A Ferrari on the podium at the Le Mans 24 Hours
Fisichella: “A really unique experience”
Source: Ferrari

Le Mans, 13 June – A Ferrari F30GTC, maybe the least expected one, made it to the podium in the LMGT2 category in the Le Mans 24 Hours. The Hankook Farnbacher car numer 89, crewed by Simonsen-Farnbacher-Keen, finished second behind the Porsche of Lieb-Lietz-Henzler.

The cars from Maranello did not have much luck in this race. First, the two Risi Competizione cars dropped out, then the AF Corse one, driven by Fisichella-Alesi-Vilander went off the track, requiring a long pit stop which meant any chance of fighting for the win had gone.

Problems with the gearbox and engine during the night meant the two F430s run by the American team had to retire. There was great disappointment, especially for car number 82 which, having started from the back of the grid, staged a great climb up the order until it was duelling for the lead with the two Corvettes. The other Houston team car had to retire with engine failure.

The only AF Corse car in the race was lying second this morning, shortly after dawn whe, because of a brake problem, it went off the track at 280 km/h. Giancarlo Fisichella, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro’s third driver was at the wheel at the time. “It looked like being really bad, but luckily, there is an escape road at that point and I was able to limit the damage. Unfortunately, we had to spend a long time in the garage to repair the car and after that we could not make up the time lost. All the same, fourth place is a very good result. I am happy to have had this unique experience: it was a tiring race, without any sleep, but it was unforgettable. I want to thank the team for all their efforts and my team-mates in this adventure, Toni and Jean who were really fantastic.”

 

A setback for Ferrari at Le Mans
Source: Ferrari

Le Mans, 13 June – The likelihood of a third consecutive win for the F430 GT entered by the Risi Competizione team in the Le Mans 24 Hours soon suffered a severe setback.

Going down a straight, car number 82 had a gearbox problem which meant it had to spend a very long time in the pits, when it was right in the thick of the fight for the top position with the Corvette number 64.

On the stroke of midnight, the best placed Ferrari was the one fielded by AF Corse, in the hands of Fisichella-Alesi-Vilander.

 

Le Mans 24 Hours – Pole vanishes
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 11 June – A hard knock for the Risi Competizione crew at the end of last night’s qualifying for the Le Mans 24 Hours: having dominated the long qualifying session to decide the grid for this historic race which starts tomorrow at 15.00, one of the two F430 GT2 cars entered by Ferrari of Houston, crewed by Jaime Melo, Gimmi Bruni and Pierre Kaffer, was knocked back from first to last place on the grid because the stewards deemed the rear wing did not conform to the regulations. Therefore the best placed Ferrari in the new order is the AF Corse car of Giancarlo Fisichella, Jean Alesi and Toni Vilander, running behind the two Corvettes of Oliver Gavin-Olivier Beretta-Emmanuel Collard and Johnny Connel-Jan Magnussen-Antonio Garcia. Rounding off the list of reds, in eighth place we have Hankook Farnbacher’s car number 89, driven by Allan Simonsen-Dominik Farnbacher – Leh Keen and in eleventh place, car number 83, the second Risi Competizione entry crewed by Tracy Krohn-Nic Jonsson-Eric van de Poele.

 

A Ferrari on pole at Le Mans
Source: Ferrari

Le Mans, 11 June –The Ferrari F430GT number 82, entered by the Risi Competizione team will start the Le Mans 24 Hours from pole position in the LMGT2 category. The time set by Gimmi Bruni (3.59.233) on Wednesday was unattainable for everyone in the final session held during this night and so car number 82 will start ahead of all others in its class in the most appealing endurance race in motor sport. The task of going for an incredible third consecutive class victory rests in the hands of a crew made up of the Italian, his usual ALMS team-mate, Jaime Melo and Pierre Kaffer, which has proved to be a winning formula in the last two races.

Behind the car run by Giuseppe Risi come two Corvettes, while the only AF Corse entered F430GT still in the race, the one crewed by Giancarlo Fisichella, Jean Alesi and Toni Vilander set the fourth fastest time (3.59.837.) “I am very happy with the result of qualifying,” said Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro’s third driver, on his debut in the Le Mans 24 Hours. “We did a great job as a team and we are in shape to do well in the race. It’s a shame that because of a small technical problem we were not able to make the most of the track when it was at its best to do a time: we had the potential to go for pole. Jean and I have adapted well to conditions that are unusual for us, getting to grips with the track in the dark.”

Two other F430GT cars will take part in the race which starts on Saturday afternoon. Car number 89 entered by the Hankook Farnbacher team (Simonsen-Farnbacher-Keen) will start from ninth place (4.02.427) and number 83, the second Risi Competizione car in the hands of Krohn-Jonsson-van de Poele, starts from twelfth spot (4.03.959.) Unfortunately, the second AF Corse car will not take part, as the car driven by Perez Companc-Russo-Salo was seriously damaged in an accident with Perez Companc at the wheel in Wednesday’s session.

 

Date 12.-13.06.2010
Laps 397
Distance 5.410,713 km /3.362,780 miles
No Driver Ferrari S/N Team Result
82 Jaime Melo
Gianmaria Bruni
Pierre Kaffer
F 430 GTC F 131 EVOGTC 2656 Risi Competizione not classified/retired
           
83 Tracy W. Krohn
Nic Jönsson
Eric van de Poele
F 430 GTC F 131 EVOGTC 2646 Risi Competizione not classified/retired
           
89 Allan Simonsen
Dominik Farnbacher
Leh Keen
F 430 GTC
F 131 EVOGTC 2630
Hankook – Team Farnbacher 12. overall/ 2. in class
           
95 Giancarlo Fisichella
Toni Vilander
Jean Alesi
F 430 GTC
F 131 EVOGT 2464
AF Corse 16. overall/ 4. in class
           
96 Mika Salo
Luis Perez Companc
Matias Russo
F 430 GTC
F 131 EVOGTC 2624
AF Corse
did not start/accident during Wednesday practice
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