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 Ferrari
GT Teams Get Ready |
| 2.2.04 |
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After a triumphant 2003 season in international GT racing with
the 550/575 and 360 tipos, various teams are already well on with
their preparations for the current season.
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| GPC Squadra Corse |
Brand-new team GPC Squadra Corse will be entering
two Ferrari 575 GTCs in the 2004 season of the FIA GT Championship.
The team is owned by Giampaolo Coppi, a familiar face in the
FIA GT paddock over the years, with Giesse. The staff will be
announced shortly. "The drivers have not been signed yet,
but they are likely to be taken from among our regular drivers,such
as Christian Pescatori, Fabio Babini, Phillip Peter, Fabrizio
De Simone, who have been some of our drivers since 2001 and
Mike Hezemans - we will only have professional drivers, and
we will try to make up a good team," Coppi explained.
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| BMS Scuderia Italia
and Care Racing |
As in 2003, BMS Scuderia Italia and Care Racing will enter
three Ferrari 550 Maranellos in the FIA GT Championship. Although
the full driver line-up has not yet been finalised, 2003 runners-up,
Luca Cappellari and Fabrizio Gollin, have already signed up
for the new season. The cars are currently in Banbury, with
Prodrive, undergoing some engine and aerodynamic modifications
for the new season.
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| JMB Racing |
JMB Racing has received the first three 575 GTCs produced
by Ferrari Corse Clienti and the French team is about to enter
its seventh year of competition with Ferraris. The team's aim
for 2004 is to continue on the road to overall success in the
FIA GT Championship with the 575 while working actively on a
top-level programme in N-GT with the 360 Modena. To manage the
technical side of the 575 programme former Ferrari Formula One
engineer Ralf Hahn will be joining the team.
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| Wieth Racing |
Wieth Racing has had a busy winter, making several modifications
to their FIA GT 550 Maranello. The suspension system and front
aerodynamics have been massively changed. A 12.5 inch ATS rim
will allow the use of bigger front tyres. "These changes
should eliminate the permanent problem with understeering that
the team struggled with last season," team manager Florian
Hebel explained.
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| Barron Connor Racing
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| In 2004, Barron Connor Racing will
enter two 575 GTCs in the Sebring 12 Hours, the Le Mans 24 Hours
and the four 1000 KM races that form the new Le Mans Endurance
Series.
Operating from Zaandam (near Amsterdam), the team is run
by the 2002 European Ferrari 360 champion and this year’s
FIA Sportscar champion John Bosch (NL), who will share one
car with Indianapolis 500 winner and former F1 driver Danny
Sullivan (USA).
Stop Press
The team has signed reigning FIA GT Champion Thomas Biagi
to partner John Bosch and Danny Sullivan in their programme.
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reports and pics by FIA
and barchetta.cc/Andreas Birner |
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