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Strong Second Place for Scuderia Corsa in Virginia

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August 24, 2014 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - At the end of two hours and forty-five minutes of hard fought racing in the Oak Tree Grand Prix, Alessandro Balzan and Jeff Westphal celebrated with their Scuderia Corsa crew as the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia finished in second position in the GT- Daytona class.
Not too long after the checkered flag fell in Virginia, Mike Hedlund took the checkered flag at the Pirelli World Challenge race at Sonoma Raceway in fourth position, scoring a career-best finish.
The no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia qualified in ninth position, and Westphal advanced up to third position during the opening stint. At the first pit stop, Westphal turned the car over to Balzan who remained at the front of the field thanks to fast pit work by the Scuderia Corsa crew. Balzan battled past a number of Porsches to work back to second position, where he would finish.
"Today, we achieved more than the maximum performance possible," said Balzan. "Jeff did a terrific job in his stint and the Scuderia Corsa crew did an amazing job in the pit stops. Second position is amazing. I was driving past the maximum on every lap but it was clear that every time we closed the gap to the leader they could simply open it back up. It is hard to compete this way but we did everything that we could and it is a great result."

At the World Challenge race in Sonoma, Hedlund would enjoy a successful first weekend in World Challenge with Scuderia Corsa.  Competing in the doubleheader weekend, Hedlund would finish in sixth position in Saturday's race while finishing in fourth position on Sunday - with a late-race full course caution period taking away his chance at finishing on the podium.
"We had a podium car today, and without the last full course caution period, we could have passed for a strong third place," said Hedlund. "My Ferrari of Silicon Valley / Tequila Patron Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 performed flawlessly. I would like to thank all our fans at the track today who came by and wished us well, as well as Giacomo Mattioli and his Scuderia Corsa team for preparing an excellent car for this entire weekend."
For his part, Mattioli would enjoy seeing his team compete for a podium result - despite the handicap Ferrari has with the current Balance of Performance that overly penalizes the 458 in GTD. 
"It was a great weekend all around for Scuderia Corsa," said Mattioli. "Mike was very impressive at the Pirelli World Challenge in Sonoma and we are looking forward to more weekends in the series. In the TUDOR Championship, this result feels like a victory to me. We consolidated the lead of Ferrari in the manufacturer championship and we reduced the gap in the team championship. There are two races to go and Scuderia Corsa doesn't lift."

The next TUDOR Championship race will be September 19-20 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.


2014 Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta October 3-4

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The iconic Petit Le Mans marks the end of the inaugural United SportsCar Championship. Join Scuderia Corsa at this years season finale to watch Ferrari's GT teams battle lap by lap for our third consecutive manufacturer's and team's championships.


 On October 3-4, Ferrari North America is offering a pass to clients looking to make the most of their adrenaline-fueled race weekend and celebrate Ferrari's 60th Anniversary in the true tradition of Motorsport Success. The Ferrari Hospitality passes includes:
  • Unprecedented access to the circuit and private Ferrari Suite in the heart of the support Paddock Friday October 3rd and Saturday October 4th
  • Access to the United SportsCar Championship Paddock
  • Special Ferrari Corral parking near the Ferrari VIP Hospitality Suite
  • Full gourmet catering in the Ferrari VIP Suite, including breakfast, lunch, beverages and snacks
  • Closed-circuit TV race viewing from the Suite
  • Official Race Program
  • Earplugs

Ferrari Team Experience:
  • Hot Pit Tours, stand pit-side to watch as the crew services the 458 GT during the race
  • Technical briefings by the Ferrari team engineers on Friday
  • Race team briefings during the race
  • Meet and greet with Ferrari factory racing drivers

 Scuderia Corsa guests will benefit from a special discounted rate. Please contact events@ferraribeverlyhills.com (***) for more information.

Ferrari Celebrates 60 Years in the US in Rodeo Drive!

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Come Celebrate! Join Ferrari Beverly Hills and Ferrari North America on Sunday, October 12th from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM for a truly memorable 60th Anniversary celebration Race Through The Decades 1954-2014:  Ferrari Celebrates 60 Years in the USA with 60 Ferrari on Rodeo Drive





Activities will include:
  • A public display of 60 of the most storied and spectacular Ferraris ever assembled
  • An arrival parade of spectacular Ferraris, led by our Chairman, Luca di Montezemolo
  • World premiere of a new Ferrari vehicle
  • North American premiere of a second new Ferrari vehicle
  • First-ever award presented by the City of Beverly Hills to Ferrari
  • Unique experiences including a 360 virtual tour of Museo Ferrari, a Tailor Made village comprised of our global partners, etc.
 
