Le Mans 24 Hours: A Ferrari on pole in LMGT2

The Ferrari F430GT number 82, entered by the Risi Competizione team will start the Le Mans 24 Hours from pole position in the LMGT2 category. The time set by Gimmi Bruni (3.59.233) on Wednesday was unattainable for everyone in the final session held during this night and so car number 82 will start ahead of all others in its class in the most appealing endurance race in motor sport. The task of going for an incredible third consecutive class victory rests in the hands of a crew made up of the Italian, his usual ALMS team-mate, Jaime Melo and Pierre Kaffer, which has proved to be a winning formula in the last two races.

Behind the car run by Giuseppe Risi come two Corvettes, while the only AF Corse entered F430GT still in the race, the one crewed by Giancarlo Fisichella, Jean Alesi and Toni Vilander set the fourth fastest time (3.59.837.) “I am very happy with the result of qualifying,” said Scuderia Ferrari’s third driver, on his debut in the Le Mans 24 Hours. “We did a great job as a team and we are in shape to do well in the race. It’s a shame that because of a small technical problem we were not able to make the most of the track when it was at its best to do a time: we had the potential to go for pole. Jean and I have adapted well to conditions that are unusual for us, getting to grips with the track in the dark.”

Two other F430GT cars will take part in the race which starts on Saturday afternoon. Car number 89 entered by the Hankook Farnbacher team (Simonsen-Farnbacher-Keen) will start from ninth place (4.02.427) and number 83, the second Risi Competizione car in the hands of Krohn-Jonsson-van de Poele, starts from twelfth spot (4.03.959.) Unfortunately, the second AF Corse car will not take part, as the car driven by Perez Companc-Russo-Salo was seriously damaged in an accident with Perez Companc at the wheel in Wednesday’s session.