Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow – Four drivers for Scuderia Ferrari simulator
Posted: 04.02.2019
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 4 February 2019 – Four drivers will work in the Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow simulator during the 2019 season, thus contributing, alongside the race drivers, to the development of the car. They are 24 year old Pascal Wehrlein, Brendon Hartley 29, Antonio Fuoco, 22, and Davide Rigon, 32.
Currently driving in Formula E for the Mahindra team, Pascal Wehrlein competed in Formula 1 in the 2016 and 2017 seasons having been crowned DTM champion in 2015.
Brendon Hartley comes to Maranello after racing for Scuderia Toro Rosso in Formula 1 from the 2017 US GP until the end of the 2018 season. Brendon also has a solid background in endurance racing: he has been FIA WEC World Champion twice (2015 and 2017) and also won the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Antonio Fuoco has been part of the Ferrari family for his entire career through his time in the Ferrari Driver Academy and joins the simulator team after an excellent season in F2 that included a superb win in Abu Dhabi.
Davide Rigon is a Ferrari simulator veteran. He has been driving the simulator since 2014 in addition to his work as an official driver in GT competitions. Amongst other categories, he has been racing for AF Corse Ferrari in the FIA WEC for many years and has won four world championship races with the team.
Mattia Binotto, Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal: “Our team has taken on four undoubtedly talented drivers, who possess innate feeling, with a strong understanding of race cars and tracks. These are exactly the qualities required in the skilful role of driving in a simulator, one of the vital pieces of equipment in the Formula 1 of today”.
Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow – Seat fitting for Seb
Posted: 08.02.2019
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 8 February 2019 –This morning, Sebastian Vettel came to the Gestione Sportiva for a seat fitting in the 2019 Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow car. The German, who has won 13 races in Maranello colours, making him the third most successful Ferrari driver after Michael Schumacher and Niki Lauda, thus sat, for the first time, in the car with which he will tackle the world championship, that gets underway on 17 March with the Australian GP.
With the team. Just as Charles Leclerc did on Thursday, Sebastian met with Team Principal and Managing Director, Mattia Binotto, as well the engineers, with whom he had preliminary talks about the upcoming season, prior to the test sessions that get the track action underway in Barcelona from 18 to 21 February and again from 26 February to 1 March.
Seven days to launch. Exactly a week to go now until the launch of this year’s Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow car. The event will take place in Maranello on Friday 15, at 10.45 CET and the entire launch will be live streamed on the Ferrari website, while the key moments of the unveiling will also be available on the Scuderia’s social media platforms.
Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow – Seat fitting for Charles
Posted: 07.02.2019
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 7 February 2019 –Today, for the first time, Charles Leclerc sat in the Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow car that he will drive during the 2019 season. This morning, the Monegasque driver had a fitting to finalise the shape of the made-to-measure seat of his Formula 1 car.
In the factory. While he was at the Gestione Sportiva, Charles took the opportunity to meet Director and Team Principal, Mattia Binotto and say hello to the rest of the team, with whom he will work for the first time at the forthcoming Barcelona test from 18 to 21 February. Leclerc will be the first driver from Monaco to race in Formula 1 for Scuderia Ferrari.
Unveiling. In fact, it’s not long now, just over a week, before the new car is launched. The event takes place at Maranello, on Friday 15 February at 10:45 and the launch will be live streamed on the Ferrari website. The unveiling can also be watched on the Scuderia’s social media channels.
Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow – New car minus 9!
Posted: 06.02.2019
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 6 February – There are just nine days to go until the launch of Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow’s new Formula 1 car, which will take place in Maranello at 10.45 (CET) on 15 February.
Live. All fans and enthusiasts can follow the whole event via live streaming on Ferrari’s website and the unveiling on the Scuderia’s social channels.
Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow – Hear it roar
Posted: 31.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
The 2019 power unit is fired up in Maranello
Maranello, 31 January 2019 – Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow has used the main social media channels to preview the new Formula 1 car, due to be launched on 15 February in Maranello, by releasing a sound clip of the engine.
After running on the test bench, it was fired up for the first time, actually fitted to the car’s chassis. After the launch, the team will head for the Barcelona circuit and the first pre-season test, which runs from 18 to 21 February.
