Let's meet the Italian team set to tackle the 24 Hours of Le Mans, lining up two 488 GTEs in the LMGTE Am category, the #54 Flohr-Fisichella-Castellacci crew and the #83 car of Perrodo-Nielsen-Rovera. AF Corse is one of the most successful and most respected teams in the paddock and one of the Prancing Horse manufacturer's main customer teams. Holder of the FIA Endurance Trophy, Amato Ferrari’s team relies on two highly-competitive crews with the right credentials to win the French classic.
The team. The partnership between Ferrari and AF Corse has spawned the greater part of recent GT successes, in addition to all the triumphs achieved in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) since its inception in 2012. In Pro-Am class, the team has claimed two titles, in 2016 and 2020. On both occasions, François Perrodo and Emmanuel Collard were behind the wheel of the winning Ferrari.
The #54 crew. Thomas Flohr, driver and founder of Vistajet, made his maiden GT racing appearance in 2012 and, since then, has continued to develop even in the tough environment of world endurance racing, a championship in which he debuted in 2017 alongside Francesco Castellacci, still his current team-mate. The Italian, winner of the 2011 Euro GT3 championship, and with numerous other victories to his credit, has always performed well on the La Sarthe circuit. Completing the crew is two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Pro class, Giancarlo Fisichella. The Roman driver, after a lengthy, thrilling Formula 1 career, has found a happy hunting ground in GT racing. The trio currently occupies fourth place in the standings, 13 points off the top, after taking the lowest step of the podium at the 6 Hours of Monza.
The #83 crew. With eleven seasons under his belt, two Am class titles in 2016 and 2020 and three podiums at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, François Perrodo will be one of the ‘Bronze’ drivers in the spotlight at the start of the most eagerly awaited race of the year. The French entrepreneur will once again be able to rely on the skills of official Ferrari Competizioni GT driver, Nicklas Nielsen, who last year was instrumental in getting the crew onto the bottom step of the Le Mans podium as well as securing the title at the end of the season. Also in the #83 488 GTE at Le Mans will be Alessio Rovera, one of the drivers currently in the limelight in Season 9 of the championship. The trio lies second in the standings, with two out of three wins to date, just two points shy of the leaders.