Ferrari 488 GT3 in history books: 300 wins

The victories recorded over the weekend allowed the Ferrari 488 GT3 to hit the incredible threshold of 300 wins in national and international races, taking into account both overall and class rankings. The 488 GT3 had already secured its 500th podium in March when it finished third in Race-1 of the GT World Challenge America at COTA. The long march to this fantastic record began on 17 March 2016 with the first victory in Melbourne in the Australian GT Championship. This milestone presaged four years of triumph in the world’s most important and prestigious endurance races, such as the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the Bathurst 12 Hours, and the “Sprints” on the most challenging and technical circuits around the globe. The 300-win record had risen to 304 by the end of the weekend. Out of 572 departures, this counts as 53%. Along with the victories, there have also been 540 podiums (94%), 218 pole positions (38%) and 69 championships. All this testifies to the competitiveness and reliability of the 488 GT3. Indeed, its Evo 2020 version is further improving the already excellent statistics, as last weekend’s results confirm.

GT World Challenge Europe. Three races yielded three victories in the Pro-Am class for the two 488 GT3 Evo 2020s entered in the Sprint Cup at the Misano Adriatico circuit. Chris Froggatt and Eddie Cheever III, in the Sky Tempesta Racing car, won Race-1 and Race-3, while on Sunday morning Andrea Bertolini, official Ferrari Competizioni GT driver, and Louis Machiels deserved their success for AF Corse.

GT World Challenge America. Squadra Corse’s Ferrari claimed victory in Race-1 of the GT World Challenge America at Sonoma. Fuentes and Baptista in car no. 1, not only dominated the Pro-Am category, but they also won the overall standings, repeating their success in Race-2 of the opening round at COTA. Sunday’s outing was less fortunate when victory slipped from their grasp five minutes from the chequered flag.

Le Mans Cup. The 488 GT3 Evo 2020 of Giacomo Piccini and Rino Mastronardi recorded its second win of the season in an exciting race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.  The Iron Lynx crew, led by reigning champion Piccini, doggedly hung onto their lead in the face of a fantastic comeback by David Perel who, together with Michael Broniszewski, took a podium place for Kessel Racing accompanied by teammates Paolo Ruberti and Murod Sultanov, third at the finish line.

International GT Open. Louis Prette and Vincent Abril recorded an extraordinary win in the second race of the International GT Open held on Sunday at the Hungaroring. The duo made up for the entirely blameless duck scored on Saturday with a clear victory at the wheel of the 488 GT3 Evo 2020. The win marked the return to the category of the team that has claimed the most titles in the history of this series.

ELMS. The 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps was only race of the weekend with a 488 in GTE rather than GT3 configuration. The race, which counts as the second round of the European Le Mans Series, saw a splendid Ferrari one-two. Kessel Racing’s Broniszewski-Perel-Gomes crossed the line in first, followed by AF Corse’s Perrodo-Collard-Newey, who enjoyed the best possible start to their preparations for the FIA WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. However, the world championship will see official Ferrari Competizioni GT driver Nicklas Nielsen back at the wheel of the car that was driven by Harrison Newey over the weekend.

ANTONELLO COLETTA - HEAD OF FERRARI ATTIVITÀ SPORTIVE GT "To have achieved over 300 victories is an important result for Ferrari and all the drivers and teams that enjoy success in our 488 GT3 car in the world’s major GT competitions. This car is bringing us both commercial and sporting rewards, and the Evo 2020 configuration, which made its debut in this trying season, continues on the victorious path begun in 2016."