Intercontinental GT Challenge – The Ferrari 488 GT3 of Spirit of Race wins Pro-Am class
Posted: 03.02.2019
Source: Ferrari
Mount Panorama, 3 February 2019 – The Ferrari 488 GT3 of Spirit of Race, crewed by Paul Dalla Lana, Mathias Lauda and Pedro Lamy won the Pro-Am class in the 2019 edition of the Bathurst 12 Hours, the first round of the SRO International GT Challenge championship.
Extreme race. The value of Ferrari’s victory in the hard-fought professional and gentlemen drivers’ class is all the greater given the extreme weather conditions. Starting at dawn in Australia, the race quickly turned into a marathon for men and vehicles, with very few neutralisations (over 100 laps and seven hours with no Safety Car) and very high temperatures of up 43 degrees centigrade. Paul Dalla Lana, Mathias Lauda and Pedro Lamy put in a flawless performance, making up 24 positions on the qualifying session to finish in ninth place. The advantage of almost two laps over their nearest pursuers, Hazelwood-Lago-Russell in the Audi of Matt Stone Racing’s, also says a lot about the quality of the performance of the Spirit of Race team.
HubAuto Corsa. On the other side, the HubAuto Corsa crew of Nick Foster, Tim Slade and Nick Percat in the other Ferrari, had a trickier race right from the off. The 488 GT3 no. 27 was in fact involved in an accident with a slower car before the two-hour mark. The time taken to recover and repair the car knocked the HubAuto Corsa crew out of the running. After restarting they eventually they crossed the line in 18th. The overall victory went to the Porsche of Earl Bamber Motorsport with Werner-Olsen-Campbell.
Intercontinental GT Challenge – Two Ferrari crews at the Bathurst 12 Hours
Posted: 31.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 31 January 2019 – The SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge championship kicks off this weekend with the Bathurst 12 Hours. Two Ferraris are set to race in the Australian classic, held on the treacherous Mount Panorama track.
Stable presence. The 488 GT3 of HubAuto Corsa will compete in the whole five-race series (along with Bathurst, the California 8 Hours at Laguna Seca, the 24 Hours of Spa, the Suzuka 10 Hours and South Africa’s Kyalami 9 Hours). The Asian team participated in the Japanese Super Taikyu Championship two years ago, before moving over to the Blancpain GT Asia where it won twice in 2018. The Australian trio of Nick Foster, Tim Slade and Nick Percat will represent the team and Ferrari.
Spirit of Race. The 488 GT3 of Spirit of Race will join HubAuto Corsa’s entry in the Bathurst 12 Hours. The car will be crewed by Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda, three of the four men who drove in the 24 Hours of Daytona last week.
Programme and history. After the track walk on Thursday, Friday will see four free practice sessions followed by qualifying (11.20 am and 12.10 pm local time) and the shoot out for the top 10 positions on the grid (4.40 pm local time) on Saturday. The race is due to start on Sunday at 5.45 am local time (Saturday 7.45 pm CET) and will end at 5.45 pm (7.45 am CET). Ferrari has won this race twice, both times with Maranello Motorsport: in 2014, with Bowe-Edwards-Lowndes-Salo and the 458 Italia GT3, and in 2017 with Lowndes-Vilander-Whincup and the 488 GT3.
Intercontinental GT Challenge – Ferrari taking part to the entire season with HubAuto Corsa
Posted: 30.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 30 January 2019 – Ferrari will be present as a manufacturer at the Intercontinental GT Challenge, a championship organised by SRO and featuring classic endurance races. The Maranello-based company will field at least one car at each event, mainly in the colours of HubAuto Corsa, which is registered for the entire season.
Start in Australia. The championship will open next weekend with the 12 Hours of Bathurst, a race that the 488 GT3 won two years ago with Maranello Motorsport. The Ferrari of HubAuto Corsa will start with an entirely Australian crew: Nick Foster, Tim Slade and Nick Percat. It will be joined at the Mount Panorama circuit by Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda in the 488 GT3 of Spirit of Race.
