In the last five years Risi Competizione has enjoyed ultimate GT success at some of the world’s most prestigious endurance races including two victories at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Now its full attention, expertise and experience is turned to North America’s premier twice-round-the-clock event, the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The 50th Anniversary running of the Rolex Series endurance classic takes place at Daytona International Speedway, Florida from 26-29 January.
Backed by long-time Risi Competizione sponsor Motorola as well as QT Technologies, and supported by a consortium of Ferrari dealers including Ferrari of Ontario, Ferrari of Beverly Hills, Ferrari of Silicon Valley, Ferrari of Ft. Lauderdale, Boardwalk Ferrari, Ferrari of Vancouver, and Ferrari of Houston, Risi Competizione with American Canadian Racing will be entering two Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am entries into this week’s endurance classic.
“We are under no illusions about how difficult the task ahead is going to be,” says Team Principal Giuseppe Risi. “The entry of 46 cars in the GT class, and the number of top line driver line ups representing such manufacturers as Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Mazda and Porsche, is higher than ever before and we know there will be no room for error either on or off the track.
“We are proud to be among the first to race the new Grand Am-specification F458 Italia, and I’m delighted with the highly experienced driver line up that’s been assembled. This will be the race debut in the USA for the new GT3 car, and the support of so many within the Ferrari North America dealer network is very pleasing. It’s a true Ferrari ‘family’ effort.”
The fate of the No. 62 and No. 63 GT3-specification Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am entries will be in the hands of six drivers who have all experienced the highest level of success in Formula One, Indycar, GT racing and, of course, at Daytona itself.
Car #62 will be an Italian-Brazilian partnership between Gianmaria Bruni and Giancarlo Fisichella and Raphael Matos. The established Italian pairing clinched the 2011 Le Mans Series GTE-Pro Championship in convincing style, and was largely responsible for Ferrari’s ILMC Teams’ and Manufacturers titles. Miami, Fla-based Matos is a former GT winner at the Rolex 24 and has been involved with the development of the Grand Am specification since its earliest days.
Car #63 also features a Daytona-winning driver, Olivier Beretta of Monaco, as well as two more multiple Championship-winning drivers, Andrea Bertolini and Toni Vilander. Beretta represents Ferrari for the first time but brings a storied CV with him including multiple titles and endurance victories and an overall win in the 2000 edition of the Florida race. Toni Vilander claimed the Ferrari 458’s first win in North America in 2011 and has worked closely alongside Matos in developing the new GT3 challenger. Andrea Bertolini, like Fisichella, is on the books with Scuderia Ferrari as a development driver and also has an impressive record that includes four FIA GT Championship titles.
Running on the control Continental tire, and with full technical support from Michelotto, Ferrari’s GT design and development partner, the Risi Competizione with American Canadian Racing team is as prepared as it can be. With key members of its race-winning team ever present, consistency, slick pit work and smart strategy will be key factors in the team’s contribution towards achieving a much sought after Daytona victory. As they say at the start of the Olympic Games, “Let the games begin.”
The 50th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona begins at 3.30pm (local, 8.30pm CET) on January 28, and will be broadcast for 15.5 hours on SPEED TV starting with a one hour pre-race show at 2.30 pm, enhanced by continuous streaming on its website, www.speedtv.com. For regular updates and information on the Risi Competizione with American Canadian Racing team’s quest for success, go to www.risicompetizione.com or www.facebook/RisiCompetizione. Follow on Twitter/RisiComp.
DRIVER QUOTES AND DETAILS
Gianmaria (Gimmi) Bruni, Risi Competizione with American Canadian Racing No. 62
Nationality Italian (lives Rome, Italy)
Date of Birth: May 30, 1981
Residence: Rome, Italy
Notes: Junior open-wheel champion and former F1 driver with Minardi and GP2 winner before making debut in sportscars in 2007. Official Ferrari GT development driver, 2008 FIA Champion; Winner 24H Le Mans in 09, runner up Le Mans Series and FIA GT Championship; winner 2010 12H Sebring with Risi; 2011 Le Mans Series Champion and ILMC Teams/Manufacturers Champion with AF Corse.
