Ferrari was an ever-present in GTE competition and was rewarded handsomely for its level of commitment to the formula over the years.
From 2011 to 2023 the Italian marque utilised three platforms, the F430, 458 and 488 GTE (which was re-launched with an EVO kit in 2018) and all of them made an impact.
The quality of its cars and the power of its brand combined made Ferrari a hugely popular destination for aspirant customer teams and gentlemen drivers. The list of teams that ran Ferraris (many operated by the venerable AF Corse outfit) is lengthy!
(AF Corse, Risi Competizione, JMW Motorsport, Kessel Racing, Scuderia Corsa, RAM Racing, Keating Motorsports, Luxury Racing, JMB Motorsport, Formula Racing, Spirit of Race, Luzich Racing, SMP Racing, Extreme Speed Motorsports, Krohn Racing, 8Star Motorsport, AF Waltrip, CRS Racing, Walkenhorst Motorsport, Inception Racing, Hankook Farnbacher Racing, Team West/Alex Job racing, Team Taisan, MR Racing, Clearwater Racing, Car Guy, Sofrev ASP, AT Racing, Red River Sports, WeatherTech Racing, Iron Lynx, Iron Dames, HubAuto Racing, Rinaldi Racing, Cetilar Racing, Riley Motorsports, AF Corse Richard Mille)
Up against factory opposition in the FIA WEC’s GTE Pro category was where the headlines were generated, with five class wins at Le Mans and six GTE Pro championships to show for AF Corse’s flagship programme since the WEC’s inaugural campaign.
The WEC stats for the 488 in particular, speak for themselves. 29 victories, 17 in the Pro class and 12 in the Am class out of 51 starts, four manufacturer’s titles (2016, 2017, 2021, 2022), three driver’s titles in the Pro class and three in the Am, three team titles in the Pro class and another three in the Am.
Elsewhere, in privateer hands in the ELMS and the FIA WEC, the list of titles and achievements is eye-opening too.
Between 2012 and 2023, seven ELMS GTE titles were delivered between JMW, RAM Racing, SMP Racing, Formula Racing, Luzich Racing and Iron Lynx. While in the FIA WEC, AF Corse, SMP Racing and 8Star Motorsports add a further six GTE Am championships to the pile, and four Le Mans class wins.
Team Taisan also claimed the one and only GTE title in the Asian Le Mans Series in 2013 too.
Over in the USA however, the results were more scarce, with no significant full factory presence and Risi Competizione and Extreme Speed Motorsports the standout privateers flying the flag at various points.
While there were no major titles for Ferrari in GTLM between 2014 and 2021, Risi, ESM and AF Corse did however achieve several standout results, including four wins at Petit Le Mans.
Risi also famously provided the only real competition to Ford when it stormed to victory at Le Mans in 2016.
While all four Ferrari GTE models were hugely popular amongst the fans, the 458 Italia deserves a mention on its own. The soundtrack provided by its naturally aspirated V8 engine was truly magnificent, and greatly missed when the 488’s turbocharged motor was introduced and took over.
