Last weekend marked the second round of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America season, featuring the debut appearance of the Estonian team EST1 Racing.
On the demanding and ever-changing Miami street circuit, the team’s Spanish driver, Javier Ripoll Jr., demonstrated a steady hand and performed under pressure. In the first race, the series newcomer came remarkably close to a Pro-Am class podium, finishing just 1.4 seconds short.
Competing on this track for the first time, Ripoll started his weekend with 25th position in qualifying (9th in Pro-Am). With a solid and consistent drive in the opening race, he progressed to 15th overall (4th in Pro-Am). In the second race, he finished 22nd overall (5th in Pro-Am).
“Javier was one of only three drivers experiencing this circuit for the first time, as he had limited practice time, quick adaptation was crucial. Given the narrow, wall-lined nature of a street circuit, we are satisfied with the overall result,” noted Team Principal Raimo Kulli.
According to Kulli, the car setup was performing optimally from the beginning and the key to a successful first race was a rational approach, avoiding incidents and maintaining consistent lap times.
EST1’s rising talent, Alex Reimann, did not compete in Miami as he is currently preparing for upcoming rounds of the European Carrera Cup championships. Already this weekend, Reimann will be on the grid for the Carrera Cup Benelux season opener at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The schedule is a busy one, with plans to compete again from 30 May to 1 June in the Porsche Supercup round in Barcelona, the top tier of the Carrera Cup pyramid.
While the team’s focus for the rest of the season remains firmly in Europe, EST1 does not rule out further participation in overseas events.
“Every new experience is beneficial and morale-boosting. Measuring oneself against top-tier drivers across various series is incredibly educational. If opportunities arise in the calendar, we’re definitely interested,” confirmed Kulli.
Despite the vibrant Formula 1 atmosphere surrounding the Miami weekend, the team remained focused on their work.
“Of course we had a stroll through the F1 paddock too, but by the time the main race began, we had already left the circuit – the hotel TV was a better place than being stuck in traffic,” Kulli laughed.
