AF Corse, Ferrari 458 Italia GT3
There are three Ferraris berthed in the AF Corse garage but one is bound for the Club Sport series, which will likely see up to four entered for the season by the Italian team.
Of the full season Blancpain cars Matt Griffin and Duncan Cameron were working on fine tuning the #51 car ahead of a packed season which will see the pair racing in GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series (with Monza a question mark due to a clash) and GT Open (likely a part season) plus GTE in the ELMS and at Le Mans.
The third driver for the team in Blancpain Endurance, and a different third man for ELMS and Le Mans, will be announced soon with a pair of DSC favourites looking likely to get the nod.
Much of the morning’s work on Wednesday focused on learning more about the new 2015 Pirelli tyres.
The #50 car is as billed but there is a possibility of a third full season car for Pierguiseppe Perrazzini with support from one or two of the regular AF Corse hotshoes.
Kessel Racing, Ferrari 458 GT3
After narrowly missing out on the Endurance Series title just two seasons ago and having a reasonable season in Pro Am last year, Kessel remain committed to the Blancpain Endurance Series for 2015 with two Ferraris.
Present at Ricard for the team are two 458s, one shared by Michael Broniszewski and Michael Lyons and one with Stephen Earle and Liam Talbot.
Lyons was a face DSC weren’t expecting to see at the test, and while he was unable to fully confirm his plans for the season, it looks far more promising that he will have a drive or drives for the year now than it did a few weeks ago when the DSC ed last caught up with him.
Insight Racing Denmark, Ferrari 458 GT3
Martin Jensen and Dennis Anderson are paired up again for Insight Racing’s Endurance Series campaign. The Danish duo will be piloting a 458 once again but with a fresh colour scheme and an aim to build on their tough season in Pro Am last year.
Rinaldi Racing, Ferrari 458 GT3
Marco Seefried, Rinat Salikhov and Norbert Seedler are present at Ricard for the team, and as it turns out, will be running the season in tandem.
DSC checked in with Marco Seefried as the team packed away the car following Salikhov’s incident at the start of the second test session:
‘We are doing both the Endurance and Sprint series, but we haven’t confirmed if we will be present at Spa yet. Due to clashes with my WEC programme I can only attend three BES races, one of which is Spa, so Rinat and Norbert will be paired for the events I can’t do.
Due to the way the stint system works, we are in Pro even though Rinat has no experience as a Pro, we want to make sure we can manage it where possible so he doesn’t have to drive the start or end.’
In addition to their Blancpain programme, they are also working on a deal which will see them contest the Nürburgring 24 Hours in their 458.
Stephen Kilbey & Graham Goodwin
