AF Corse: victory in Bahrain, three titles won

SAKHIR, December 1st - Triple top in Bahrain: Gianmaria Bruni, Ferrari and AF Corse took all three titles in the GTE Pro category. An extraordinary outcome to the “Bahrain 6 Hours”, the final round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

At Sakhir, few hours ago, Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander – in their AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia #51 – took the chequered flag in first position giving the three titles. Giancarlo Fisichella, who played a key role in Bruni’s successes earlier in the year, is vice-champion: in Bahrain, the F1 former, raced together with Kamui Kobayashi to maximise the team’s chances of success.

Starting from fourth on the grid, the two drivers and their No 51 Ferrari moved into a solid lead after the first pit stop (at the end of the first hour), maintaining it from then on. No one could match their pace and their rivals were given no chance as as could be seen from the fact: the 43 second lead over the Bergmeister-Pilet Porsche at the flag is proof of what a great day it was for the 458 GT2. The other Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 in the GTE Pro, driven by Fisichella and Kobayashi, finished third in Bahrain tooking a double podium at the end of the race for Ferrari and AF Corse.

GTE AM - A great day was completed by 8 Star Motorsport taking the team title in the GTE AM category, thanks to a second place for Enzo Potolicchio, Rui Aguas and Davide Rigon in their 458 Italia #81. Potolicchio and Aguas are second in the Drivers standing. Considering the third place thanks to a great perfomance of Matt Griffin, Francois Perrodo and Emmanuel Collard in the AF Corse Ferrari 458 #61, the FIA World Endurance Champioship ended for Ferrari and AF Corse in the best way possibile.

President Luca di Montezemolo was very pleased to hear about the triumphant performance from the 458 GT2 in the FIA World Endurance Championship. “I am very happy that we have won everything for a second consecutive year,” he told www.ferrari.com. “This result rewards AF Corse’s efforts and consistency and I congratulate them on it. I am also very pleased to see an Italian driver crowned world champion: Bruni has been with us for a long time now and he deserves this victory. The 458 Italia is an amazing car and what it has achieved over the past years on the racing front confirms that fact.”

AF Corse