The 24 Hours of Le Mans 2024 sees the five Ferrari 296s taking part in the LMGT3 class: the two Vista AF Corse cars, which are contesting the entire FIA WEC season, are joined by one car each from JMW Motorsport, GR Racing and Spirit of Race. There are three official drivers from the Maranello-based manufacturer among the various crews: Davide Rigon and Alessio Rovera in the number 54 and 55 of the first team mentioned and Brazilian Daniel Serra in the 86 of GR Racing.
Tough challenge. For Rigon, this is his tenth consecutive time taking part in the French classic and his crew, rounded off with Thomas Flohr and Francesco Castellacci, comes to France occupying seventh position in the Drivers’ standings. “Le Mans is a complex track, with a lot of braking and stress for the driver,” says the Venetian, “despite the presence of long straights that allow you to ‘relax’ to some extent at certain points. Among the points not to be underestimated are the very high kerbs in the first and last part of the track, which require the utmost attention.”
On the eve of the most eagerly awaited race of the year, Davide Rigon adds: “We arrive at Le Mans confident. Last year, with Flohr and Castellacci, we did a good job and finished in fifth place. This year we’re trying to do better, aiming for the top step of the podium.”
No mistakes allowed. “We’ll have to try to get through the night unscathed, avoiding contact and penalties, and then attack on Sunday morning,” said Alessio Rovera, who in the number 55 shared with François Heriau and Simon Mann occupies eighth place in the championship. “I don’t know what to expect, as this is the 296’s debut at Le Mans. Free practice will be important to find the right set-up,” concluded the Lombard, who won the French classic in 2021 in the LMGTE Am class in the 488 GTE Evo of AF Corse together with François Perrodo and Nicklas Nielsen.
Marathons side by side. The 2024 season opened for Ferrari with success at the 24 Hours at Daytona in the GTD Pro class, from Risi Competizione’s 296 GT3 in the first round of the IMSA championship. The victory came courtesy of the crew of official drivers that saw Rigon and Serra take turns at wheel with James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi.
“They’re two very different races. The only thing they have in common is the 24-hour length,” explained Serra, who has triumphed twice at Le Mans in the LMGTE Pro class. “The tracks are different, the rules change a lot and so does the race strategy: at Daytona you mustn’t get lapped by the leader and then you push in the final hours, whereas at Le Mans you have to give it all you’ve got from start to finish.” In addition, at the French 24 Hours, the crews will consist of professional and gentlemen drivers, as Rigon recalled: “I’ll have to use my experience to give as much information as possible to my teammates to take on the race, bearing in mind that it will be the 296’s debut on the Circuit de la Sarthe and we’ll have to work to find the balance right from the start.”
Preparation. “A driver trains all year round. Personally, I try to work harder up to two weeks before, with longer running and cycling sessions,” Rigon explained. “Mental preparation is equally important: you try to visualise the most important moments of the race in advance, the most stressful ones like the start, knowing that the race is played out in the last three to four hours.”