IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – Round 1- Rolex 24 at Daytona

Imsa SportsCar Championship – Encouraging début for the 488 GTE in Daytona

Posted: 31.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Daytona Beach, 31 January 2016 – The racing journey of the 488 GTE started with a fourth place earned by the Scuderia Corsa team. The 24 Hours of Daytona was a true baptism of fire and the new Ferrari intended for GT competitions displayed great speed, finishing at the top among the first-time participants, as two other models of competing manufacturers had their début in the same race.

The race. As is often the case in Daytona, the first hours of the race were not especially meaningful, although they were enough to demonstrate the potential of the 488 GTE: in fact, all three Ferraris competing in the GTLM class led for at least one lap during the first 12 hours of the race, and this although car number 68 of Scuderia Corsa did not have an easy start, due to a fuel pressure problem that forced Alessandro Pier Guidi to start from the back of the field. On the other hand, the 488 number 72 of SMP Racing team had a great start: after disappointing qualifications, Gianmaria “Gimmi” Bruni was able to gain one position after another, even taking the lead a number of times while being driven by Bruni himself, but also by James Calado, Viktor Shaytar, and Andrea Bertolini. Car number 62 of Risi Competizione team was also constantly among the leaders, being able to keep first place for several laps with Toni Vilander, but also being competitive with Giancarlo Fisichella, Davide Rigon, and Olivier Beretta. The race of this car was affected by a rear-end collision caused by one of the Fords early in the morning. The accident wrecked the Ferrari’s diffuser and caused a long stop at the box that irreparably compromised the final outcome. In the end, it finished sixth, a useful result in terms of the championship. On the other hand, the car of SMP Racing did not finish the race, which seemed to lead to a certain podium position until it was interrupted by the breakdown of a turbine. The Chevrolet of Gavin-Milner-Fassler won the race.

GTD. Two Ferrari 458 Italia raced in the other GT class and turned out to be very competitive. However, both crews were unlucky in their strategies, as they ended up paying too heavily for some pit stops made under the green flag. Both car number 63 of Scuderia Corsa and number 51 of the Spirit of Race team led the race for at least one lap, but slipped to the back of the field towards the end of the race. At the finish, the car driven by Christina Nielsen, Jeff Segal, Alessandro Balzan and Robert Renauer was in seventh place, while car number 51 of Peter Mann, Raffaele Giammaria, Marco Cioci and Matteo Cressoni was just out of the top ten. The Ligier of Sharp-Brown-Van Overbeek-Derani won the overall race. The second event of the championship is scheduled for mid-March, when another great classic of American motorsport will take place: the 12 Hours of Sebring.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – 24 Hours of Daytona – Hour 18: SMP and Scuderia Corsa in the lead group

Posted: 31.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Daytona Beach, 31 January 2016 – The 24 Hours of Daytona has reached the 75% mark of its duration. The sun is completing its rise over the horizon of Florida’s tri-oval and the race is still wide open, even though it has become more difficult for one of the Ferrari 488, due to some problems.

GTLM. In the GTLM class, the car of the Risi Competizione team had to stop for some repairs to the body following an accident. This activity, conducted under a green flag regime, cost four laps to the Houston team; therefore, Davide Rigon and car number 62 currently occupy 8th place, four laps behind 7th place. On the other hand, the SMP Racing team and Scuderia Corsa cars are in the breakneck group of the GTLM class led, for the moment by Kevin Estre’s Porsche. James Calado, at the controls of car number 72, is in 3rd place, while Alexandre Premato, on the 488 GTE number 68, is 5th.

GTD. In the GTD class, car number 63 of Scuderia Corsa continues to play a prominent role. The car is currently in 9th place, but Jeff Segal, who is at the wheel, is imposing a very fast pace. Car number 51 of the Spirit of Race team, currently in the hands of Matteo Cressoni, is further behind the leaders. Andy Lally (Audi) leads this category.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – 24 Hours of Daytona – Mid-race: everything still to play for

Posted: 31.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Daytona Beach, 31 Jan 2016 – The 24 Hours of Daytona is nearing the halfway point, but the fight is still wide open in both GT categories (GT-Le Mans and GT-Daytona) with lots of cars bunched together at the front.