Click HERE for Event Information

Click HERE to Register your Ferrari for the GATHERING

Sweedler and Bell Join Scuderia Corsa for 2015 TUDOR United Sports Car Championship

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November 6, 2014 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Demonstrating its commitment to winning the 2015 TUDORUnited Sports Car Championship, Scuderia Corsa is proud to announce the addition of drivers Bill Sweedlerand Townsend Bell to the team.
Sweedler and Bell will pilot the team’s flagship no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia in the GT-Daytonaclass. At the wheel of a Ferrari 458 Italia during the 2014 TUDOR Championship season, Sweedler and Bellwere victorious in the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona and handily won the Patron North American EnduranceCup. The duo led much of the season championship in the GT-D class, and winning the championship in2015 remains their primary goal.
"We are really excited about competing for the GT-D championship with Scuderia Corsa," said Sweedler.
"Giacomo Mattioli's dedication to building the best Ferrari racing program as well as the best Ferraridealerships offers the ideal place to maximize our racing and commercial sponsorship goals going forward.
We really enjoy racing in the TUDOR Championship and competing against the best drivers and teams insports car racing and we hope to bring another championship to Ferrari in 2015."
"It goes without saying that we are very excited about joining Scuderia Corsa," said Bell. "On many levels,
this partnership will make a lot of sense. I’m thrilled to be continuing our relationship with Ferrari and to
continue driving the Ferrari 458 Italia. Scuderia Corsa won two races last year, they are a championship
winning team, and as a bonus for me it is great to be joining a team that is also based in Los Angeles where
I live! I am looking forward to a lot of success with this program."
In the 2014 season, Scuderia Corsa captured two victories in the GT-Daytona class (Detroit and
Indianapolis) after winning the 2013 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series GT class championship. The team
also competes in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, where Scuderia Corsa driver Chris Ruud had captured
the 2014 championship in the Coppa Shell class.
"As winners of the Rolex 24 at Daytona as well as the North American Endurance Cup, Bill and Townsend
were some of our most formidable competitors in the GT-Daytona class," 'said Mattioli. We are very excited
that they will be joining us at Scuderia Corsa. Everyone within the team is committed to winning in the
TUDOR Championship and to represent the Ferrari brand in the premier racing series in North America.
After competing against Bill and Townsend over the past year, we are thrilled that they will be in our Ferrari
and not competing against us!"
Sweedler and Bell will compete with Scuderia Corsa for the first time at the Rolex 24 at Daytona on January
22-25 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Ferrari Bevelry Hills Service Manager appointed the 2014 Service Manager of the Year

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We are happy to announce that our own Ferrari Beverly Hills Service Manager, Bill Rhode, is being recognized by Ferrari as the 2014 Service Manager of the Year!  He will be heading to the World Finals in Abu Dhabi to receive this prestigious award.  All of us at Mattioli Automotive Group are already proud of his example of excellence and enthusiasm in his work and thrilled that he has taken 1st Place as the Best Service Manager of 2014. 

Congratulations Bill!

Ruud drives Scuderia Corsa Ferrari to podium in each Ferrari Challenge race in Abu Dhabi

