American Le Mans Series
Risi’s Mosport qualifying bid thwarted by crash
© Risi Competizione
Risi Competizione is facing a fight against time to repair its Ferrari F430 GT for sunday’s Grand Prix of Mosport after a heavy crash in saturday afternoon’s practice session. It was not able to take part in qualifying and will start the race from the back of the grid.
After being quickest in the intensely competitive GT2 class in friday’s Promoter’s test session, the team was confidently looking forward to today’s track time. Fog, mist and rain hampered this morning’s hour of practice, but the skies had cleared and the sun had even begun to show itself in time for the final hour of practice prior to the crucial 20-minute qualifying session.
Pierre Kaffer set his fastest lap time of the session, placing him (at that time) at the top of the timesheets, and handed the wheel to team mate Jaime Melo for the second half of the session. The Brazilian was on his sixth lap, with 15 minutes still to run to the checkered flag, when he went off in Turn One causing extensive damage to the left side and rear of the car. While the Ferrari can be repaired here at the Mosport track, it will be a long night for the Risi Competizione mechanics.
“I had some understeer going into the corner,” explained an uninjured Melo. “I went off line, got onto the grass and then there was nothing I could do to stop the car before it hit the wall. I tried to keep the car on the grass to keep it straight but there is very little run-off here and unfortunately, with all the rain we’ve had, the grass was very slippery.”
Pierre Kaffer had been enjoying a good weekend in Canada until the accident and, together with Melo, had worked on the Ferrari’s set up to ensure a fast and well-balanced race car. “The car felt good,” said the German. “Unfortunately we now have to start from the back of the grid but this is racing. I am not angry or sad, but a little upset for the team and Ferrari as we were hoping to have a good result here. It could still happen, but it’s going to be much more difficult to pass everyone from the back with our lack of speed. We will have to do our best and see what happens.”
Discussion
14 comments for “Risi’s Mosport qualifying bid thwarted by crash”
Post a comment
Also visit
Categories
Recent Comments
- TIDE ferrari racing,tom davis on Risi Competizione elect not to enter 2012 Sebring 12 Hours
- Mark Gilvey on Murphy Prototype to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hour
- kai on #35 Morgan set for Nissan power at Le Mans
- Marcus on #35 Morgan set for Nissan power at Le Mans
- Antonio Desmond Miles on #35 Morgan set for Nissan power at Le Mans
- Bob Baldwin on #35 Morgan set for Nissan power at Le Mans
- Kyle Williams on ProSpeed Competition presents line-up for Le Mans
- Tonio31 on First Audi overall victory in the Nürburgring 24 Hours
Ferrari is running its US campaign with a very thin budget. One car and no customer teams. They’re really playing the odds in their biggest market with their best selling model.
I suppose they’re too far from their Houston home base to have the Krohn car liveried in ferrari red then shiped to them.
This crashed car is an expensive ride and needs to be repaired in mint condition. It’s the most valuable GT car around (2 Lemans 24h wins, 1 sebring win).
The Le Mans Chassis went into a Museum after Le Mans this year and was retired from Racing, Risi’s current chassis is the old 61 Chassis.
Actually they took some parts from the Le Mans winning car from this year, which is the ’08 car. They can ALWAYS put it back the way it was, big deal…
Still worth a TON if they ever put up for auction…
I said this was must win for Risi and they came up just short, but Flying Lizard finish 5th so they continued to bite into that lead.
does any one know a petit lemans entrie list so far?
@ bamba : Risi Competizione is a privateer team, yes somehow factory backed, but its an independent programme !
Risi are as much a Privateer as Flying Lizard are.
What Ferrari teams are factory backed?
Risi’s #62 car IS fully factory backed.
Risi used to run the 333SP prototype in P1, and then the MC12 for Ferrari.
AF Corse and Vitaphone are factory backed. JMW has factory drivers but Dunlop cuts them the fattest checks so they keep Dunlop colors.
Tafel was a privateer that had SOME factory backing. Not Risi
Ok, what about the Porsche teams? (i guess you can include P2) Whtch I think most P2 Porsche teams were factory backed.
Prospeed
Imsa
Felbermayr
Flying Lizard
Farnbacher has some factory support but they’re mainly around to help the Lizards.
Porsche didn’t want to give backing to the Vitaphone team for the 24h LeMans race. It might have been because of their strong ties to ferrari. Vitaphone would’ve probably had Andrea Bertolini piloting (ferrari factory guy).
Vitaphone Racing Team???….are you ok? lol
Why would Porsche even THINK about backing a car manufacture, who is owned by there rival??
Vitaphone are a racing team not a car manufacturer, and it is owned by Michael Bartels not FIAT Group, and the reason they wanted Porsche’s backing is because they were going to run a RS Spyder at Le Mans this year.
Oh shit, I forgot about the whole Le Mans Porsche RS Spyder thing….
I ment manufacture as in (Maserati) not Vitaphone Racing Team. Meaning owned by Ferrari.