The other races. After Australia, the championship moves to the US at the end of March with the 8 Hours of California at Laguna Seca. Then at the end of July, the European stage of the series takes place in Belgium with the 24 Hours of Spa, before moving to Suzuka from 23 to 25 August for a ten-hour race. At the end of November, the Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar will conclude in South Africa with the 9 Hours of Kyalami, another great motorsport classic brought back by SRO. Long one of the world’s most prestigious endurance races, it was held with breaks from 1961 to 1988 and then three times from 1998 to 2000. Ferrari has eight overall victories in this race (the first in 1962 with David Piper and Bruce Johnstone, the last in 1972 with Arturo Merzario and Clay Regazzoni) and five class wins.
Intercontinental GT Challenge – Ferrari taking part to the entire season with HubAuto Corsa
Posted: 30.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 30 January 2019 – Ferrari will be present as a manufacturer at the Intercontinental GT Challenge, a championship organised by SRO and featuring classic endurance races. The Maranello-based company will field at least one car at each event, mainly in the colours of HubAuto Corsa, which is registered for the entire season.
Start in Australia. The championship will open next weekend with the 12 Hours of Bathurst, a race that the 488 GT3 won two years ago with Maranello Motorsport. The Ferrari of HubAuto Corsa will start with an entirely Australian crew: Nick Foster, Tim Slade and Nick Percat. It will be joined at the Mount Panorama circuit by Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda in the 488 GT3 of Spirit of Race.
The other races. After Australia, the championship moves to the US at the end of March with the 8 Hours of California at Laguna Seca. Then at the end of July, the European stage of the series takes place in Belgium with the 24 Hours of Spa, before moving to Suzuka from 23 to 25 August for a ten-hour race. At the end of November, the Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar will conclude in South Africa with the 9 Hours of Kyalami, another great motorsport classic brought back by SRO. Long one of the world’s most prestigious endurance races, it was held with breaks from 1961 to 1988 and then three times from 1998 to 2000. Ferrari has eight overall victories in this race (the first in 1962 with David Piper and Bruce Johnstone, the last in 1972 with Arturo Merzario and Clay Regazzoni) and five class wins.
The Ferrari Monza SP2 named “Most Beautiful Supercar of the Year 2018” at Paris Festival Automobile International
Posted: 30.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 30th January 2019 – The Ferrari Monza SP2 has been named the Most Beautiful Supercar of 2018 by a panel of expert judges at the 34th Paris Festival Automobile International.
The prestigious award was presented at a ceremony at the city’s Hotel National des Invalides attended by over 600 guests, including many leading exponents of the automotive and journalism worlds.
The Ferrari Monza SP2, together with the Ferrari Monza SP1, is the forerunner of the new Icona concept inspired by the most evocative Ferrari competition cars of the 1950s. The Monza SP2 is the Prancing Horse’s modern reinterpretation of a gloriously timeless style paired with technologically advanced components and the highest performance possible thanks to the marque’s continuous research and innovation.
The Ferrari Style Centre’s designers crafted a design so pure and forms so elegantly minimalist, they could be described as a single pencil stroke. The extreme styling of the more recent Ferrari track cars has been bypassed in favour of exceptionally clean, spare lines. Never before has a car possessed such clear narrative power: this is a model born to deliver pure driving pleasure and fun behind the wheel. An experience that creates a totally symbiotic connection between man and car.
Visitor numbers continue to grow at Ferrari Museums
Posted: 24.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
The Ferrari Museums continue to flourish, attracting over 540,000 visitors in the course of 2018 and setting a new record in the process.
More than 370,000 visitors passed through the doors of the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, confirming its hugely successful status and reflecting the exceptional numbers of the previous year during which the company also celebrated its 70th anniversary. The Museum also staged two exhibitions in the course of 2018 that are still running: “Driven by Enzo” is a collection of Enzo Ferrari’s favourite four-seaters, while “Passion and Legend” is an homage to the company and its founder’s extraordinary story. The new “Michael 50” exhibition also officially opened on January 3rd in honour of Michael Schumacher’s 50th birthday, that will be open until March 31.
The MEF in Modena finished the year having welcomed over 175,000 visitors, an increase of 11% on 2017. This was thanks in good part to the “Il Rosso & Il Rosa” exhibition, a celebration of Ferrari’s close bond with women through some of the favourite cars of legendary female stars and personalities.