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December 8, 2014 (Los Angeles, Calif.) -- Chris Ruud and Scuderia Corsa brought an end to their racing season in style -- with a victory and two podiums at the Finali Mondiali held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The season-ending celebration of Ferrari’s motorsports programs, which includes Formula One demonstrations and the XX Programme, the Finali Mondiali also featured three Ferrari Challenge races held on the 3.4-mile, state-of-the-art Yas Marina Circuit. Having already secured the Ferrari Challenge North American championship in the Coppa Shell class, Ruud put an exclamation mark on his season by taking victory in his first race and finishing as the runner-up in the second race of the weekend. The victory pushed Ruud’s total for the season to eight victories out of a possible 19 Ferrari Challenge races.
In the third and final race of the weekend - the World Final Championship race -Ruud finished third in the Coppa Shell class against competition from the Ferrari Challenge Europe and Ferrari Challenge Asia series.
"The World Finals turned out to be a magical weekend in many ways," said Ruud. "I was able to realize the championship trophy for an amazing season. Also, I am proud to bring a World Finals podium for North America alongside Trofeo Pirelli winner Ricardo Perez for the first time in many years. I would like to thank the entire Scuderia Corsa team for the wins and for all of their support and guidance this season. It truly was a team effort!"
The Finali Mondiali capped a season of success for Scuderia Corsa. The team captured two victories (Detroit, Indianapolis) and one additional podium (Virginia) in the TUDOR United Sportscar Championship in addition to a total of eleven victories in Ferrari Challenge which enabled Scuderia Corsa to finish second in the Ferrari Challenge team championship.
"Chris Ruud's performance at the Finali Mondiali was the perfect way to end the season," said Giacomo Mattioli, owner of Scuderia Corsa. "Chris demonstrated why he was the deserving North American Coppa Shell champion by finishing on the podium in each race and taking one victory. He put on a fantastic performance in the biggest race of the season. We are all extremely proud of him. I would like to thank John Becker, John Horesji and Harry Cheung for their essential contributions to the team which helped Scuderia Corsa secure second place in the dealership championship."
Scuderia Corsa will make an announcement regarding its 2015 Ferrari Challenge program, as well as its Pirelli World Challenge program, in the coming weeks. The team has previously announced its entry in the 2015 TUDOR United Sportscar Championship with drivers Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell in the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia in the GT-Daytona class.

Scuderia Corsa Shows Speed at Daytona

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1000 × 667Pair of Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italias take turns leading Rolex 24 at Daytona, sit second in Patron North American Endurance Cup

Throughout the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the pair of Scuderia Corsa Ferraris – the red no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia and the Brazilian-flag liveried no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia – took turns leading the competitive GT-Daytona class.

The final stretch of the endurance classic would prove to be troublesome for the team. While running in fourth place, the no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia that was being driven by Francisco Longo and shared with Daniel Serra, Marcos Gomes and Andrea Bertolini, went off track and had an incident after hitting oil on the circuit. The incident led to heavy damage to the rear of the car and, as a result, the car was retired. From the drop of the green and throughout the night, the car was consistently at the front of the GT-D field.

Also taking turns at the front of GT-D was the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia. The car, which will be run for the whole TUDOR United SportsCar Championship by Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell, also took several turns leading the field. Shared for this race by Anthony Lazzaro and Jeff Segal, the Ferrari captured the second NAEC segment and finished second in two of them. However, the car had a mechanical issue that slowed her down significantly in the final stages and finished the race in sixth position.

“It is tough to do so well throughout the race and then not have the result that you know the team is capable of,” said Sweedler. “But there are a lot of positives that we can take away from this race. Our Ferrari was very fast – we worked on it quite a bit throughout the week and made a lot of progress to make a very good race car. The NAEC is very important to us as well, and sitting second in that championship is also a great way to start the year. It’s a good start to our relationship with Scuderia Corsa and we’ll be prepared for Sebring.”
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“I had a great first stint to start the race and a good turn at the lead of the field during the night,” said Bell. “Unfortunately, it just wasn’t our day. The Ferrari was extremely competitive and the four of us drivers worked very well together to get the car to a point that it was very good in all conditions during the day and during the night. We have good points with the NAEC and we’ll be ready for Sebring.”

The day was a rollercoaster for Scuderia Corsa team owner Giacomo Mattioli, who was taking part in his third Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“Our result is a little bit disappointing, but I was proud to see our two Ferraris battling for the lead and to witness the effort of our entire team during this very long race” said Mattioli. “I can see the talent and the determination from our guys to win here, but it seemed that wasn’t meant to be for us this year. But, on a positive note, our drivers and team are in a good position in the NAEC. We are now looking forward to Sebring as well as the rest of the year.”

The next round of the TUDOR Championship as well as the NAEC is the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring on March 21 at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida.

