Great start for Ferrari in the 2011 Le Mans Series.
By Roberto Motta
Photos: Ferrari-Media and DPPI: Lead photo above by Phototheque
Le Castellet 2- 3 April- The weekend went very well for AF Corse and for the Prancing Horse in the opening round of the thirteenth Le Mans Series at the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit at Le Castellet, fulfilling the earlier promise of the new Ferrari 458GT2.
Ex F1 jock Fisichella doing well in GT2.
First, the 458 Italia GT2 entrusted to the Italian drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Gimmi Bruni, made the fastest lap in the LM GT Pro class.
Then James Walker at the wheel of the 458 Italia GT2 entered by JMW Motorsport started ahead of the Enge-Muller Aston Martin and Rob Bell.
Finally, at the end of a hard race, the Italian cars won the six hour endurance with the 458 Italia GT2 entered by JMW Motorsport, and in second place was the Fisichella/Bruni AF Corse 458 GT2. Fisichella/Bruni were leading the race at the start, staying ahead of the Hankook Team Farnbacher 458 Italia GT2 of Farnbacher and Simonsen, who eventually finished in third position. Coming in fourth was the AF Corse 458 Italia GT2 of Jaime Melo and Toni Vilander, who missed the podium position due to a technical problem.
Vilander teamed with Melo for fourth.
Antonello Coletta, head of Ferrari Corse Clienti was very pleased with the potential shown by the 458 Italia GT2 prepared by his department along with Michelotto Automobili. “We have started the season with our first pole and a first win, which shows our car is competitive enough to make its mark on high level international competition like the Le Mans Series.”
The Felbermayr Proton Porsche won the GTE AM in the hands of Ragginger, Ried and Long, but the old Ferrari F430 won second, third and fourth places with the AF Corse F430 GTC of Perazzini, Cioci and Lemeret, the Kessel Racing Ferrari crewed by Broniszewski-Peter and the CRS Racing crew of Hummel, Christidoulou, Quaife.
The next round of the championship takes place over the weekend of 8 May on the Belgian circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, which will also stage the second round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.
More stories, specs and results for the new Ferrari 458 GT can be found in the below stories:
Ferrari 458 Design Analysis August 6th 2009
Ferrari 458 Tech Bits August 11 2009
Ferrari 458GT Challenge, January 5th 2011
Ferrari tests the new 458 GTC for Sebring March 2 2011
Ferrari 458 GTC debuts at Sebring March 23 2011
Robert Kauffman, Rui Aguas, Guiseppe Ciro 430GT
Hankook Team Farnbacher 458 Italia GT2 of Farnbacher and Simonsen
Fisichella/Bruni AF Corse 458 GT2 took second.
Rob Bell, James Walker, winners GT2 class.
Fisichella/Bruni AF Corse 458 GT2
Hankook Team Farnbacher 458 Italia GT2 of Farnbacher and Simonsen, who eventually finished in third position.
AF Corse 458 Italia GT2 of Jaime Melo and Toni Vilander placed fourth.