JMW's 2808 won the 4 hours of Monza ELMS The last 458 to win a major race before she retires. Next race: Le Mans with a 488
Risi Competizione has taken delivery of a Ferrari 488 GT3 car, although according to team manager Dave Sims, no race plans have been determined. Sims told Sportscar365 that the car is owned by a gentleman driver with Ferrari Challenge experience.
Then, will be there a second 488 GTLM in IMSA for the rest of the year? and the GT3 car, will be in PWC or GTD IMSA?
Dont know what they do with their first GTE, maybe spare. At Le Mans they enter their new GTE. GT3, don't know, probably racing PWC or IMSA. Ask team manager he might well answer your questions.
Just spoke an engineer at Le Mans from a major Ferrari racing team: There is no such thing as a "works" Ferrari team. AF Corse is not the official works team! Too many people talking bollox, especially owners of ex AF Corse cars. Ferrari allocate their drivers to some F teams. That is it! No Ferrari Spa entries!
I think nobody here ever said that AF Corse is an official factory team. But they´re without doubt the closest Ferrari-Team to the Factory with a special relationship and support. That doesn't make them a factory team, sure. I remember a very interesting article in the Ferrari 2015 yearbook about AF Corse.
AF Corse is managing the entry of the two "works" cars in WEC #51 and #71. the team is privatly owned by Amato Ferrari. Ferrari SPA has a contract with AF about this specific activity. Its quite common in the world of Motorsport that a Factory is using a private owned team to enter and managing some of their racing activities. The Drivers of #51 and #71 are Ferrari employed works drivers. AF Corse also managed the entire Maserati Trofeo a few years ago on behalf of the factory plus today activities in the APAC F Challenge. What is a works team by definition? Owned by the factory? Then no, its not a works Team. Does the team has a very close collaboration with the factory yes. @tom, see you at LeMans? I'll race in the Road to Le Mans Race.
Two teams said: the is no factory entry nor a works entry AF Corse is the only team at LM with factory paid drivers; 51 and 71, all. No more no less. AF corse needs to buy the cars, spares as does all other teams. If people talk about a car is worth more because his/hers is an "ex-works car"; or put AF corse on a higher level than Risi, Kessel etc that is not correct they said. Ofcourse media / press is not always putting correct info online/in the papers. Some say: Risi Le Mans class winner not a "works" car. Correct but AF Corses win in 2012 and 2014 was neither a factory/works win
Today spoken to team manager Risi Compezione....interesting info about GT Competizione, "works cars" and all that And a chat with manager JMW...
Manthey Racing did the "works" Porsches as well. Ganassi for Ford. AF Corse buys their own cars and sells them at the end of the season or even before the end of the season
Chris, does Ford have a customer program for the GT or they're thinking about it? Thank you in advance.