The excellent synergic relationship between the two Museums was also demonstrated by the success of the single ticket covering entry to both.
The abovementioned results confirm the Ferrari Museums’ status as one of the most popular visitor hubs in Italy as their new and enthralling themed exhibitions continue to draw in tifosi and enthusiasts from all over the globe from year to year.
Ferrari “Under the Skin” exhibition arrives in Asia for the first time, with a spectacular showcase of 488 Pista Spider in Macau
Posted: 24.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Macau, 24 January 2019 – Following the highly acclaimed runs at Museo Ferrari and the Design Museum in 2017, Ferrari and the Design Museum are delighted to announce its collaboration and partnership with the City of Dreams to bring the “Ferrari: Under the Skin” exhibition, to Asia for the first time. It will premiere at the City of Dreams from today until June 16, 2019. This marks the third global destination for this unprecedented study of the Prancing Horse’s automotive design history.
The “Under the Skin” exhibition was initiated to recall the ongoing evolution of innovation and design at Maranello over the past seven decades, while paying tribute to the 120thbirthday of Enzo Ferrari. Divided into six distinct zones, the exhibition recounts the innovative and creative engineering developments of Ferrari down the years through a series of exceptional cars – beginning with the 125 S the marque’s first production car. Technical drawings from the historical archives of the Prancing Horse alongside the engines on display reveal the evolving design process of the brands product line across all eras, casting an unprecedented eye over the engineering work hidden behind their exterior beauty.
Some of the exceptional exhibits that feature: over 10 classic cars and more than 100 original artefacts from the rich history of the iconic brand, many of which are open to the public for the first time in Asia. Among the highlights set to thrill visitors is an exact replica of the first Ferrari ever built in 1947, the 2000 Formula 1 championship-winning car driven by Michael Schumacher, as well as an elite selection of vintage racing cars like Ferrari F40, 288 GTO and 365 GTB/4 Daytona that hold a special place in the glorious history of Ferrari.
To add further exhilaration of the event, the Prancing Horse brings the latest Ferrari 488 Pista Spider to the City of Dreams. The new special series model will be on display in the Morpheus hotel from 25 to 27 January. As the 50th drop-top model to be released, the Ferrari 488 Pista Spider marks the most powerful series production spider of the marque. The model boasts 0-100 km/h acceleration in just 2.85 seconds as a result of the most powerful V8 engine in Maranello history, which was also named Best Engine for the third consecutive year at the 2018 International Engine of the Year Awards.
The “Under the Skin” exhibition will be held from 25 January to 16 June 2019. The tickets are available at MOP80.
About Ferrari Greater China
Ferrari is among the world’s leading luxury brands focused on the design, engineering, production and sale of the world’s most recognizable luxury performance sports cars. Ferrari brand symbolizes exclusivity, innovation, state-of-the-art sporting performance and Italian design. Its history and the image enjoyed by its cars are closely associated with its Formula 1 racing team, Scuderia Ferrari, the most successful team in Formula 1 history. From the inaugural year of Formula 1 in 1950 through the present, Scuderia Ferrari has won 236 Grand Prix races, 16 Constructor World titles and 15 Drivers’ World titles, including most recently the Constructor World title in 2008. Ferrari designs, engineers and produces its cars in Maranello, Italy, and sells them in over 60 markets worldwide.
In 1992, Ferrari received its very first order for Ferrari 348TS from a customer in Mainland China. The supercar was delivered in 1993 and a new generation of Ferrari enthusiasts was born. To meet the needs of these passionate new supporters, the first Ferrari showroom in Mainland China opened in Beijing in February 1994, setting a new standard for luxury sales and after-sales services in China. With the establishment of Ferrari Greater China in August 2004, Ferrari had now comprehensively entered the China market. Today, Ferrari Greater China plays a central role in the Ferrari Asia Pacific market and maintains a pivotal position in Ferrari’s global strategy. Since arriving in China, Ferrari’s dealer presence has expanded rapidly with the development of a highly-qualified national network. Up to date, Ferrari has established a sales and service network in 19 major cities to offer exciting new models and to provide excellent services to Ferrari customers through a convenient and comprehensive after-sales service network.
