Hitech shows strong pace in Monza battle
Round 4 – Monza – Report
The fourth round of the 2026 Eurocup-3 season saw Hitech head to the iconic Autodromo Nazionale Monza, known as the “Temple of Speed”, where Keanu Al Azhari fought at the front to secure sixth in Race 1, while Gino Trappa delivered a strong recovery drive to finish seventh in Race 2.
After a couple of challenging rounds, Hitech showed clear progress in Italy, with Keanu returning to the sharp end of the field and the team continuing to build momentum.
Qualifying 1
Hitech showed competitive pace in the opening qualifying session, with Keanu Al Azhari leading the way in fifth position.
Stefan Bostandjiev and Santino Panetta qualified 18th and 19th respectively, while Gino Trappa lined up 25th for Race 1.
Race 1
Keanu made a strong start from fifth on the grid, immediately moving into fourth position and joining the leading group.
He showed strong pace throughout the race, setting the fastest lap and remaining firmly in contention at the front before finishing sixth.
Gino started from 25th position and showed impressive speed in the early stages, setting purple sectors as he looked to recover through the field. However, contact on Lap 8 forced him into the pits for a nose change, compromising his race.
A Safety Car interruption followed after Stefan spun into the gravel with 10 minutes remaining. Stefan was unable to continue, while Santino finished 18th.
Keanu restarted from fifth and continued to fight hard, securing valuable championship points with sixth place.
Qualifying 2
Qualifying 2 took place on Sunday morning ahead of Race 2, with Hitech again showing strong one-lap pace.
Keanu secured third on the grid, with Santino qualifying seventh. Gino lined up 12th, while Stefan started 19th.
Race 2
Keanu dropped back to fifth at the start but launched an impressive recovery drive through the field.
After a mid-race Safety Car brought the pack back together, he returned to the fight at the front. With 10 minutes remaining after the restart, Keanu closed in on Dall’Agnol before making a decisive move into the second chicane to take the lead.
Keanu built a gap at the front, but a late Safety Car with seven minutes remaining brought the field back together once again.
At the restart, Egozi and Dall’Agnol attacked down the main straight into Turn 1, moving ahead of Keanu before Lammers also passed to drop him outside the podium positions.
A difficult run through the two Lesmos saw Keanu fall further down the order, eventually finishing eighth despite showing the pace to fight for victory.
Gino delivered a strong recovery drive, moving through the field to become the leading Hitech driver in Race 2. He finished seventh after a hard-fought battle through the closing laps.
Stefan recovered to 13th, while Santino’s race was compromised after suffering tyre damage late on.
Bruin Beasley, Hitech Eurocup-3 Team Manager:
“Monza was a weekend with plenty of positives. Keanu showed the pace to fight for the win, and after a couple of difficult rounds it was great to see him back at the front. Gino’s recovery and seventh-place finish was another strong result, and we saw encouraging moments across the whole line-up. We know there are areas we can improve, but the pace we showed this weekend gives us confidence for the next rounds.”
