Casals Motorsport has announced its first driver set to debut in the 2026 TCR European Endurance. The team led by Giulio Cappello and Gustavo Sandrucci will rely on the experience of Paolo Palanti for the Umbrian squad’s first appearance on the continental stage. Born in Milan in 1969, Palanti will drive an Audi RS3 TCR DSG, continuing a steady progression built through extensive national-level racing. After his early steps in karting in the early 2000s, he competed in the Green Hybrid Cup in 2012, a championship dedicated to alternative energy vehicles. His subsequent move to the one-make Seat Ibiza Cup marked a key milestone in his development, paving the way for his debut in touring cars. Racing a Seat Leon ST, he secured his first victories and finished third overall in the 2018 championship.
In 2022, Palanti won the Coppa Italia Turismo in the DSG class and has since continued to compete consistently in touring car series, gaining valuable mileage and experience with a gearbox originally designed for endurance racing. The Lombardy-based driver has also competed in TCR Italy, the country’s premier touring car championship, finishing third in the 2024 TCR DSG Master standings. Palanti will reunite with the Ingolstadt brand in the series promoted by RIZA International, having raced with Audi during his first two TCR Italy seasons in 2023 and 2024, before switching to Cupra for the 2025 season, where he secured second place in the Master standings. Thanks to his endurance racing background, Palanti will support Casals Motorsport in the team’s international debut, scheduled for April 19 at Vallelunga, which will host the opening round of the 2026 season.