GLTM. Ferrari is close on the heels of its rivals in the GTLM class, just a few tenths of a second off the leader, Nick Tandy in a Porsche. Russia’s Viktor Shaytar recently took the wheel of car no. 72 (SMP Racing) setting an excellent pace, while Davide Rigon is in no. 62. One highlight to mention is the comeback by the crew of the 488 GTE no. 68 Scuderia Corsa, which started from the back of the grid, failed to obey a red light as it exited the pits and suffered a three-lap penalty. However, Alexandre Premat, Memo Rojas, Daniel Serra and Alessandro Pier Guidi did not lose heart and recently Premat, with the help of the frequent full-course cautions, has driven the car back into contention.

GTD. Car no. 63 Scuderia Corsa is still in among the leaders in the GTD class, with Jeff Segal driving the 458 Italia into second behind the Porsche of Sven Muller. Car no. 51 Spirit of Race has continued to rise through the ranks, currently in fifth with Matteo Cressoni at the wheel.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – 24 Hours of Daytona – Hour 6: the Ferrari’s are battling it out

Posted: 30.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Daytona Beach, 30 January 2016 – The 24 Hours of Daytona has completed its first quarter from the moment that the clock struck the first hour of the race, while darkness has now fallen on Florida’s tri-oval.

GTLM. In the GTLM class the Ferrari’s continue to battle it out. Car number 72 (of SMP Racing) and car number 62 (of Risi Competizione) have each completed several laps in the lead, but the Russian team’s car was slowed down by a drive-through penalty which it received for an illegal maneuver at the pit boxes. The more well-placed car in the classification is number 62, in sixth place with Olivier Beretta at the wheel, who precedes number 72, driven by “Gimmi” Bruni. Car number 68 (of Scuderia Corsa), driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, has been slowed down for this portion of the race due to a penalty.

GTD. In the GTD class car number 63 of the Scuderia Corsa continues to hold the lead positions, with Alessandro Balzan and Christina Nielson each completing excellent stints. With Balzan the car is holding second place. The position of number 51 of the Spirit of Race team has also improved, currently holding tenth place with Marco Cioci at the wheel.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – 24 Hours of Daytona – Hour 1: Ferrari cars take the initiative

Posted: 30.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Daytona Beach, 30 January 2016 – The 24 Hours of Daytona started just over 60 minutes ago and the Ferraris are among the leaders in both the GTLM and GTD classes.

GTLM. In the GTLM class, the 488 GTE with the best grid position, car number 68 of Scuderia Corsa had a challenging start, after being relegated to the back of the field due to a fuel pressure problem that was later solved. Alessandro Pier Guidi is now in comeback mode, currently occupying 10th place. The car of the SMP Racing team, with Gianmaria “Gimmi” Bruni took the initiative during the first hour of the race, moving up from 11th to 2nd place. The 488 GTE of the Risi Competizione team entrusted to Toni Vilander is having a steady race in 5th place.

GTD. In GTD class, the best-positioned Ferrari is car number 63 of Scuderia Corsa, in second place with Jeff Segal at the wheel. Car number 51 of Spirit of Race is further behind, but it has already made a pit stop and is currently being driven by Peter Mann. A yellow flag during the first hour helped car number 68 re-join the group, while the Porsche driven by Nick Tandy is currently in the lead position. The next bulletin will be issued in five hours.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – Second and third row in Daytona for 488 GTEs

Posted: 28.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Daytona Beach, 28 January 2016 – The Ferrari 488 GTE made is American debut today, qualifying in the second and third rows for the esteemed 24 Hours of Daytona in Florida. Although inclement weather prevailed during the practice and qualifying sessions today, the GT cars were faster than prototypes under slick conditions.

GTLM. The best results from the field of 488 GTE was the Scuderia Corsa number 68 with Alessandro Pier Guidi behind the wheel. Pier Guidi qualified the car in fourth position, stopping the clock at 2.03.309, 77 thousandths better than Toni Vilander with 488 GTE of Risi Competizione. Pier Guidi will share the car with Daniel Serra, Alexandre Premat and three-time winner Memo Rojas in the classic endurance race. Vilander will compete with Olivier Beretta, Davide Rigon and Giancarlo Fisichella as his teammates.