24 Hours of Daytona – Ferrari of Risi Competizione takes second place
Posted: 27.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Daytona, 27 January 2019 – The Ferrari 488 GTE of Risi Competizione just missed out on victory in the GTLM class at the 57th edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona. The car finished runner-up just over a second (1.149) behind Team RLL’s BMW no. 25. The race was suspended with the red flag due to rain about two hours from the end when the Houston team’s Ferrari was battling for the win after leading for a number of laps. The Ferrari crews had difficult races in GTD class where the best result was ninth for the 488 GT3 of Via Italia Racing, which started from pole. The two 488 GT3 cars of Spirit of Race and Scuderia Corsa had to retire while in amongst the leaders. Both of them had also led at times.
GTLM. Ferrari was highly competitive right in the GTLM class right from the start. Car no. 62 of Risi Competizione, with its young but very experienced crew, kept out of the trouble that dogged the class from the early stages. So, while Chevrolet, Ford and BMW encountered problems, David Rigon and James Calado kept their car between second and fourth place ahead of the Porsches and the second of the Corvettes. With nightfall, all the drivers, including Alessandro Pier Guidi and Miguel Molina, had done at least one stint at the wheel, with some of them putting in a double stint, and others like Molina, even a triple. At around 4 am, the rain began to fall and James Calado performed like a true world champion. The British driver was much faster than the rivals, comfortably holding onto first. He then handed the wheel to Pier Guidi but the race was immediately red flagged due to the flooded track. After a break of over two hours the battle resumed with the Ferrari still in the leading group and ready to seize any opportunity. One such chance came when the Porsche no. 912 and the Ford no. 66, which had occupied the top two positions on a different strategy from that of the Ferrari team, came into contact. Two hours from the end, the 488 GTE slipped back into third after a pit stop, but Calado, back behind the wheel, took it up to second on the tail of the BMW no. 25 of Augusto Farfus. Shortly after came the second and final suspension with red flag. It was the first time there had been two red flags in the history of the 24 Hours of Daytona.
GTD. In GTD class Marcos Gomes, who took pole position in car no. 13 of Via Italia Racing, enjoyed an excellent start to the race. The Brazilian driver, who had initially lost the leading place to Ben Keating’s Mercedes, fought back and pulled away from his rival before handing over to Longo. Francisco was rather unlucky, spinning and losing two laps. The car then lost two more in the early part of the night but with some great stints Gomes, Andrea Bertolini and Victor Franzoni made up three laps to finish in ninth position. Spirit of Race no. 51 and Scuderia Corsa no. 63 had a difficult race. The 488 GT3 driven by Mathias Lauda, Pedro Lamy, Daniel Serra and Paul Dalla Lana was involved in an accident with the Lamborghini no. 47 and lost 30 laps for repairs before retirement. The Ferrari of Scuderia Corsa, crewed by Toni Vilander, Cooper MacNeil, Jeff Westphal and Dominik Farnbacher, was in the mix for victory until two and a half hours from the end when, at the bus stop chicane, Vilander crashed into a lapped Porsche that was going slowly. The damage was too great to continue. The overall race went to Alonso-Kobayashi-Van der Zande-Taylor.
24 Hours of Daytona – 16 Hour Update: the skies open and Pier Guidi takes the lead
Posted: 27.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Daytona, 27 Jan 2019 – Sixteen hours into the 24 Hours of Daytona, Alessandro Pier Guidi is leading the GTLM class. The heavy rain that started falling with ten hours to go has further complicated the race, currently under the safety car due to an accident involving Tommy Milner’s Corvette.
GTLM. The rain forecast at around 5am bore fruit and the 488 GTE of Risi Competizione took full advantage of the situation. After replacing Davide Rigon, James Calado produced an extraordinary performance in dangerous conditions to build up a lead of almost 20 seconds over his nearest pursuer in the class. However, the eleventh safety car of the race frustrated all this effort by compacting the group, even though Alessandro Pier Guidi, who replaced Calado, remains firmly in first place.
GTD. After being up among the leaders with Cooper MacNeil, Ferrari no. 63 is continuing to do well with Jeff Westphal, who took the class lead before losing ground slightly, while remaining in contact with race leaders. At the last stop, the Scuderia Corsa team also changed drivers, with Dominik Farnbacher taking over. Andrea Bertolini, in the 488 GT3 of Via Italia Racing, is putting in a great stint in the rain, even though he remains back in fourteenth. Dalla Lana’s car no. 51 is still in the pits.
