24h Le Mans
To begin this presentation of cars entered in the LM GTE Pro and Am classes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the honour goes to the queen of the 2014 season: the Ferrari 458 Italia.
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Photo : CHRISTOPHE JOUNIAUX / VSA
The road version – Presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009, the Ferrari 458 Italia succeeded the F430. It reproduces the rear-center V8 engine architecture (570 hp for 4.5 liters and 1,380 kg dry).
The 2014 season – The Ferrari 458 Italia has won a total of 18 class victories (LM GTE Pro, LM GTE AM and also GTC) at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), European Le Mans Series (ELMS), Asian Le Mans Series and Tudor United SportsCar Championship. It won in the World Championship the LM GTE Pro titles for constructors, teams (for AF Corse) and drivers (for Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander), while the Russian team SMP Racing won the ELMS driver and team titles in the LM GTE and GTC classes.
En route for 2015 – To maintain this impressive domination is certainly a difficult undertaking over the years as the competition level from Porsche, Aston Martin and Corvette will always be fierce…Perhaps prepare for the future with the new 488 GTB presented a few days ago?
The 83rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14, 2015.
Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SUNDAY JUNE 15 2014, RACE. Since its first appearance in La Sarthe in 2011, the Ferrari 458 Italia has won two victories in the LM GTE Pro class - in 2012 and 2014.
