11/07/2026 22:53 - Deportes
Turismo Carretera (TC), the most popular and traditional motorsport category in Argentina, experienced a day to remember on July 11, 2026, at the Autódromo de Posadas, Misiones. During the 8th round of the 2026 championship, Otto Fritzler took the pole position and etched the name of Mercedes-Benz at the top of the qualifying sheet for the first time in the category's history.
According to the specialized media Campeones, the driver from San Miguel completed his best lap with a time of 1m31s513 on the 4,370-meter track, just 0.917 seconds off the circuit record he himself holds since 2025.
The most remarkable aspect of Fritzler's achievement is his versatility. This was his third pole position in 50 TC qualifying sessions, but with a highly unique particularity: he achieved them with three different brands. Previously, he secured first place with Ford in El Calafate (2024) and Toyota in Posadas (2025). Now, he repeated the feat on Misiones soil with the CLE 53 from the Prestige Auto Racing Team.
After qualifying, Fritzler spoke with Campeones Radio and AM590 Continental, not hiding his joy: 'I didn't feel comfortable at all during practice, but with a couple of changes, not in the setup but in the peripheral part, we improved a lot and a great lap came out, it was perfect, the best lap I have ever done in my life.'
Meanwhile, Christian Ledesma (Chevrolet Camaro) followed Fritzler closely, just 0.137s behind, securing his best qualifying result since Buenos Aires 2025. The driver from Mar del Plata, driving for Pradecon Racing, jokingly exclaimed to the microphones: 'What a bummer for those who want to retire me...', highlighting his team's excellent work.
The third place went to Nicolás Bonelli (Ford Mustang), who finished 0.193s behind the leader and celebrated his best qualifying performance since Rafaela 2017.
| Pos. | Driver | Brand / Model | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Otto Fritzler | Mercedes-Benz CLE 53 | - |
| 2nd | Christian Ledesma | Chevrolet Camaro | +0.137s |
| 3rd | Nicolás Bonelli | Ford Mustang | +0.193s |
| 4th | Facundo Ardusso | Ford Mustang | +0.369s |
| 5th | Emiliano Spataro | Ford Mustang | +0.381s |
The action at the Misiones circuit will continue on Sunday with the qualifying heats and the grand final:
The 2026 championship reaches its halfway point with Jonatan Castellano (Dodge Challenger) as the tournament leader, while Valentín Aguirre (Chevrolet) arrives after winning the previous round in Rafaela. The race will be broadcast by Canal 9 and the Motorplay streaming platform.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