Twin Scuderia Corsa Ferraris Ready for Daytona

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New faces and familiar Ferraris as team competes in third Rolex 24 at Daytona

A pair of Scuderia Corsa Ferraris are prepared to take on the Rolex 24 at Daytona as the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship begins its 2015 season at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

For the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the new-look no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia will feature last year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona winners Bill Sweedler, Townsend Bell and Jeff Segal, who will be joined by Anthony Lazzaro. Sweedler and Bell will contest the entire TUDOR Championship season in the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari. Sweedler and Bell, the 2014 Patron North American Endurance Cup, adapted to their new Ferrari during the three-day test.

“It was a real blast to get back behind the wheel of a Ferrari and get on track with the Scuderia Corsa guys for the first time,” said Sweedler. “The Ferrari has undergone some changes in spec from what we had last year, so it was really valuable to not only begin working with the team but to begin understanding how the car would be different than last year’s car. It was a great test, and with guys like Townsend, Jeff and Anthony sharing the car we’ve made a lot of progress already. It was clear from the moment we got there that the Scuderia Corsa team is a great organization. We would love nothing more than to defend our win from last year!”

"Love the new team,” said Bell. “Scuderia Corsa has a strong Italian flavor which is a fun new element that I am enjoying. We’ve also brought a few familiar faces on board with Scuderia Corsa in the engineering department and also in our mechanic group. Overall, I feel we are in very good shape headed into the start of the season. Daytona in 2014 was an experience I will never forget and we are hungry to make even better memories this year.”

For t583 × 315he third time, the ‘Brazilian’ Ferrari 458 Italia will race in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia, wearing the colors of the Brazilian flag, will be driven by Brazilian StockCar star Daniel Serra, as well as fellow Brazilians Francisco Longo and Marcos Gomez. Factory driver, Andrea Bertolini will round out the driver lineup of the second Scuderia Corsa Ferrari.
 

“When I look at the lineup of drivers of our no. 63 and no. 64 I am very excited and motivated for Daytona,” said Giacomo Mattioli, team owner of Scuderia Corsa. “Townsend, Jeff, Bill and Anthony proved to be a fast combination and we are thrilled as well to welcome back the Via Italia Ferrari! Our friends from Brazil had a very good race last year, and showed they are extremely quick. We are looking forward to provide a great show to the fans!”

The broadcast of the Rolex 24 at Daytona will begin on Saturday, January 24 at 2:00 PM ET on FOX, before moving to FOX Sports 2 at 4:00 PM ET and FOX Sports 1 at 8:00 PM ET. The overnight hours will be streamed on IMSA.com beginning at 10:00 PM ET, before the final hours are shown on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 7:00 AM ET.


Scuderia Corsa Perseveres For Podium at Sebring

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Third place enables Scuderia Corsa to remain in second position in Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup

March 22, 2015 (Sebring, Fla.) – Facing a long and challenging day at the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Powered by Fresh from Florida, drivers Bill Sweedler, Townsend Bell and Anthony Lazzaro utilized the  teamwork of Scuderia Corsa and the reliability of the Ferrari 458 Italia to grab a podium finish in the final minutes of the race.

After qualifying in 13rd position, it was clear that the Ferrari 458 Italia would be facing an uphill battle on outright pace due to the latest adjustment of performance that overly punished the Ferrari platform. The team committed to a strategy that would enable them to make the most out of the consistency and reliability of the Ferrari, with all three drivers needing to minimize any mistake during the twelve hour race. While other cars encountered incidents or mechanical failures, the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari steadily advanced up the field to challenge for fourth position in the final hour. When a leading GT-D class car had a mechanical failure in the closing minutes, Bell moved the Ferrari to third position just before the checkered flag.

 “In a way, we were fighting with one hand tied behind our back today,” said Sweedler. “The Scuderia Corsa team executed flawlessly today with the right strategy and great pitstops throughout the race. And despite the fact that we are so heavy due to the additional weight of the latest BO¬¬P, the Ferrari platform performed extremely well throughout the changing conditions of the race. The guys fought hard all day long and Townsend, Anthony and I were able to keep the car in a good position all day. We are really thrilled with this result.”

By finishing in third position, the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia sits in second place in the GT-Daytona standings for the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup. Scuderia Corsa’s result also enabled Ferrari to remain at the lead of the GT-D manufacturer standings in the NAEC.

