Cetilar Racing is set for the new season as it confirmed the effort in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, Michelin Endurance Cup. The all-Italian team – car, drivers and the AF Corse technical support- returns to the GTD, fielding the brand-new #47 Ferrari 296 GT3 that replaces the 488 GT3 Evo 2020 succesfully used in 2022.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona (26-29 January) will start the series, ahead of Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring (15-18 March), Six Hours of The Glen (22-25 June) and the 10-Hour Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta (11-14 October).
Roar Before the Rolex 24, valid as qualifying for the ‘big one’ in Florida, kicks-off the action this coming weekend (20-22 January).
At the Daytona track, newcomer Alessandro Balzan joins confirmed Roberto Lacorte, Giorgio Sernagiotto and Antonio Fuoco. The skilled racer, who is from years one of the front-runners in the American races, supported the Italian team from the pit-wall in the last edition of the event.
Balzan, Lacorte and Sernagiotto completed a two-day test aboard of the Ferrari 296 GT3 on 14/15 December at Homstead, revealing some potential of the Maranello’s car.
Cetilar Racing goal is to make better than the last year, when it claimed a thrilling victory at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, a fourth place at Watkins Glen and finished three times out four in the top-10.
“We are very excited to drive for the first time the Ferrari 296 GT3 we already succesfully tested”, Roberto Lacorte commented. “It makes our challenge more interesting. Talking about the new car, we have to focus on the consistency. The 24 Hours of Daytona this year is more and more important, considering the Lmdh debut that starts a new era for the endurace races. The GT category remains the most fought and the one with the highest number of cars, with a lot of brand-new models such as Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini. We are happy to repeat our challenge in the IMSA”.
Lacorte, Sernagiotto and Fuoco enter the Rolex 24 at Daytona for the third time, following the sixth position with the LMP2 in 2021 and the last year edition, ended with the 14th place in the GTD. Seventh time for Balzan, the first one with Cetilar Racing. The Roar Before the Rolex 24 starts this Friday with the first two free practice sessions, and three more sessions on Saturday. Qualifying will start on Sunday at 13.25 local time (19.25 in Italy).
Source. Cetilar Racing
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