas Auer and Maro Engel, and taking his first win, meant a lot for the young driver.
But there wasn’t much time to celebrate.
“I was really far from home, as I live in Potenza, 1,000 kilometers away from the track, so I could not celebrate. But honestly, I didn’t want to, because it’s just one result, you know. I want to be focused for more, I’m aiming for more.”
With his eyes set on trophies, he stays honest.
“I could not sleep for the next two days. I really felt the love from all the fans, and I was not expecting that.”
Born to Race, Driven to Win
For the GT World Challenge Europe winner, the love for racing started at just five years old.
“My dad brought me to an Italian GT race in Misano. The noises of the cars, the smell in the air, everything was special.”
After that moment the goal was set, and young Rocco wasn’t the only one with a passion for cars.
“I convinced my dad to start racing. My dad likes cars more than me, so he helped me a lot.”
And so it began, as he tells the story to GT REPORT.
“After that race I started karting at six years old. It’s actually a good story, because I fell in love with this sport in Misano, with the Italian GT. After, I think, 13 or 14 years, I won a race in Misano in GT3, in the Italian championship, so that was cool. It was actually in the same year I won the championship there!”
He also explains why he made the switch from Ferrari to Audi for 2024, after the German manufacturer stopped delivering factory support around that same time.
“My goal was to go to GT3 because I won the Endurance Championship in Italian GT Cup in 2022. So I was really, really happy when I got the call and joined Audi; the factory program was still open. I was surprised they closed it because the R8 and Audi, I think, were one of the most winning manufacturers. But honestly, my goal was just to gain experience and grow.”
While still competing in the Italian championship this year, the driver looks ahead to the rest of the season. The plans for GT World Challenge Europe are clear in the endurance championship.
“My goal will still be to focus on my class. Of course, because we know that at this point we can be really good. We know endurance races are strange, let’s say. You just need to finish the race; everything can happen. So, for now, the goal is to win the Silver Cup.”
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