The race, over a 3-hour distance, staged on the 5,771 kilometers of the Le Castellet route, will start on Sunday 7 April at 3pm.
PRO class
The AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors team brings to the track two cars entered in the category reserved for professional drivers only.
On the 296 GT3 number 51 the line-up is made up of the official drivers of the Maranello company Alessandro Pier Guidi, Davide Rigon and Alessio Rovera, while on the “twin” 296 GT3, with the number 71 on the livery, Thomas makes his debut as an official driver Neubauer, crewed by Vincent Abril and David Vidales.
“After the experience of 2023 I believe that this year the main difference is the team's general knowledge of the car, especially in terms of electronics”, says Rovera.
“We come from last month's tests when the responses were positive regarding the work carried out, but we know well that the GT World Challenge is always a very competitive series with numerous competitive brands and crews at the start.”
“The Le Castellet round will also help to better understand the forces on the field after the various crew changes that characterize this new season, including us, who return with a new formation, but already close-knit and used to collaborating and converging towards the same objective”.
“Unfortunately Paul Ricard is not one of my favorite circuits, but historically I have always done well and therefore we hope to continue this trend.”
#71 AF Corse-Francorchamps Motors, Ferrari 296 GT3: Thomas Neubauer, David Vidales, Vincent Abril
Photo by: Ferrari
Bronze Class
Andrea Bertolini, Development Driver of the Prancing Horse, is at the starting line of the GT WC for the second consecutive year together with Louis and Jef Machiels at the wheel of the 296 GT3 number 52 of the AF Corse team.
In the same Bronze class, which includes crews made up of professionals and gentlemen drivers, four other Ferraris are protagonists.
The Kessel Racing team presents itself at the start with two cars, number 8 and 74, entrusted respectively to Nicolò Rosi-Niccolò Schirò-David Fumanelli, and John Hartshorne-Ben Tuck-Matthew Bell.
Sky Tempesta Racing enters the 296 GT3 number 93 driven in the race by Christopher Froggatt, Jonathan Hui and Eddie Cheever III, while Rinaldi Racing enters the number 333 shared by Christian Hook, Felipe Fernandez Laser and David Perel.
#52 AF Corse, Ferrari 296 GT3: Andrea Bertolini, Louis Machiels, Jeff Machiels
Photo by: SRO
Figures and curiosities
Pier Guidi, three-time world champion in the FIA WEC in the LMGTE Pro class and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2023 with the Ferrari 499P, returns to compete for the entire season in the GT WC Europe where he has collected two titles in his career, in Endurance Cup, in 2020 and 2021.
The driver born in 1983 has also celebrated victory at the 24 Hours of Spa three times: in 2012 and 2015 (Pro-Am class) and in 2021 (overall).
Among the drivers that make up the Italian crew of the 296 GT3 number 51, Rigon won the 24 Hours of Daytona 2024 in the GTD Pro class (with Pier Guidi, Daniel Serra and James Calado), and Alessio Rovera finished last season in the GTWC Europe achieving success, in Barcelona, together with Nicklas Nielsen and Robert Shwartzman.
The GTWC Europe season sees four drivers with notable past in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli behind the wheel of the 296 GT3s.
The Frenchman Thomas Neubauer makes his debut in a race as an official of the Prancing Horse having collected, over five seasons, 34 starts in the one-make championship and a champion title in the Pirelli Trophy at the 2022 Finali Mondiali.
The Italian Niccolò Schirò in two seasons (2019, 2021) has totaled 25 races with 10 victories; the Swiss Nicolò Rosi has 47 races under his belt with 2 victories; David Fumanelli achieved a victory in Monza in 2018 and, on the same Brianza track, became vice-champion in the Pirelli Trophy at the Ferrari Finali Mondiali (the title went to Nicklas Nielsen).
#333 Rinaldi Racing, Ferrari 296 GT3: Christian Hook, David Perel, Felipe Fernández Laser
Photo by: SRO
The program
The action on the track will begin on Friday 5th April with the Bronze Tests, from 4.20pm, continuing on Saturday 6th with free practice, from 9am to 11am, and Pre-Qualifying, from 3.05pm to 4.05pm.
On Sunday 7th the three qualifying rounds, starting at 9.45am, will determine the starting grid for the green flag test from 3pm.
#93 Sky Tempesta Racing, Ferrari 296 GT3: Chris Froggatt, Jonathan Hui, Eddie Cheever III
Photo by: SRO
The calendar
The GT World Challenge Europe – Endurance Cup includes five events, of which four in the Old Continent and one in the Middle East.
After the round at Paul Ricard, the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium; 29-30 June), the 3 Hours of Nürburgring (Germany; 28 July) and Monza (Italy; 22 September) are scheduled, before the conclusion with the 6 Hours of Jeddah (Saudi Arabia; 23 November).
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