AF Corse was founded by former driver Amato Ferrari (AF), who is not related to the marque of the same name.  The team had a remarkable 2011 season in LMGTE Pro in the ILMC and the Mans Series with the brand new and (at that time) unproven Ferrari F458 Italia. In 2012, the team is racing on all fronts, both in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the ​​European Le Mans Series in three classes ...!

The ILMC team title in LMGTE Pro went to the very last race of the season in Zhuhai, but after Petit Le Mans, the points advantage of AF Corse was such that short of an extraordinary turnaround for BMW, the title seemed secure. Unlike the the 24 Hours of Le Mans, for the Italian team. "My worst memory of the season", said Amato Ferrari. "The last two hours of Le Mans 24 Hours were appalling. We thought that victory was at hand, but the car dropped to second place under the chequered flag because of a minor technical problem. However, Petit Le Mans will remain in my memory as a great victory that allowed us to take a big step towards the title in the ILMC. "

AF Corse have a strong driver line-up. Gianmaria Bruni, is a master in the art of pole positions (proven at the 12 Hours of Sebring) and former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella who achieved the feat of taking pole position at Spa in 2009 with the Force India team. The two Italians are joined this year by Andrea Bertolini, four times title winner in the FIA ​​GT with the Vitaphone Maserati MC12, and Olivier Beretta who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Corvette Racing in 2011 in the LMGTE Pro class.

In addition to two cars in LMGTE Pro in the FIA World Endurance Championship, AF Corse have entered a car in LMGTE Am, as they did last year in the ILMC. A second car will be at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMGTE Am, with the crew Piergiuseppe Perazzini and Marco Cioci who will contest the European Le Mans Series. So four cars in the Le Mans 24 Hours? In reality, they will be five if you include the Oreca-Nissan of Pecom Racing, Luis Perez-Companc (Pecom) entrusted job of running the car to the team of Amato Ferrari.

The results obtained by AF Corse demonstrate professionalism. Third in the GT class at the Sebring 12 hours, but first competitor in the FIA World Endurance Championship. What is the recipe for success? "The goal is always the next race", said Amato Ferrari. "If I am asked the question today, I would say that the goal is victory in the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, but if I'm asked the question after Spa, the answer will be to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and so on. The new challenge for 2012 will be to run the Oreca-Nissan of Pecom Racing to victory in LMP2. We learned a lot last year and we are now ready for the challenge in a higher and more professional class. "

For now, we associate AF Corse with Ferrari, but perhaps before long, that name will be in LMP2 in 2012 and why not? After seventh place overall and fourth in the LMP2 class were the reward for the Argentinian team. One thing is certain, the driver crew of Pecom Racing (Soheil Ayari, Pierre Kaffer and Luis Perez-Companc) did not made the trip to the United States for the Sebring winter test  for nothing.

The next step for AF Corse will be the first leg of the European Le Mans Series this weekend at Le Castellet with a car entered in the LMGTE Am driven by Piergiuseppe Perazzini, Marco Cioci (present at Sebring alongside Andrea Bertolini and Olivier Beretta) and Matt Griffin

Photo : SEBRING (FLORIDA, USA), SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, SEBRING 12 HOURS, THURSDAY 15th MARCH 2012, FREE PRACTICE.