The Ferrari 488 GTE cars are ready to take to the track in the first race of this season’s eagerly awaited World Endurance Championship (WEC), scheduled to be held this weekend at Silverstone.
This video shows one of the most important moments for a racing car: the track baptism with the cars decked out in full racing livery. With a darker shade of red for the bodywork for 2017 – reminiscent of the colour of the first ever Ferrari, the 125 S from way back in 1947 – the cars have been decorated with their sponsor stickers, before completing a quick test run on the track.
They will be then shipped to the UK, where they will tackle the first of the nine rounds of the championship, which also includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 17 and 18 June.
The Ferrari 488 GTE cars 51 and 71 will be in the hands of Amato Ferrari’s AF Corse team, and will be driven by four of the Casa di Maranello marque’s official drivers. In the number 51, James Calado will be paired with newcomer Alessandro Pier Guidi, with Davide Rigon and Sam Bird once again racing the number 71, after their success as runners up in 2016 and their contribution to Ferrari’s win in the World Constructors Championship.