Autobitz: Ferrari 575GTC (2003)

Ferrari 575GTC (2003)

The Ferrari 575 GTC has not wasted any time, winning first time out in the FIA GT series. The car is based on the road-going Ferrari 575M Maranello, developed by the Ferrari Corse Clienti department in collaboration with N-Technology and has won the penultimate round on the 2003 calendar at Estoril in Portugal. The JMB Racing-Pirelli crew of Fabio Babini and Philipp Peter crossed the line ahead of the BMS-Scuderia Italia Ferrari 550 Maranello of Cappellari/Gollin and the similar car of Biagi/Bobbi.

Thanks to their third place finish, Thomas Biagi and Matteo Bobbi have now won the drivers' championship with one race in hand, while the BMS-Scuderia Italia has taken the team award ahead of schedule.

"I am particularly happy with this debut win for the Ferrari 575 GTC and my congratulations also go to Biagi, Bobbi and all the BMS-Scuderia Italia crew for taking the titles," commented Jean Todt, the Managing Director of the Ferrari Gestione Sportiva.

In the N-GT class, victory went to the Ferrari 360 Modena (JMB Racing-Pirelli) driven by Andrea Bertolini and Fabrizio De Simone, who beat the similar car of the English Maranello Concessionaires team, in the hands of Davies/Turner and the Porsche of Sugden/Collard. This good result revives the hopes of Davies and De Simone as far as the drivers' title for the category is concerned, with the chance of beating current leaders Ortelli/Lieb (Porsche) in the final race, which took place at Monza on 19th October, 2003.