The inaugural round for the new for 2016 Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup gets underway at Imola this coming weekend as part of a packed support package for the European Le Mans Series but with a race entry numbering just 11 cars, down on the levels predicted by Series management at the Pre-season test at Paul Ricard in March.
The 11 cars though do, at least, feature plenty of variety, seven different cars from six different marques featuire on the entry.
Ferraris account for the bulk of the entries with 6 Prancing horses including a pair of new Ferrari 488 GT3s.
BMS Scuderia Italia are a surprise addtion to the previously announced starters with a 458 GT3 listed for Luigi Lucchini and Matteo Cressoni. Villorba Corse, AF Corse and FF Corse’s efforts have been well trailed here already but this race will give us the opportunity for a back to back comparison between the normally aspirated 458 GT3 and the brand new turbo V8 powered 488 GT3.
FFF Racing provide the Lamborghini Huracan/ McLaren 650S combo we saw at the pre season test whilst Tockwith Motorsport and TF Sport provide some British based variety with their Aud R8 LMS and Aston Martin V12 Vantage respectively.
Finally theres a Mentos Racing entry with a Porsche 911 GT3 R for Egidio Perfetti with a second driver TBA.
The two hour race starts at 17:00 local time at Imola on Saturday with qualifying earlier in the day.
5 FFF RACING TEAM by ACM Lamborghini Huracan Fu Songyang (B)/ Andrea Caldarelli (G)
7 BMS SCUDERIA ITALIA Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 Luigi Lucchini (B)/ Matteo Cressoni (S)
8 SCUDERIA VILLORBA CORSE Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 Cédric Mezard (B)/ Steeve Hiesse (G)
14 AF CORSE Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 Pierre-Marie De Leener (B)/ Rui Aguas (S)
19 TOCKWITH MOTORSPORTS Audi R8 LMS Phillip Hanson (B)/ Nigel Moore (S)
25 FF CORSE Ferrari F488 Ivor Dunbar (B)/ Johnny Mowlem (G)
34 TF SPORT Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 Salih Yoluc (B)/ Euan Hankey (S)
51 AF CORSE Ferrari F488 Thomas Flohr (B)/ Francesco Castellacci (S)
55 FFF RACING TEAM by ACM McLaren 650S Hiroshi Hamaguchi (B)/ Adrian Quaife-Hobbs (G)
71 AF CORSE Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 Felipe Barreiros/ Mads Rasmussen
88 MENTOS RACING Porsche 911 GT3 R Egidio Perfetti/ TBA
