The pro in question would be Regis Lefebure. Pet peeve: when you include photos in your post without attribution people tend to assume that they are your own work. When they are not your own work, as in this case, it would be good form to mention it and credit the photographer. Even when he's a hired hand working for the team.
You have every right to be peeved. That was thoughtless on my part. I received them in an email and was merely intending to share them with the forum. I thought I could edit the original post, but apparently cannot. So, my complements and apologies to Mr. Lefebure. Beautiful work.
Good on you David. Thanks for understanding and not taking offense. Your Le Mans package sounds awesome and I wish I could be there!
Thanks, I always say it's very hard to be smart all the time! We are really getting excited about Le Mans. I'll do another thread about it. Watch for us at Sebring!
Here is the link for going to Le Mans with Risi Competizione. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/other-racing/514447-risi-competizione-24-hours-le-mans.html
Great story for Risi to get to the Rolex and good run. Very tough competition in GTLM. Very vivid demonstration of the huge role the diffuser plays in performance. Regis is the man - great guy and great photos. Good luck at Sebring and LeMans (and the other 2016 races). My humble contribution: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks. Very, very nice photos! It is a beautiful car. The loss of the diffuser meant that the car needed a lot more rear wing to stay relatively balanced in handling. That, of course, hurt a lot on the banking. Still, we only lost a couple of seconds a lap. It could have been worse. Will you be going to Sebring?
The car just barely made it to the race and we had NO spares. Of course we will have them for Sebring, but it was not as insane as it sounds. Endurance racing today is so intense that you can no longer afford to spend any extra time in the pits. If you watch winners at Le Mans now, it is pretty common that the winning car had nothing but routine pit stops. Third or fourth might have had a very small delay of a few minutes, which is a full lap at Le Mans! It is astonishing. So, even if we had spares, as soon as you stop to install them, you have no chance of winning!
Below is from a current Press Release: Risi Competizione heads to Sebring for teams first official test of 2016 25.02.2016: Davide Rigon Announced as Third Driver for 12 Hours of Sebring The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTLM Team heads to Sebring Davide Rigon Announced as Third Driver for 12 Hours of Sebring The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTLM Team heads to Sebring, Florida for the annual official IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series' Sebring Test days, February 25-26, 2016. This will be the first test of the new season for the popular Houston, Texas-based team, who received their new Ferrari 488 GTLM race car just days before the Rolex 24 of Daytona with only a brief shakedown at the Fiorano Circuit after it was built at Michelotto in Italy. Joining full season Risi driver Toni Vilander at the Florida test will be Italian Davide Rigon, who has been named as the third driver for the 64th annual Mobile 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida race, March 19. The duo will join Giancarlo Fisichella, who, as a Ferrari factory driver, had other Ferrari commitments this week and is unable to participate in the Test, but has been previously announced to pair with Vilander for the full 2016 IMSA season. This will be Rigon's first drive ever at the 3.74-mile, 17-turn Sebring, Florida road circuit. Rick Mayer, Risi Competizione Race Engineer: Please talk about the Risi Comp team welcoming Davide Rigon back for the 12 Hours of Sebring. "Davide did a great job the last two years for us at Daytona and I'm sure he will do the same for us at Sebring. He fits right into the team; he's quick, has great car feel and setup skills, and is very professional. He's a true asset to our driver lineup." What has the team been working on since the Rolex 24 at Daytona race? "The crew disassembled the car, did a thorough inspection, repaired body and floor damage, ordered replacement parts, spare parts, and mileaged-out parts, then reassembled the entire car. During the process they put the 'Risi' touches on everything. Although we had no mechanical or build endurance related issues at Daytona, a testament to the work Ferrari and Michelotto have done, we feel even more confident and prepared now." What are the goals of the Sebring Test and what does the Risi Team hope to accomplish? "We have not run this car, as a team, except for Daytona. We only had one dry session there before the race and we have a lot of questions regarding what setup direction will be best for Sebring. Setups for Sebring and Daytona are quite different. This car has never run at Sebring; there are no major components that cross over from the F458. Although we do not expect any endurance concerns at Sebring, we also know it's prudent to put enough laps on the car at Sebring to ensure there are no concerns. There is nothing like Sebring. It is brutal on everything. We want to come away from the Sebring test with more general knowledge of the car, what it 'likes' and have a good base setup to start the event week." Toni Vilander, driver, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM: You were involved in the testing of the new Ferrari 488 before it raced on track at Daytona and then the Risi car completed the full 24 hours at the race last month. Please talk about that process and some of the things that you and the team learned though racing at Daytona this year. "It's true that I was part of the testing since the beginning. The 488 was born really well. Anyway (Gianmaria) Bruni has done most of the testing but since the first day the car had no major issues. The 488 is a good step forward compared to 458. Now it's up to the BoP (Balance of Performance) and IMSA to provide us all in the GTLM class a foundation of rules that will enable every team to race on equal terms. The Daytona 24 Hour race was way better than I expected. On the technical side, work done with the Risi crew, together with Michelotto, was quite unique. Our car arrived in the U.S. on Monday of race week and we are able to race the full distance. Unfortunately we had some contact with lapped cars and that cost us some time in the garage." You will be testing the new Ferrari 488 in Sebring later this week, what are your goals for this test "This test is very important for us for the rest of the season. We had good briefings after the Daytona race and, based on my comments, we will try to improve a few things and get us even more competitive. So I have very high hopes for these test days. Let's say that our season starts at full speed from here. A good two days would be the perfect preparation for the race." Davide Rigon will be joining you and Giancarlo in the cockpit again for the 12 Hours of Sebring. Talk about your thoughts of Davide returning to the Risi Comp team for this event. "Davide is already a very experienced GT racer. He's fast on the track and really easy-going outside. We are happy to have him with us. Hopefully we will have a strong race. I WANT TO WIN SEBRING!!!" Davide Rigon, driver, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM: You have been invited back to the Risi Competizione team for the 12 Hours of Sebring. Please share your thoughts about being welcomed back. "It is nice to be back after Daytona. It's a pleasure to drive for the team of Giuseppe (Risi), and I'm very motivated to do my best!" Talk about partnering with fellow Ferrari factory drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander in the Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTLM. "It's very nice to drive together with professional drivers like them. I think we are a very competitive line up. They have a lot of experience so I can always learn some things, especially in Sebring, where it will be my first time on the circuit." What are your thoughts and goals for the Sebring Test? "For me it is to learn the track properly and work well with the team and the engineer to prepare the car perfectly for the race. Also because in Daytona we had no time for testing, we need to use all the time at the Test Days in Sebring. The two days on track at Sebring International Raceway offers IMSA WeatherTech participants a possible 16 hours of on-track testing time, with eight hours each of the two days, February 25-26. More to come!!