24 Hours of Daytona – 13 Hour Update: MacNeil in command in GTD
Posted: 27.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Daytona, 27 Jan 2019 – Eleven hours until the chequered flag, Scuderia Corsa’s Ferrari no. 63 holds the lead in the GTD class of the 24 Hours of Daytona, with Cooper MacNeil at the wheel.
GTLM. The Ferrari 488 GTE of Risi Competizione, driven in this segment by Davide Rigon, is in sixth. This car took advantage of a neutralisation of the race to have its front brake discs replaced.
GTD. The thrilling battle for class leadership has continued uninterrupted by the driver changes that took place around Hour 12. Cooper MacNeil, after taking over from Toni Vilander, is in first holding off the attacks of his pursuers. The leading cars are bunched within two seconds of each other. Victor Franzoni, one of the fastest drivers on the track with the 488 GT3 of Via Italia Racing, is trying to move up from 16th in the standings, while Paul Dalla Lana is in the pits for repairs to the rear suspension of his Ferrari no. 51 damaged by a collision with another car.
24 Hours of Daytona – 10 Hour Update: Ferrari in Strong Position Heading Towards Half-Way
Posted: 27.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Daytona, 27 January 2019 – The Ferrari contingent found a rhythm in the 24 Hours at Daytona, especially in GTLM. Several caution periods again interrupted the action early in the period, but things have since settled down and drivers have enjoyed several hours of consecutive green flag running.
GTLM. Risi Competizione and Alessandro Pier Guidi have guided the no. 62 Ferrari 488 GTE into the lead of the highly competitive GTLM category. Risi has cycled through their drivers and built a gap of over 20 seconds to the second place no. 66 Ford before pitting to relieve Pier Guidi in favor of Miguel Molina.
GTD. Disaster struck the no. 51 Sprit of Race 488 GT3 when Paul Dalla Lana had an incident that damaged the front suspension of their Ferrari. Repairs were enacted and the car returned to the circuit, but is now down nearly 30 laps from the leading car int eh category. Scuderia Corsa’s no. 63 has taken the position of the leading Ferrari challenger, currently running in 10th place with Jeff Westphal at the wheel. The Scuderia Corsa team has wisely limited Ferrari Factory driver Toni Vilander’s driving time to a single stint, saving his time for the closing stages of the race. Via Italia Racing has pursued a similar strategy, with Marcos Gomes only recently returning to the cockpit. The car is currently in 19th position, several laps back.
24 Hours of Daytona – 4 Hour Update: Ferraris Soldier on into Night at Daytona
Posted: 26.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Daytona, 26 January 2019 – Four Ferraris continued their fight into the night at the Daytona International Speedway. Three caution periods blighted what has otherwise been an aggressive start to the 24 hour classic. The first only 2.5 hours into the race lasted nearly 25 minutes, while the second occurred just over an hour later and the third just before the 4 hours had elapsed.
GTLM. The no. 62 Ferrari of Risi Competizione cycled through its four driver line up, after starting with Davide Rigon, then to James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi and now Miguel Molina. After staying competitive through the first three hours, Risi pitted just before the second caution period and jumped the entire GTLM field. As the green flag continued, Miguel fell back to 3rd position before pitting to insert Davide Rigon back into the car.
GTD. Marcos Gomes did a stellar job in the no. 13 Via Italia Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 to establish a 9 second lead over the rest of the GT-Daytona category before handing over to Chico Longo. Chico, however, slipped back, ultimately settling in 21st position before handing over to Andrea Bertolini and Victor Franzoni before cycling back to Chico. The no. 51 Spirit of Race Ferrari also cycled through their full driver line up, with Paul Dalla Lana back in the car with 20 hours to go and the car running in 8th position. The no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari followed a slightly different strategy, with a long opening stint by Cooper MacNeil, who was relieved by Jeff Westphal and then Dominik Farnbacher. The car currently runs in 7th position.
24 Hours of Daytona – Race sets off under a threatening sky
Posted: 26.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Daytona, 26 January 2019 – The 57th edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona kicked off under a leaden sky threatening rain, previously only forecast for Sunday. There are four Ferraris in the race.