“I finished the race with a triple stint, and it was quite a workout,” said Bell. “But finishing on the podium makes me feel quite a bit better! We knew we would need to utilize all of our strategy and consistency to score a good result today, and this is a testament to the team’s work. We were in the right position to capitalize at the end of the race and we are able to leave Sebring with great points for our championship.” 1000 × 667

Third place at Sebring marked the eleventh podium in professional sports car racing for Scuderia Corsa since 2012.

“The team did a great job considering the circumstances that we had to deal with today,” said Lazzaro. “Thankfully Bill and Townsend are able to leave here with a good result which will help their season-long championship, and I am glad that I was able to help them out.”

Technical Director Roberto Amorosi, who guided the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia throughout the twelve hours, was thrilled to celebrate on the podium.

“We felt all weekend that in order to score a good result and maximum points, everyone – the drivers, the crew guys, and the engineers – would have to execute perfectly,” said Amorosi. “We were able to do that and stay on the lead lap during the entire race, putting Townsend in a position to capitalize in the final hour. I’m very proud of drivers and the team today, and now we look forward to our next race in Monterey.”

Scuderia Corsa will compete next at the Pirelli World Challenge doubleheader on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida on March 27-29 before the next round of the IMSA TUDOR Championship at the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California on May 3. At Monterey, the team will host Ferrari VIP hospitality for team sponsors as well as clients from the local Ferrari Silicon Valley dealership.

All-American Lineup for Scuderia Corsa at Sebring

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258 × 173All-American Lineup for Scuderia Corsa at Sebring

Bill Sweedler, Townsend Bell Joined by Anthony Lazzaro in no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia

March 17, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – The Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia challenged for GT-Daytona victory throughout the season-opening 24 Hours of Daytona, and is aiming to do the same at this Saturday’s Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.

Looking to keep the same speed that the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia had in Daytona, season-long drivers Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell will be joined again by Anthony Lazzaro for this weekend’s race. Qualifying for the 12 Hours of Sebring will be held on Friday, March 20 with the race taking place on Saturday, March 21.

Sweedler and Bell teamed to finish second at last year’s Twelve Hours of Sebring in a Ferrari 458 Italia, and will look to do one better this year. The duo have won at Sebring before, winning the American Le Mans Series’s GT-C class in 2012. Sweedler and Bell, and Scuderia Corsa, are currently second in the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup.

“Sebring is a special place for me, as it was where I won my first major race,” said Sweedler. “Last year, Townsend and I came very close to getting another victory but we came up just a little bit short. We know just how tough it is to win at Sebring, but considering the pace that we had at Daytona I am feeling confident in our team and our Scuderia Corsa Ferrari. Anthony was a key part of our effort at Daytona so I am glad he is able to join us for Sebring and we are able to retain the chemistry that we had during that race.”
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“We had an outstanding race at Daytona, but something out of our control slowed us at the end,” said Bell. “We battled for the lead and led so much of the race so we feel we have some unfinished business for Sebring. We have a good understanding of Sebring– that is, we understand just how difficult it is going to be to win there. We know we have the speed, and if we keep our noses clean and get a little bit of luck, we should have another shot at a win.”

Lazzaro has numerous starts at the 12 Hours of Sebring in Ferraris as well as prototype vehicles, and is happy to rejoin Scuderia Corsa for this weekend’s race.

“I was thrilled to get the call to be back with the Scuderia Corsa guys for Sebring,” said Lazzaro. “The team did a great job in Daytona and we definitely had a car to win. I felt right at home driving alongside Bill and Townsend. They are clearly going to be contending for the GT-Daytona championship again this year and I’m happy to get the opportunity to help them and hopefully get a win at Sebring.”

The famous 3.7-mile circuit at the former Hendricks Army Airfield provides a huge challenge for teams during the 12 Hour contest, according to Scuderia Corsa engineer Joe La Joie.

“Sebring is another iconic event and track,” said LaJoie. “When someone mentions Sebring, the first thing that pops into your head is “bumps”.  In fact many teams specifically visit Sebring to complete endurance tests on their cars. Because this is an endurance race, the racecar handling sometimes takes a backseat to other aspects.    We have three drivers and about four hours of practice – if it stays green.  Logistically, each driver needs enough time to be comfortable, which a real challenge at Sebring, and meet on track requirements.