Sebring test pictures are up at dailysportscar including the Risi 488, photographer Martin Spetz. IMSA: Sebring Test, Thursday Gallery
Thanks for the post. Some great pix there. The Fords are such pretty cars. It's a shame the graphics look like a cereal box! The Ferrari looks a heck of a lot better than when I last saw it in Daytona. Should be getting a report back soon. Will post when I do. The drivers love the car! That much I know from Daytona. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Let's stay in touch. PM me before Long Beach to confirm I'll be there. Stop by the transporter and we will meet.
Sebring, Florida (February 26, 2016)... The Risi Competizione Team completed their first test of the season with the new Ferrari 488 GTLM race car today, with pleasing results. The No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM completed nearly 200 laps and over 1,100 kilometers the past two days at Sebring International Raceway. Their participation in the official IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship test was the first opportunity the popular Houston, Texas-based team has been able to test, as they received delivery of the brand new Prancing Horse just days before the start of the Rolex 24 at Daytona race, where they finished sixth in class. Full season driver Toni Vilander and Davide Rigon, who will return as a co-driver for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida, handled the driving chores during the Sebring Test. Vilander's 2016 season teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella, was away for a special Ferrari event in the Italian Alps, where he conducted a demonstration run on the snow in his former 2009 Formula 1 Ferrari F60 in front of delighted Ferrari fans and enthusiasts. Rick Mayer, Risi Competizione Race Engineer: "We had a good two days of testing. It's the first time we've actually had the opportunity to run the car, other than Daytona. We only had one dry session at Daytona before we went into the race. We tried several things here (at Sebring) and I think we found some positive setup direction. Hopefully, the BoP (Balance of Performance) before the race will give us some straight speed so we can be competitive. Davide got up to speed, as this test was essential for him, Toni's been here before and he's great to work with, both drivers are quite happy with the car, a good solid test." Toni Vilander, driver, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM: "It was good to get a proper test. It's been really good weather for these two days. Unfortunately, Giancarlo was not here. For me, we improved the seat position. Rick (Mayer) made a really good plan for these two days, so we went through that plan and we learned a lot. Sebring is a completely different track than this 488 has ever driven with the bumps, the concrete and everything. The handling was good. No big issues. Now we just need to collect all the data and information we got from the past two days and decide which type of race car we want to prepare for the race. I'm really happy for the team and the way things are working. The guys had to change a few things the first day so they had a pretty late night, but everyone keeps smiling, so the spirit is good in the team. They've been really effective on the pit wall and pit lane when we've been doing the pit changes so it's been a pleasure to be part of these two days. We'll get Giancarlo in for the race and then we'll try to go for a good result." Davide Rigon, driver, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM: "It's very bumpy. I expected it a bit, because everybody was telling me about this, especially in the first corner and the last corner. Also I didn't expect so much grip on the corners because of the tarmac changes. It looks very different from what I am used to. I had a lot of time in the car. My engineer gave me the chance to learn the track with no pressure that was very valuable. I drove a lot the first day so I was ready to work on the car setup the second day. We didn't get to work on the car at Daytona so it was good to get to do this type of test and also to be able to do it with Toni. We really enjoyed the test and I think we're in good shape for the race. Our current BoP with power (boost) has us at a deficit, we hope that gets evaluated and adjusted for the race. I was not expecting the car to be as good as it was at the start of testing, it helped me to learn the track quickly. We can always improve and we've been working with our engineer (Rick Mayer) on ways we can improve for the race. Let's see if we can improve a bit, but as far as balance, we are happy but missing a bit of straight line speed." The next event for the Risi Competizione Team is the 64th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida, Round Two of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, on March 16-19, 2016 in Sebring, Florida. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thank you. I know a few local Ferrari Club members making plans for Lemans. I will share the Risi package with them. A few years back Risi had a Ferrari experience at the Sebring 12 hour. I really enjoyed it.
Thanks for passing on the word about Le Mans. We are really excited about it. Had a long conference call about it today. The Hospitality Suite is going to be incredible. There are some great people signing up. Unfortunately,no hospitality at Sebring this year. Too much going on with the new car. Are you going? Here is the link again on Le Mans: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/other-racing/514447-risi-competizione-24-hours-le-mans.html
Hi, just posted this pit stop video: https://youtu.be/6ED3n96yROQ I think it was about two in the morning. For once, it was wasn't FREEZING at night at Daytona.
This was my second year in a row. What a great experience and great race. A few of my shots: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hello everyone! I just started a new thread here that will have updates and info about Risi Competizione's season long battles with Ford, Corvette, BMW, Porsche and other tough teams. Stay posted! It's going to be a very exciting season! http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/other-racing/516200-risi-competizione-2016-series-updates-imsa-le-mans.html