GTD. Marcos Gomes is now in second in GTD class with the 488 GT3 of Via Italia Racing. He will be sharing the wheel with Francisco Longo, official Ferrari driver Andrea Bertolini, and Victor Franzoni. Spirit of Race no. 51 is in ninth with Mathias Lauda in the hot seat. He will be joined by crewmates Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Daniel Serra. The Ferrari of Scuderia Corsa is further back in the group with Cooper MacNeil, Toni Vilander, Jeff Westphal and Dominik Farnbacher.
GTLM. Ferrari no. 62 of Risi Competizione, the only one competing in this class, started from fourth. David Rigon took the green flag and will alternate at the wheel with World Endurance Championship winners James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi, and Miguel Molina.
24 Hours of Daytona – The Via Italia Racing Ferrari takes pole position
Posted: 24.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Daytona, 24 January 2019 – A Ferrari will start from pole position in the GTD class for the third consecutive year. Marcos Gomes drove the 488 GT3 of Via Italia Racing into first place in the 24 Hours of Daytona qualifying. Andrea Bertolini, Francisco Longo and Victor Franzoni will join him for the race. Gomes’ time of 1:45.257 is also a new Daytona track record. The 488 GTE of Risi Competizione took fourth in the GTLM class with Davide Rigon who will share the car in the race with Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Miguel Molina.
GTD. Qualifying in the GTD class started slowly, but by the third lap the cars had already started to improve their performance. Cooper MacNeil, with the 488 GT3 of Scuderia Corsa, was the first to clock a decent time in 1:48.470, although this was soon beaten by a number of rivals including Mathias Lauda, who lapped in 1:46.131. Marcos Gomes secured the lead with a time of 1:45.712. The last few minutes were thrilling, with excellent times also recorded by Mercedes, Acura and Lamborghini. However, in the end Gomes went on all out on the attack, clinching first place for the 488 GT3 of Via Italia Racing with a new track record of 1:45.257. Ben Keating’s Mercedes finished in second, followed by the Acura of Trent Hindman. The other 488s were placed as follows: Spirit of Race no. 51 was sixth with Mathias Lauda (1:45.852), who will be driving in the race with Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Daniel Serra; 16th place went to the 488 GT3 no. 63 of Scuderia Corsa qualified by Cooper MacNeil and also driven by Toni Vilander, Jeff Westphal and Dominik Farnbacher.
GTLM. In the GTLM class, Davide Rigon took the wheel of the Ferrari 488 GTE of Risi Competizione. He was up among the leaders from the start, holding second for a long time. In the end the Italian driver improved his time to 1:42.712, which was enough for a place on the second row with the fourth best time. Nick Tandy’s Porsche took pole position in 1:42.257. In the race Rigon will share the cockpit of the 488 GTE no. 62 with the world champions Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado and Spanish official Ferrari driver Miguel Molina. Overall pole went to Oliver Jarvis with the Mazda in 1:33.685. The race gets underway on Saturday at 2.35 pm local time (8.25 pm CET).
24 Hours of Daytona – Four Ferrari crews in pursuit of a dream
Posted: 23.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Daytona, 23 January 2019 – The 2019 IMSA championship season kicks off this weekend with a motorsport classic, the Daytona 24 Hours. Four Ferraris are set to start, one in the GTLM class, three in the GTD class.
GTLM. In the GTLM class, Risi Competizione is back on track after a 2018 not easy at all. The 488 GTE no. 62 will be in the hands of a top ranking crew of official Ferrari drivers. James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi, usually involved in the WEC in AF Corse no. 51, are joined by Davide Rigon, driver of no. 71, and Miguel Molina, who won two European Le Mans Series races in 2018 for JMW Motorsport and has already raced twice in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in car no. 71. For Pier Guidi, who won in the GTD class in 2014, and Rigon it will be their sixth entry, while Calado will line up for his fourth start and Molina his second.
