07 June 2017
Maranello, 6 June - Ferrari.com is embarking on another episode of its journey among the crews due to take part in the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans behind the wheel of a Prancing Horse car. In the GTE-Am category we are going to find out more about the JMW Motorsport team and its crew.
The team. Jim McWhirter founded JMW Motorsport in 2009 in Holywood, Northern Ireland. McWhirter already had links with Ferrari and motorsport for some years, when he was very closely associated with Virgo Motorsport. JMW Motorsport usually takes part in the European Le Mans Series championship where it is one of the top teams in GT. In 2015, its 458 Italia GTE took second place in the season's first race, the 4 Hours of Silverstone. In 2016 it dominated the season, but eventually lost out on the title in an unlucky final race. The team won its last outing with the 458 Italia GTE and the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be its first with the new 488 GTE.
Smith. Robert Smith is a British driver and started competing at high level in the 2012 Britcar Championship. In 2015 he started to race in the European Le Mans Series with the Ferrari 458 Italia of JMW Motorsport. In 2016 he won at Spielberg, Paul Ricard and Spa-Francorchamps missing the title in an unfortunate last race. This is his first 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Stevens. Born in Rochford, Surrey, 25 years ago, Britain's Will Stevens has followed the usual route taken by today's young drivers. He began with karting before going over to single-seaters and joining Formula 1, the world's biggest stage. He made his debut in the top category in the final race of 2014, at the wheel of an uncompetitive Caterham. The following year he drove the Marussia but that single-seater was also tremendously uncompetitive. So he moved over to GT and Endurance races. This is his first time at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Vanthoor. Not to be confused with his powerful brother Laurens, Dries Vanthoor is just 19 years old. He made his debut in single-seaters in 2015 before moving quickly to covered-wheel racing. In 2017 he was involved in the Blancpain Sprint Cup, while his debut in the 24 Hours of Le Mans will also be the Belgian driver's first race in a Ferrari.