SMP Racing. The third 488 GTE entered in the weekend’s race, the number 72 team SMP Racing, will begin the race in eleventh position. The car did not get any time during a very rainy qualifying as Gianmaria “Gimmi” Bruni veered off the track in the first lap of the session. The pole position and the best time of class was clocked by Nick Tandy with Porsche.

GTD. The two Ferrari 458 Italias entered in the GTD class are both committed to start in midfield on Saturday. Jeff Segal of Scuderia Corsa’s number 63, qualified with a time of 2.09.398. The car, which starts eleventh on the grid, will also be driven by Christina Nielsen, Alessandro Balzan and Robert Renauer. Car number 51 of team Spirit of Race will stand fourteenth at the start and will be driven Raffaele Giammaria, Matteo Cressoni, Marco Cioci, and Peter Mann. Television coverage of the 24 Hours of Daytona will be broadcast from Saturday, January 30 at 2:00 PM EST (8:00 PM GMT) on FOX Sports 1. You can also stream the race live on IMSA.com. Stay up to speed @FerrariUSA and take part in conversations with #FerrariGTRacing and #FerrariFirst.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – Ferrari targets victory at Daytona

Posted: 28.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 28 January 2016 – The 2016 motorsport season is ready for the off and as usual the first race meeting of the year sees the great endurance competitors in Florida for the 24 Hours of Daytona, first race of the IMSA championship. Five Ferraris will line up on the circuit, which in December will host the Ferrari Finali Mondiali. Three examples of the Ferrari 488 GTE will take to the track at Daytona International Speedway to compete for victory in the GT-LeMans class. The Ferrari 488 GTE is heavily based on Ferrari’s newest road car, the Ferrari 488 GTB. Not only do the two vehicles share a large amount of DNA, but are assembled in the same factory in Maranello, Italy. The new turbocharged racer has completed over 10,000km in testing in preparation for its debut in Daytona.

GLTM. Three cars are down for the GT class-Le Mans (GTLM), all 488 GTEs, the brand new Ferrari GT competition car presented for the first time at the Finali Mondiali at Mugello in November. Two belong to teams traditionally prominent in American motorsport. Car no. 62 of the Texas based Risi Competizione will be crewed by Giancarlo Fisichella, who stays with the Texas based team, and Toni Vilander, recently arrived from Europe and ready to give chase for the American title. They will be joined at Daytona by Davide Rigon, a Ferrari driver who normally competes in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and Olivier Beretta, winner in 2000 who last year raced in the Pirelli World Challenge with the Ferrari of R. Ferri. Scuderia Corsa will field car no. 68, driven by 2014 GTD winner Alessandro Pier Guidi, three-time winner Memo Rojas, Daniel Serra and Alexander Premat. No. 72 SMP Racing will be the third Ferrari in the GTLM class, with WEC 2015 (GTE-Am) world champions Andrea Bertolini and Viktor Shaytar ably assisted by a new pair in Ferrari no. 51 for the WEC 2016, “Gimmi “Bruni and James Calado.

GTD. A couple of Ferrari 458 GT3 Italias will be racing in the GTD class, ahead of the coming debut of the 488 GT3s, which have proved very competitive since the first tests. No. 63 Scuderia Corsa will be in the hands of the excellent Danish driver Christina Nielsen together with the German Robert Renauer and the highly experienced 2014 winnerJeff Segal and Italy’s Alessandro Balzan, both former Grand-Am champions. Peter Mann, Matteo Cressoni, Raffaele Giammaria and Marco Cioci will be at the wheel of no. 51 Spirit of Race.

