Andrea Bertolini has announced that he will retire from racing professionally following this weekend’s GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup event at Monza.
The 51-year-old Italian has been a staple of international GT racing for over two decades, representing both Maserati and Ferrari at the highest level.
Bertolini made his car racing debut at Monza in 2001, driving a N-GT class Porsche 996 GT3-R for Italian squad Art Engineering in the FIA GT Championship. Success would soon follow, with Bertolini taking four wins alongside Fabrizio de Simone after a switch to JMB Racing in 2003.
For many, Bertolini will forever be associated with the Maserati MC12 GT1. Driving alongside Michael Bartels at Vitaphone Racing, Bertolini won the FIA GT Championship in 2006, 2008 and 2009, as well as the inaugural FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010.
After winning the Superstars International Series in 2011, Bertolini joined AF Corse’s effort for the maiden FIA World Endurance Championship season in 2012, winning the LMGTE Pro class at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
The Italian claimed GTC honours in the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series, and the 2014 European Le Mans Series LMGTE drivers’ title, before winning the FIA World Endurance Championship LMGTE Am drivers’ title in 2015 with SMP Racing.
That 2015 campaign also saw Bertolini score a class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In recent years, Bertolini has focused on racing in GT World Challenge Europe with AF Corse, winning the 2022 Endurance Cup Pro/Am drivers’ title.
The Italian has also played a key role in Ferrari’s F1 Clienti programme, having completed a staggering 572 F1 car shakedowns as of last month. That work will continue well beyond his competitive driving carer.
This weekend, Bertolini will race the #52 AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors Ferrari 296 GT3 alongside long-time co-driver Louis Machiels, and Louis’ son Jef. The trio will compete in the Bronze Cup class, where they finished runners-up in the drivers’ championship last season.
Look out for a special celebrsation of Andrea’s career in the coming days on DSC.
Image courtesy of Andrea Bertolini
