There are seven official pilots of the prancing Horse involved in the event which takes place on the 5.793 kilometers of the Italian Temple of Speed: the 3-hour race will start on Sunday 23 April at 3 pm and will be the first round of the GT WC Europe.
Pro class
With a starting grid made up of 55 crews, the GT WC Europe Endurance Cup represents one of the most important stages in the field of derivative cars of the series. In the main class reserved for professional drivers there are two Ferrari 296 GT3s entered, both entrusted to the officers of Maranello. In car number 51, Robert Shwartzman made his debut in competitions reserved for covered wheels, sharing the cockpit with Nicklas Nielsen – also involved in the season at the wheel of the Hypercar 499P in the FIA WEC – and Alessio Rovera. The young trio forms an unprecedented team: Shwartzman, born in 1999, who grew up in the nursery of the Ferrari Driver Academy, enters the series promoted by SRO – and remains reserve driver for the Formula 1 team – supported by two racing specialists from duration like Danish and Varese.
Nielsen, after winning the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe in 2018, has racked up 51 victories between GT cars and prototypes, putting 7 titles on the bulletin board. The latest in chronological order is the driver success in the FIA Endurance Trophy for the LMP2 Pro-Am class obtained by sharing the cockpit with Oak, who in the current year will compete in the most important events with the new 296 GT3. For the driver from Varese, the Lombard race comes just a few days after the second place obtained in the LMGTE Am class at the 6 Hours of Portimão driving a 488 GTE.
With the number 71 on the livery the Ferrari 296 GT3 brought to the race by Antonio Fuoco, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Davide Rigon part with the ambition to carve out a leading role. The first two drivers in the 2023 season are also at the start in the FIA WEC with the Hypercar from Maranello where Fuoco signed the pole position at his debut in Sebring and obtained two podiums in as many rounds. With an experience of 290 races on the bulletin board, 52 victories and 118 podiums, Pier Guidi arrives at the starting line of the GT WC Europe as a special observer after winning the Pro Cup title in 2021, entering at the end of a championship in which he had also won the 24 Hours of Spa. The driver born in 1983 takes part in the Monza round replacing Daniel Serra, who is also competing in the Stock Car championship in Brazil on the same day.
To complete the crew Rigon who in 2023 will also compete in the four IMSA endurance races: after Daytona and Sebring, already disputed, Watkins Glen and the Petit Le Mans, where the driver from Veneto will team up with Serra himself.
Other classes
The Ferrari trio will be completed by 488 GT3 Evo 2020 number 52 of AF Corse entered in the Bronze category which includes crews made up of professionals and gentlemen. Andrea Bertoliniafter celebrating his tenth career title in 2022, obtained with Louis Machiels (triumphing in the Pro-Am class of the Endurance Cup), renews the challenge in the same championship by continuing to share the car with both Louis and Jef Machiels.
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