The 8 Hours of Bahrain concluded with the number 54 Ferrari 488 GTE securing fourth place, while its counterpart, the car bearing the number 57, clinched fifth place. In the LMGTE Am class, the Prancing Horse entries achieved ninth and eleventh positions, represented by Ferrari numbers 83 and 21, respectively. As the final round of the FIA WEC 2023, the race also marked the swan song for the 488 GTE. Here are the drivers’ reflections following the event’s conclusion.
Davide Rigon, 488 GTE #54 AF Corse: “We have ended an undoubtedly positive season in which we were often the best Ferrari entered in this class. I congratulate our Bronze driver, Thomas Flohr, who has made an incredible leap in terms of quality this year following mine and Francesco’s (Castellacci, Ed.) advice. The ‘last dance’ of the 488 GTE? I thoroughly enjoyed the final stint here in Bahrain at the wheel of an extraordinary car, which I brought to debut, in which we achieved our first triumph together in the FIA WEC at Silverstone. There’s some melancholy in saying goodbye, but at the same time I feel honoured to be able to drive it over the last kilometres of an extraordinary career.”
Daniel Serra, 488 GTE #57 Kessel Racing: “Coming to Bahrain we expected a better result than fifth place, but the race was not easy and in terms of pace we struggled a bit compared to the Porsches. I think we were unable to get beyond this result. The overall balance of the season? I would say positive considering the work done by the team. Having finished the 8 Hours of Bahrain, the final race for the 488 GTE, I want to add that for me in particular this car represented something special, a Ferrari that I’m very fond of and that has given me a lot of satisfaction.”
Lilou Wadoux, 488 GTE #83 Richard Mille AF Corse: It was a tough race, conditioned by the puncture and the penalty we received in the early stages after contact with the Peugeot. In any case it ends a positive season for me in which I realised the dream of attaining the status of an official Ferrari driver. Over the year we have had some ups and downs in terms of results, but the pace of our 488 GTE proved to be almost always very positive. Undoubtedly, I will always remember with pride the win at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, a result that will go down in history, not only for me, but also for the FIA WEC.”
Alessio Rovera, 488 GTE #83 Richard Mille AF Corse: “We end in Bahrain a year marked by mixed results in which the victory at Spa-Francorchamps stands out, a triumph that we will always remember with great pleasure. The 488 GTE? It’s a car that has enabled me to showcase my abilities and strengthen my position as an official Ferrari driver. This car, with its unique features, including the exclusive tyres, has truly been cherished by all of us”.