Scuderia Corsa has once again showed that in their first full Grand-AM season they come to compete. Fresh on the heels of their fourth place finish at the legendary Rolex 24 At Daytona, a newly repainted and reassembled #63 458 Ferrari took to the Circuit of the Americas where it took fastest lap time in opening practice. The team then earned the GT pole position in Friday’s qualifying session with a fastest lap time of 2:08.846.
For the second time in his first four starts in a Grand-AM race, Scuderia Corsa team driver Alessandro Balzan won the GT pole. Being at the front of the starting grid on the new Circuit of the Americas, Balzan said, “I feel at home on this track. The new track has similar characteristics to the tracks they have in Europe. The team did a very good job setting up this car.”
Team owner Giacomo Mattioli, who founded the team late last year, has assembled a team that is consistently at the top of the GT class. Of his car’s success in practice and qualifying, Mattioli said, “Excellent work from the team. The team approached this new racetrack in the best possible way. I am very proud of how the team has worked.”
Giacomo Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo created the Scuderia Corsa racing team in 2011 for the sole purpose of supporting the racing needs of Ferrari clients. Turnkey programs include, GT3 endurance racing, Ferrari Challenge Series and track events. Giacomo Mattioli is the owner of Ferrari Maserati Beverly Hills and partner in Ferrari Maserati Silicon Valley with Art Zafiropoulo.
During the event on Saturday, Mar. 2, the team dominated the race, leading 47 of 67 laps and crossed the finish line in first place with a commanding lead.
The victory was short lived, however. Driver Alessandro Pier Guidi and Andy Lally in the Magnus Porsche had contact, and Grand-AM gave the team a one lap, 90 second penalty with only a few minutes left.
Team owner Giacomo Mattioli was not happy and appealed, but to no avail. The team was scored in 11th place.
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