After five races of the 2024 FIA WEC season, the Ferrari 296 LMGT3 number 55 of Vista AF Corse sits fifth in the drivers’ standings, with fourth place at Imola its top result. The number 54 car’s fifth place in the year’s first race is its best finish. Alessio Rovera, a member of the 55 crew alongside François Heriau and Simon Mann, reflects on the car and the category’s debut season in the championship and reveals his ambitions for the remaining races.
“It was a somewhat difficult start to the championships. Maybe we expected better results. Especially at Imola, we were counting on a podium finish. However, the weather affected the race, and we missed an excellent opportunity,” explained the 29-year-old Italian driver, referring to the Italian round, where he still finished in fourth place.
“In the other races, it was trickier, partly because we were less competitive and partly because of our bad luck. We aim to take at least one podium before the end of the season, if not something more, because obviously, when you drive a Ferrari, your ambition is to compete for the win.” In addition to fourth place at Imola, the 296 LMGT3 number 55 crew finished fifth at Le Mans, sixth at Sao Paulo, and seventh in Qatar, while at Spa-Francorchamps, the crew came thirteenth.
“I think the car will perform well on the upcoming tracks; we have always managed to find a very good setup so far. We have very competitive rivals, so it won’t be easy. However, with three races remaining, I think it’s possible to make the podium,” added Rovera, who then offered an overview of the sixth round of the championship from 30 August to 1 September at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas, USA. “The next race is in Austin, a track I will see for the first time during the race weekend, but I believe our car can make a difference there in the long, high-speed corners. It will be very hot, a factor that will put a lot of stress on the tyres, so it will be crucial to find the right balance in the setup that will allow us to be competitive and manage the tyres as well as possible.”