Antonella Bassani

Antonella Farina Bassani is a Brazilian racing driver making serious waves in South American motorsport, becoming the first woman to win in Porsche Cup Brazil and the youngest woman to compete in Stock Car Pro Series at just 19 years old.

EARLY YEARS

Born on April 12, 2006, Antonella Bassani didn’t waste any time getting behind the wheel. She started karting at age 4—an age when most kids are still mastering tricycles. By the time she was 12, her determination to carve out space in a boy’s world had already caught the attention of television producers, who featured her fighting for her place in a karting TV series in 2018. That same year, she began working with coach Bia Figueiredo, a partnership that would prove transformative. After facing an early setback in her karting career, Bassani came roaring back to win the Brazilian Open in 2015, proving even then that she knew how to bounce back stronger.

Her karting résumé grew rapidly: second place finishes in both the South American Rotax and Brazilian Rotax Championships, an impressive 8th out of 36 competitors at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Portugal in 2016, and third in the Brazilian Karting Championship that same year. By 2018, she’d claimed the MMSC FMSCI National Rotax Max title, and the following year she was runner-up in the X30 National Karting Championship while also gaining experience racing in Malaysia and Italy.

OTHER INTERESTS

Like many young drivers living and breathing motorsport, Bassani keeps her focus laser-sharp on racing. Details about hobbies, academic pursuits, or interests outside the cockpit remain private—though given her packed competition schedule across multiple series, it’s hard to imagine when she’d find the time.

EARLY SUCCESS

Antonella’s transition from karting to cars was ambitious. In 2018, at just 12 years old, she tested with Prema in Italian Formula 4, managing a best finish of 12th—a solid showing for someone so young in such competitive machinery. That same year, she got a taste of the future when she participated in an ABB FIA Formula E World Championship test in Saudi Arabia. But it was her appearance as a two-time finalist in the FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars program that really signaled she was on the radar of motorsport’s decision-makers.

After cutting her teeth in various categories, including a 2022 campaign in Turismo 1.4 RS with Abreu Motors (where she scored two wins and finished 8th overall with 98 points in a GM Celta), Bassani found her groove in Porsches. Her 2023 debut in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Brazil was nothing short of sensational—she became champion in her rookie season, racking up multiple wins and podiums. She followed that up as vice-champion in 2024, proving the first title was no fluke.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2015: Won Brazilian Open karting after returning from setback[4].
• 2016: 2nd in South American Rotax Championship; 2nd in Brazilian Rotax Championship; 8th of 36 at Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, Portugal; 3rd in Brazilian Karting Championship[4].
• 2018: MMSC FMSCI National Rotax Max champion; competed in Italian Formula 4 with Prema (best finish 12th); participated in ABB FIA Formula E World Championship test, Saudi Arabia[4].
• 2019: Runner-up in X30 National Karting Championship; raced in Malaysia and Italy[4].
• 2022: Turismo 1.4 RS with Abreu Motors: 2 wins, 2 podiums, 8th in championship with 98 points[2].
• 2023: Porsche Sprint Challenge Brazil champion on race car debut; first woman to win in Porsche Cup Brazil[1][7][8].
• 2024: Porsche Sprint Challenge Brazil vice-champion[1].
• 2025: Made Stock Car Pro Series debut at Velocitta as youngest woman (age 19) and 4th woman ever to compete in series, replacing Rubens Barrichello in #72 Toyota Corolla Cross for Full Time Sports (finished 18th)[1].
• 2025: Competing in Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil rookie season; scored 1 win, 2 podiums, 1 pole position, and 2 fastest laps in Porsche 4.0 class; career-best 4th place finishes at Velo Città, Portimão, and Algarve; 5th at Estoril with fastest lap after stunning switchback overtake[2][3][5].
• Career statistics: 28 races started, 3 wins, 4 podiums, 1 pole position, 2 fastest laps[2].
• Two-time finalist in FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars program[1][4].

INSPIRATIONS

Bia Figueiredo has been Bassani’s coach since 2018, and the influence is clear. When Antonella made her Stock Car Pro Series debut, she was literally following in Figueiredo’s footsteps—her mentor having competed in the same series. That kind of guidance from someone who’s navigated the same male-dominated landscape is invaluable, and Bassani has credited the relationship as foundational to her development both as a driver and as a professional.

REPUTATION

Bassani has earned a reputation as a quick study with serious race craft. Her ability to adapt to new machinery—like stepping up to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 992 or tackling the completely different Toyota Corolla Cross in Stock Car—has impressed observers. At Portimão, racing the circuit for the first time, she described it as “a rollercoaster” that gave her butterflies in her stomach during the first laps, yet she still managed a 4th place finish under safety car conditions (later promoted due to a penalty). At Estoril, she pulled off a switchback overtake that had people talking, nabbing 5th place and fastest lap in the process.

The media consistently describes her as a “young star,” a “racing phenom,” and “highly promising”—terms that might sound like hype except that she keeps backing them up with results. Her consistent front-running battles in the 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil rookie campaign and her composure during recovery drives have cemented her status as one of the most exciting prospects in Brazilian motorsport. The fact that she’s breaking barriers—youngest woman in Stock Car Pro Series, first woman to win in Porsche Cup Brazil—is historically significant, but what really matters is that she’s fast.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Bassani is currently competing in the 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil season, where she’s been running 11th overall and consistently battling at the front. Her Stock Car Pro Series debut at Velocitta, despite an engine problem that relegated her to 18th, was what she called “a turning point in my career both on and off the track.” She elaborated: “It was challenging to drive a car completely different from what I was used to, but this opportunity was a turning point in my career both on and off the track. Unfortunately, during the race, we had an engine problem that significantly hampered our performance, but we kept going, persisting, and learning, finishing in 18th place. I had an excellent pit stop. The most important thing was to finish the race, and we did! We evolved a lot throughout the week, and all this learning will be cherished as an essential part of my professional and personal growth.”

That mindset—treating setbacks as learning opportunities and viewing new challenges as turning points rather than obstacles—suggests someone building toward something bigger. While specific long-term goals remain private, her trajectory indicates she’s serious about establishing herself in top-level Brazilian touring car racing while continuing to develop in Porsche machinery. In a YouTube interview, she discussed her career and future plans in more detail, signaling that she’s thinking strategically about the next steps in what’s already been a groundbreaking journey.

References:

Racers Behind the Helmet – Stock Car Debut
DriverDB – Antonella Bassani Profile
Racers Behind the Helmet – Estoril Race Report
Females in Motorsport – Rising Stars Feature
Racers Behind the Helmet – Portimão Race Report
Wikipedia – Antonella Bassani
YouTube – Antonella Bassani Talks About Her Career and Future
Race Like a GRRL! – Antonella Bassani Profile
Formula Dreams – Karting TV Series