History. Ferrari has twice been overall winner of the 24 Hours. The first time was in 1967 with the official 330 P3/4 of Lorenzo Bandini and Chris Amon, when there was the famous one-two-three overall finish and a Ferrari hat-trick on the podium. Then in 1998 the 333 SP-Moretti Doran Racing team won with Arie Luyendyk, Didier Theys, Mauro Baldi and Gianpiero Moretti. There have also been eight class victories, most recently in 2014 in the GTD with Segal-Pier Guidi-Bell-Sweedler and Level 5 Motorsport. However, there have been another 11 wins not obtained in 24 hours. The first came in 1959, in the USAC series, with Santiago Gonzalez and Skip Hudson in a 250 GT for the Hans Hirch team. We also shouldn’t forget the triumph in the 6 Hours of 1972 by the 312 PB Scuderia Ferrari with Mario Andretti and Jacky Ickx.

TV and web. The television broadcast for the 24 Hours of Daytona will begin Saturday, January 30 at 2:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1. Coverage will alternate throughout the race on FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2 and IMSA.com. Stay up to speed at @FerrariUSA and @FerrariRaces and join the conversation with #FerrariGTRacing and #FerrariFirsts.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – The road to Daytona 24H: Ferrari duo in GTD class

Posted: 28.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 28 January 2016 – The 24 Hours of Daytona marks the race debut of the Ferrari 488 GTE and Ferrari.com has so far presented all three GTLM crews class at the wheel of the new car. However, the 458 Italia is still competitive and is the reigning champion car in the GTD class of the IMSA series. Two 458 Italias will be on track at the 24 Hours of Daytona for Spirit of Race and Scuderia Corsa, the winning team in this class for 2015.

Car no. 63. The 458 Italia no. 63 Scuderia Corsa won the title in 2015 in the GTD class with Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell. The crew has changed for this season with Christina Nielsen lead driver. The excellent Danish woman last year battled to win the title for Ferrari until the final race. The highly experienced Alessandro Balzan and Jeff Segal will join Nielsen, along with Germany’s Robert Renauer. Segal is clearly the driver with the most experience of this race having previously competed nine times and won in the GTD class for Ferrari in 2014 at the wheel of the 458 Italia of Level 5 Motorsports. Nielsen, Renauer and Balzan have each competed twice, their best results being a ninth, a tenth and a fourth at the wheel of the Ferrari 458 Italia Scuderia Corsa along with Pier Guidi, Frezza and Beretta in 2013.

Car no. 51. Peter Mann, Raffaele Giammaria, Marco Cioci and Matteo Cressoni will be in charge of the 458 Italia of Spirit of Race. This is a fast and highly experienced crew, although only Giammaria and Cioci have previously appeared at the 24 Hours of Daytona.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – The road to Daytona 24H: No. 72 SMP Racing Ferrari

Posted: 27.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 27 January 2016 – Ferrari.com continues its journey of discovery of the Ferrari customer teams competing in the 24 Hours of Daytona, one of the classics of American and world motorsport. Our survey of the 488 GTEs registered for the GT-Le Mans (GTLM) class concludes with car no. 72 of the Russian team SMP Racing, which is making its debut in America’s greatest endurance race.

Champion crew. The crew dominated the 2015 season in the GTE-Am class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC), winning both the Le Mans 24 Hours and world team and drivers’ titles with Andrea Bertolini, Viktor Shaytar and Aleksey Basov. Two of the WEC champion drivers will be at Daytona, with two other key WEC drivers, Gianmaria “Gimmi” Bruni and James Calado, alongside them. This is Bertolini’s fourth visit to Daytona. His best result was fifth place in 2012 in the 458 Italia Risi Competizione with Olivier Beretta and Toni Vilander. However, it is Shaytar’s first appearance in the race.

New pair. As mentioned, Bertolini and Shaytar will be joined by Bruni and Calado, who are sharing a car for the first time since the announcement of the crew changes for the 2016 WEC. The Italian ace and the rising British star, as of 12 April will share the 488 GTE AF Corse in the World Championship, and will be among the favourites for the title. As for the 24 Hours of Daytona, while Calado is making his debut in Florida, this is Bruni’s fourth appearance. This time though he will be hoping to dispel a sort of curse, with his previous appearances always dogged by misfortune.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – The road to Daytona 24H: Ferrari No. 68 Scuderia Corsa

Posted: 26.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 26 January 2016 – Ferrari.com continues its look at the teams that will represent the Prancing Horse at the 24 Hours of Daytona next weekend. After beginning with car no. 62 Risi Competizione, we move onto Scuderia Corsa. In 2015 the Californian Ferrari team won the USCC IMSA title in the GT-Daytona class, but will also compete in the GT-Le Mans class at the Florida classic with a brand new 488 GTE.

