FIA WEC - Ferrari looking to make up ground at Silverstone

Silverstone, 16 Aug 2018 - The FIA World Endurance Championship is back on track this weekend with the third Superseason race at Silverstone. Traditionally the season's opening race, in 2018 the Tourist Trophy has been moved to high summer after the Le Mans 24 Hours. Five Ferraris will be competing, two in the GTE-Pro class and three in the GTE-Am.   GTE-Pro. In the main class, for professional drivers only, the Ferrari crews have to play catch-up after the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Sam Bird and Davide Rigon are best placed in the standings, 29 points behind the Porsche pair of Kevin Estre and Michael Christensen. Reigning world champions James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi are further back because, in addition to the unhelpful BOP of Spa and Le Mans, they were involved in an accident at Spa where they took just half a point. Silverstone is well suited to the Ferrari 488 GTE, given that in 2016 it was the venue for the car’s victorious debut in the FIA WEC, but in this highly complicated season let’s see what comes of the first free practices.   GTE-Am. In the GTE-Am class, after Le Mans the Porsche crew of Christian Ried, Julien Andlauer and Matt Campbell top the standings, but with two Ferrari crews hot on their heels in second and third. The 488 GTE of Clearwater Racing, with Keita Sawa, Weng Sun Mok and Matt Griffin (who will be putting in overtime here as he's also competing in the European Le Mans Series race on Saturday), is just two points ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella, Thomas Flohr and Francesco Castellacci, who recorded an excellent second in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The rookies of MR Racing will take to the track for their third FIA WEC race, with Motoaki Ishikawa, Eddie Cheever III and the experienced Olivier Beretta.   Programme. The first two practice sessions are on Friday from 12.15 pm to 1.45 pm BST (1.15 pm - 2.45 pm CET) and from 4.25 pm to 5.55 pm (5.25 pm-6.55 pm CET). A 20-minute qualifying session at 12 pm (1 pm CET) will be held for the GT classes on Saturday, after the last hour of practices in the morning at 9 am (10 am CET). The six-hour race will start at the same time on Sunday.