The latest Prancing Horse GT contender.
By Roberto Motta
Photos: Ferrari-Media
During the winter months in Maranello, the Ferrari GT team managed to complete a number of shakedown tests of the new Ferrari 458GTC on the Fiorano track. The 458 GT will make its racing debut in the Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 19.
The Ferrari 458 GTC is the GT2 version of the Ferrari 458 Italia, and it is the latest jewel to emerge from Maranello, which will be taking on the opposition in the most important GT races at international level in the GT2 class.
The development of the 458 GTC on track is entrusted to Jaime Melo, the Brazilian driver who in 2010 competed in the American Le Mans Series with the Risi Competizione team. He also teamed up with Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander in the AF Corse squad’s F430 GT2 to bring the Prancing Horse the Constructors’ title in the 2010 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. Jamie is well qualified to wring out the latest GTC.
The official specification of the Ferrari 458 GTC is yet to be revealed but we know that it will use a Hewland six-speed sequential transmission and 18-inch wheels. Antonello Coletta, head of the Ferrari Corse Clienti Department says about the first test of the 458 GTC: “We are pleased with the feedback we have had from the engineers and drivers about the car.” Development is in its initial stages and this is just the third test the car has undergone at Fiorano. “Thanks to the good weather, it has been possible to gather more data than in previous sessions, which were run in snowy and rainy conditions.”
The Ferrari the 458 GTC will continue its development during the winter season and the car will debut in the American Le Mans Series race that will start with the Sebring 12 Hours.
Mean looking GTC is the most Ferrari like car we have seen in years.
The 458 Challenge was announced at about the same time.
Jaime Melo takes the new GTC out for its initial shakedown.
Compared with the new 458 Challenge shown here, the GTC is more attractive and aggressive.
Headed for Sebring, where snow will not be an issue.
GTC is more aggressive, yes, but not more attractive than in Challenge configuration. The nose looks as if from some “homemade” special of the ’70s.
Cheers
I would like to see racing cars compete without wings.
The wing makes the car look like a back yard garage special.
Wings are for airplanes.