The crew. The car will be in the hands of two Americans and two Europeans, Brazil’s Daniel Serra, Mexico’s Memo Rojas, France’s Alexandre Premat and Italy’s Alessandro Pier Guidi. Serra will be making his fourth appearance at Daytona. His best result was 10th in the GT-Daytona (GTD) class in 2014 with Scuderia Corsa, along with fellow countrymen Francisco Longo, former star of the Ferrari Challenge, Xandinho Negrao and Marcos Gomes. Memo Rojas is a very experienced Daytona driver and three time-winner (2008, 2009 and 2013, driving a Riley). This is his debut with Ferrari.

Europeans. Alexandre Premat debuts both at Daytona and for Ferrari, but everyone knows about the honours won by the Frenchman. Premat has had many successes in the lower formulas and a taste of F1 with Midland in 2006. In recent years he has driven Audi prototypes. Then finally Italy’s Alessandro Pier Guidi has his third outing at the 24 hours where he triumphed in 2014 in the GTD class at the wheel of the 458 Italia Level 5 Motorsports along with Townsend Bell, Bill Sweedler, Scott Tucker and Jeff Segal.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – The road to Daytona 24H: Ferrari No. 62 Risi Competizione

Posted: 25.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 25 January 2016 – Next weekend will see a great motorsport classic, the 24 Hours of Daytona. The race marks the beginning of the IMSA USCC championship and the debut of the new Ferrari 488 GTE. Three cars will compete in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class race, while two 458 Italias will be ready at the off in the GT-Daytona (GTD) class.

Experienced team. Risi Competizione has competed in endurance racing with Ferraris in America for many years. Olivier Beretta, Giancarlo Fisichella, Davide Rigon and Tony Vilander will be at the wheel of the 488 of the Texas based team. Beretta, in his eighth Daytona, won the 2000 race with a Dodge Viper for the Oreca team, coming fourth in 2013 with the Scuderia Corsa 458 Italia and fifth in 2012 with Risi Competizione.

Rest of the crew. Giancarlo Fisichella and Davide Rigon are at respectively their fifth and third Daytonas, while Finland’s Toni Vilander closes the quartet in the Ferrari 488 no. 62. Vilander came fifth in 2012 with Olivier Beretta and Andrea Bertolini. Fisichella and Vilander will compete in the whole of this year’s IMSA United SportsCar Championship season with the GT-Le Mans class title their clear target.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2016 – Risi Competizione 488 ready for Daytona

Posted: 21.01.2016
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 21 January 2016 – The third 488 GTLM to compete in the 24 Hours of Daytona has arrived in America. The Risi Competizione team car performed its shakedown at Fiorano on Monday, leaving the next day for the United States where it arrived a few hours ago.

The team. Davide Rigon and Olivier Beretta will drive the car in the 24 Hours. The pair, present at Fiorano on Monday, will join Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander, team drivers for the entire championship season.
Other cars. Two other Ferraris will line up at the start of the 24 Hours of Daytona, the no. 68 of Scuderia Corsa, crewed by Alessandro Pier Guidi, Alexandre Premat, Daniel Serra and Memo Rojas, and the no. 72 of SMP Racing, in the capable hands of Viktor Shaytar, Andre Bertolini, James Calado and “Gimmi” Bruni, in its first outing with the new British teammate for the World Endurance Championship 2016.

GTD class. Two 458 Italia GT3s will race in the GTD class. Peter Mann, Raffaele Giammaria, Marco Cioci and Matteo Cressoni will drive the no. 51 of Spirit of Race, while the no. 63 of Scuderia Corsa will be crewed by Christina Nielsen, Jeff Segal, Alessandro Balzan and Robert Renauer.