American Le Mans Series
Fisichella/Vilander to join Risi Competizione at Salt Lake City
© Planetlemans – Marcel ten Caat
Risi Competizione is pleased to announce the entry of a second Ferrari F430 GTC for the fourth round of the American Le Mans Series in Utah on July 11.
Racing alongside ALMS regulars and GT champions, Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni, will be Ferrari F1 reserve driver and Le Mans Series competitor, Giancarlo Fisichella, and two-time FIA GT Championship GT2 class champion, Toni Vilander.
While Finn Vilander, 29, has competed in the ALMS before – two races in 2006 with Risi Competizione – it will be the 37-year-old Italian driver’s debut in the super-competitive GT sports car series. Fisichella has 231 Grands Prix to his name for a number of teams, including of course Ferrari. Both he and Vilander are currently driving alongside Jean Alesi, and Risi’s own Bruni and Melo, for Ferrari team AF Corse in the Le Mans Series.
Team Principal, Giuseppe Risi, said of the entry: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming Giancarlo to Risi Competizione and to the American style of racing. Since Toni was with us last, the level of competition and standard of entries in the GT class has risen sharply, but I’m sure that two such professional drivers won’t take long to adjust to their new surroundings.
“At the present time, it is intended that the drivers will be with us for just this one race.”
Risi Competizione is a Houston-based Ferrari racing team lead by Managing Director Giuseppe Risi. Official team sponsors include Krohn Racing, Ferrari of Houston, Boardwalk Auto Group, Pennzoil Ultra, Motorola, AdShip and QT Technologies.
The next race for the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix. The two-hour, 45-minute race is set for 2:05 p.m. MT on Sunday, July 11 from Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. SPEED will air the race same-day at 4 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242.
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Yes!!
Can’t wait!
Hope they have a 2nd or 3rd car for Risi at Petit Le Mans, with Fisichella/Vilander and Jean Alesi
Ferrari is feeling the heat with the lone Risi 430 entry. Extreme Speed is too new and was on the pace last race, but they can’t match the heavy hitters blow for blow yet.
They want to retire the car with dignity (i.e a championship)
I think it should have been Pierre Kaffer in the mix not Fisichella. Sure he’s an F1 driver but he’s alien to the ALMS. To get results it helps when you know your competitors’ tendencies and the overall environment.
Better yet Kaffer and Salo would be a pairing that could help Bruni and Melo. Finally the return of a competitive #61 car in the ALMS. Haven’t had one since 2007.
Im telling you Bamba… watch out for Extreme Speed Ferrari’s, they might be the underdogs this year because their new but there gonna replace Risi next year ;)
I wouldn’t be too quick to wight off Extreme but the heat has been turned up in this championship and they need as much help as they can get. The more cars they can have between them and the other top runners the better.
I would hope this is for more than one race but the balance of the season. Salo clearly didn’t want to race in America anymore since he’s taken drives in LMS and FIA GT1 since he either wasn’t either offered a drive or wanted to let Risi know too late as I believe he was still hoping for a Nationwide or Cup Road Race ride for 2010. Could still get one, with Road America and Sonoma coming up. Fish I don’t have a problem with, all you need to be is quick… Which he’s proven to be and Toni has been here before.
Hopefully this is for more than one race.
Extreme Speed was good at Laguna, but you can’t really say they will replace Risi. Risi is the lead ferrari team in GT racing. They get parts even before AF Corse.
All of Risi’s drivers had to prove themselves at AF Corse first. North America is Ferrari’s bread and butter market.
Tafel and White lightning used to buy and borrow parts from Risi. I suspect Extreme speed is doing the same.
AF Corse get parts before Risi you mean.
No!
AF Corse get updates long before Risi do, AF Corse even had the 2010 Spec F430 last year.