Daytona Experience: None
Giancarlo Fisichella, Risi Competizione with American Canadian Racing No. 62
Nationality: Italian
Birthdate: January 14, 1973
Residence: Rome, Italy
Notes: One of Formula One’s most experienced drivers, with 231 Grand Prix starts to his name, and Ferrari’s official F1 reserve driver. A former Italian F3 champion, completed two years in International Touring Cars with Alfa Romeo before being snapped up by Minardi for the start of a 14-year F1 active career with teams such as Benetton, Jordan, Renault and Ferrari. Switched to international sports car racing with Risi and AF Corse in 2010, becoming 2011 Le Mans Series Champion and, with Bruni, ILMC Teams/Manufacturers Champion driving for AF Corse.
Daytona Experience: None
Toni Vilander, Risi Competizione with American Canadian Racing No. 63
Nationality: Finnish
Birthdate: July 25, 1980
Residence: Kankaanpaa, Finland
Notes: GT cars have been where Vilander has come of age, improving year on year. Coming from single seaters into 2005 Italian GT championship, won GT2 class in rookie year and went on to win GT1 title in following year. Two FIA GT(2) championships followed with AF Corse (07 with Muller, 08 with Bruni); runner up in 09, and 2nd in 2010 Le Mans Series and multiple race winner in Europe/USA in 2011.
Daytona Experience: None
Raphael (Rafa) Matos, Risi Competizione with American Canadian Racing No. 62
Nationality: Brazilian
Date of Birth: August 28, 1981
Lives: Miami, Florida
Notes: A double champion in junior open-wheel series in the USA, went on to represent Brazil in 2006/7A1 Grand Prix series and also made debut in Indy Lites and sportscars in 06; Champ Car Atlantic Series Champion in 07, and Indy Lites Champion in 08 – same year won GT class in Rolex 24 at Daytona with SpeedSource Mazda team; 09 Indycar Rookie of the Year and Indianapolis Fastest Rookie award.
Daytona Experience: 2008 – 1st GT with SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 (Ham/Tremblay/Haskell)
2009 – 9th (DP) with Level 5 Motorsports BMW-Riley (Bouchut/Tucker/Zabinski)
Andrea Bertolini, Risi Competizione with American Canadian Racing No.63
Nationality: Italian
Date of Birth: December 1, 1973
Lives: Montale (Modena), Italy
Notes: Official Scuderia Ferrari F1 development driver and official test driver of the Maserati factory; has won more GT1 titles than any other driver (FIA GT1 2006, 08, 09 and 2010), and is one of only seven Italians to get his hands on a motor sport world championship crown.
Daytona Experience: None
Olivier Beretta, Risi Competizione with American Canadian Racing No. 63
Nationality: Monegasque
Date of Birth: November 23, 1969
Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Notes: Former F1 driver with the Larrousse team (1994), became 1998 FIA GT2 champion before entering North American competition arena; five-time ALMS GTS/GT1 champion, six class wins in 24 Hours of Le Mans, holds ALMS records for most career wins (41) and most career poles (23;
overall victory in 2000 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Daytona Experience: 2000 – 1st in Team Oreca Dodge Viper (Wendlinger/Dupuy)
Note to Editors:
Risi Competizione is a Houston-based racing team, wholly owned and directed by Giuseppe Risi, which has been very successful in sports car racing, largely in the United States. In addition to racing Ferraris and Maseratis, Risi Competizione also provides competition development, management, and support services.
KEY STORYLINES:
- Risi Competizione with American Canadian Racing will be racing the new Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am. What are the challenges of this race for this new GT3 car?
- Ferrari has made available an all-star roster of drivers for the 50th anniversary running of the Rolex 24. What is the significance of this race to the brand?
- Opposition will be mighty – 46 GT entries and many with top driver line ups. What will it take to win?
- There are two former Daytona winners in the line up and more championship titles than imaginable amongst the others. Does this count for anything at Daytona?
Credits: Risi Competizione