Ferrari North America COTA Pre-Race Report

In stark contrast to the natural terrain road circuit of Virginia International Raceway, where a Ferrrai 458 Italia scored victory in the IMSA United SportsCar Championship’s GT-Daytona class, the state-of-the-art Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas will provide a different challenge for the Ferraris fighting for victory in Saturday’s race.

This weekend’s LoneStar Le Mans, the penultimate round of the IMSA championship, will see the familiar pair of red Ferrari 458 Italias compete in the two hour and forty minute race on Saturday.

Victory at Virginia International Raceway for the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia, driven by Townsend Bell and Bill Sweedler, propeled Ferrari back to the lead in the GT-Daytona manufacturers championship. The win also vaulted Bell and Sweedler to second in the GT-Daytona driver’s championship, and they are now a scant six points from the championship lead with two races remaining.

The race at the Circuit of The Americas also represents a home event for the Risi Competizione team whose race shop is located in nearby Houston, Texas. Drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer finished third at Virginia International Raceway in the no. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia, their fourth podium finish of the season. Fisichella and Kaffer finished in fourth position in last season’s Lone Star LeMans, and look for a better finish in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

The Lone Star LeMans will be broadcast live on Saturday, September 19 at 12:30 PM ET on FOX Sports 2 with an encore presentation on Sunday, September 20 at 1:30 PM ET on FOX Sports 1. Qualifying will be streamed live on Friday, September 18 at 4:45 PM ET.

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