GTD. Three 488 GT3s will appear in the GTD class. An experienced crew with all the skills to do well will take the wheel of Scuderia Corsa no. 63. The winner of the 2018 Petit Le Mans, Cooper MacNeil, teams up with official GT racing driver Toni Vilander, Dominik Farnbacher and Jeff Westphal. It will be MacNeil’s ninth start at Daytona, Vilander’s eighth, Westphal’s fifth and Farnbacher’s 14th. Another official Ferrari driver, the Italian Andrea Bertolini, will be in the 488 GT3 no. 13 of Via Italia team. The Brazilians Francisco Longo, Marcos Gomes and Victor Franzoni will join him. It will be Bertolini’s fifth appearance, Longo and Gomes’s third, and Franzoni’s debut.
Spirit of Race. Spirit of Race no. 51 will have a four-man crew three of whom usually number among Ferrari’s rivals. Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda, race in the WEC with an Aston Martin but will make their second start in the 24 Hours at the wheel of a 488 GT3. The Brazilian Daniel Serra, very fast in the dry, will try to help his crewmates achieve a great result. Dalla Lana is the most experienced of the group with nine outings, followed by Lamy with eight, Serra with five and Lauda with four.
Schedule. After the free practice sessions, qualifying is on Thursday at 3.35 pm and 4 pm (9.35 pm and 10 pm CET). The race gets going on Saturday at 2.35 pm (8.35 pm CET). Ferrari has ten wins to its name at Daytona, also counting class victories. The first came in 1966 with Jack Slottag and Larry Perkins in 250 GTO (in the 3-litre Sports car class), while the last was in 2014 in the GTD class with the 458 Italia GT3 of Level 5 Motorsport driven by Townsend Bell, Bill Sweedler, Jeff Segal, Scott Tucker and Alessandro Pier Guidi.
FDA 2019 season underway
Posted: 22.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Mick Schumacher joins his teammates
Maranello, 22 January 2019 – The Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA), the programme for talented young drivers, gathered its students at its Maranello HQ for its first day of work in 2019. New arrival Mick Schumacher was among them, just back from the Race of Champions in Mexico City.
With the Team Principal. Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal, Mattia Binotto, Sporting Director, Laurent Mekies, and Marco Matassa, Head of the FDA Technical Area, welcomed Mick and the other FDA students. Management and drivers then posed for a photo with ‘older brother’ Antonio Fuoco, who is staying in the FDA orbit with a consulting role. Marcus Armstrong was away in New Zealand in the Toyota Racing Series.
Intense season. FDA drivers are expecting a year packed with challenges: Mick Schumacher will be involved in Formula 2 along with his two teammates Callum Ilott and Giuliano Alesi; Marcus Armstrong and Robert Shwartzman will compete in the FIA Formula 3 championship; Enzo Fittipaldi in the newly minted Formula Regional and Gianluca Petecof in the FIA Formula 4 championship.
Mick Schumacher joins the Ferrari Driver Academy
Posted: 19.01.2019
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 19 January 2019 – Ferrari Driver Academy announces that it has signed a contract with 2018 FIA Formula 3 European Champion Mick Schumacher.
Mick, who will be racing in the 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship, from next week will be taking part in the pre- season preparation activities with fellow FDA drivers.
The other 2019 FDA drivers are Giuliano Alesi and Callum Ilott, who will race in Formula 2 too, Marcus Armstrong and Robert Shwartzman, racing in FIA Formula 3, Enzo Fittipaldi, racing in FIA Formula Regional (Europe), and Gianluca Petecof in FIA Formula 4 (Italy and Germany).
Mattia Binotto, Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari commented “For someone like me who has known him from birth, there’s no doubt that welcoming Mick into Ferrari has a special emotional meaning, but we have chosen him for his talent and the human and professional qualities that have already distinguished him despite his young age.”
Mick Schumacher said “I am thrilled that Ferrari has entered a partnership with me and my next future in motorsport will be in red, being part of the Ferrari Driver Academy and also of the Scuderia Ferrari Family. Again, this is another step forward in the right direction, and I can only profit from the immense amount of expertise bundled there. Be sure I will make everything to extract whatever helps me achieve my dream, racing in Formula 1.
It is more than obvious that Ferrari has a big place in my heart since I was born and also in the hearts of our family, so I am delighted on a personal level about this opportunity as well. At this stage it is however also time to say thank you to my family, friends and partners who supported me all along and helped me arrive at this point.”