Weekend notebook: Ferrari on the podium at the 12 Hours of Mugello

Maranello, 24 March 2025 - The 12 Hours of Mugello, a round of the 24H Series, concluded with a third place overall for the number 81 Ferrari 296 GT3 fielded by Era Motorsport. Adding to the Maranello-based manufacturer’s trophy haul was a double podium finish in the GT3 Pro Am class. In the opening round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) championship, the sole Ferrari entered came home in eleventh position.

24H Series. The first European round of the 24H Series, contested over the weekend at the Mugello Circuit, ended with a third place overall for the Ferrari 296 GT3 of Era Motorsport, with drivers Dwight Merriman, Kyle Tilley, Jake Hill and Ryan Dalziel, making a debut in the European series. Fourth over the line in the 12 Hours of Mugello was another 296 GT3, the number 8 car of the CCC Kessel Racing team, with David Fumanelli, Marco Frezza, Marco Talarico, L.M.D.V. and Alessandro Cutrera taking turns at the steering wheel. In truth, the Swiss team had all the right cards to bring home victory at the Tuscan circuit, which was also taking shape with the fastest lap set by Fumanelli. However, a 4-lap penalty, imposed for failing to respect the minimum driving time during stints, dropped them to the foot of the podium. Kessel Racing had to settle for third place in the GT3 Pro Am class, behind the Ferrari of Era Motorsport. Fourth in the same class was the number 56 296 GT3 of Scuderia Praha, with the father-son pairing of Miroslav and Matus Viboh alongside Josef Kral.

The next engagement is scheduled from 18 to 20 April with the 12 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.

NLS. The 70th edition of the ADAC Westfalenfahrt, which opened the 49th season of the NLS, saw the Ferrari 296 GT3 of REALIZE KONDO RACING with Rinaldi finish eleventh overall, ninth in the SP9 Pro class. The team, featuring official driver Thomas Neubauer alongside Axcil Jefferies and Felipe Fernandez Laser, got their weekend in Germany off to a strong start by setting the fourth-fastest time in qualifying. Unfortunately, during the four-hour race, the trio served a 45-second stop-and-go penalty for an infringement in a slow zone, ending their bid for a top-class result.

The next round of the championship, the second round, is scheduled for 26 April with the ADAC Ruhrpott Trophy, a four-hour contest.