“There are 17 turns and almost each is unique, and there are surface changes from old airport cement to asphalt. Turns one, 11, and 14 all require a good high speed balance.  Turns three-thru-5, 11, 15, and 16 all require adequate support for good change of direction while maintaining enough compliance to handle the bumps in turns one, seven, 10, 13, and 17. Turns seven, 10 and 17 are the best places to pass under braking.  Turns seven and 17 are very bumpy and require excellent modulation.”
The Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring will be shown on Saturday, March 21 beginning at 10:30 AM ET on FOX Sports 1. Coverage will switch to FOX Sports 2 at 12:30 PM ET, IMSA.com at 7:00 PM ET, and FOX Sports 2 at 10:00 PM ET.
 

Scuderia Corsa Grabs Two Top-Ten Finishes in Fight for Survival at Long Beach

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  • Martin Fuentes scores second position in GT-A class
  • Mike Hedlund finishes tenth after incident-filled race
1000 × 667April 20, 2015 (Long Beach, Calif.) – In what was one of the most incident-filled races in recent memory, the three Scuderia Corsa drivers in the Pirelli World Challenge suffered their fair share of incident and damage on Sunday afternoon on the 1.9-mile circuit on the streets of Long Beach. By the time five yellow flags and one checkered flag had flown on Sunday afternoon, two of the team’s Ferrari 458 Italias would finish in the top-ten of the race.

The first of the team’s Ferraris across the finish line was the no. 07 Scuderia Corsa / Hublot Ferrari 458 Italia of Martin Fuentes. Fuentes, who qualified in a very strong tenth position overall, sustained heavy damage to the rear of the Ferrari when he was hit during one of the race’s many restarts. Despite the damage, Fuentes would make up two positions to finish eighth overall and second in the GT-A class. Fuentes is unofficially third in the GT-A championship, three points behind second place.
“It was a very good race for me, and a very good result in my first year of Pirelli World Challenge,” said Fuentes. “I was very worried on the restarts because three cars would try to fit on the little road around the fountain, and things would come down to one lane, so it was a matter of making your car fit. There were too many accidents, and the car was very damaged so I couldn’t push it anymore, but luckily we made it through. I am very thankful for the Scuderia Corsa team – they did a great job to prepare the Hublot / Scuderia Corsa Ferrari. We will be ready for Barber next weekend.”

After qualifying in 17th position, Mike Hedlund also endured a number of incidents and contact in his no. 65 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia. Able to make numerous passes and avoid the majority of the race’s incidents, Hedlund would advance as high as seventh overall before finishing the race in tenth position.
“That was one eventful race,” said Hedlund. “I felt like I was in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome for the entire race. The car is half destroyed, but we finished. I lost a couple of positions at the end there when I tried a pass and it didn’t work out – rubbed the tire wall but we saved it. So we finished tenth, which is not bad. We got out with a functioning car, so it’s good.”1000 × 668

Losing out on a strong finish was Duncan Ende, who was competing not far from his home in the no. 64 Scuderia Corsa / Lino’spresso USA Ferrari 458 Italia. Ende, who qualified 11th, was up to eighth position when he was hit by another car in the famous Long Beach hairpin, causing him to spin and face the wrong way on the circuit. Not only did Ende lose his track position, but the incident damaged the suspension of his Ferrari, ending his race. He was unofficially credited with finishing in 25th position.
“What is there to say about such a race?” said Ende. “In 30 minutes of race time I didn’t have a single flying lap before getting punted in the hairpin. The Scuderia Corsa Ferrari was very fast and I had been able to make up a few positions just by staying out of trouble. Racing in Long Beach, which close to home for me and the team, is a great experience and it’s such a shame to get taken out like that. If the series doesn’t take some strong action with some of the offending drivers I will be very disappointed.”
Despite the numerous incidents that plagued Sunday’s 50-minute race, Scuderia Corsa team owner Giacomo Mattioli enjoyed the first Long Beach Grand Prix weekend where he was on hand with his team. With the event just miles from the team’s base at Ferrari Los Angeles, the team enjoyed the support of numerous guests and clients throughout the weekend.

“At one point we were doing quite well in the Pirelli World Challenge ‘demolition derby’ with all three of the Scuderia Corsa Ferraris in the top-ten,” said Giacomo Mattioli, team owner of Scuderia Corsa. “We scored a great podium with Martin who survived significant damage and is now a serious contender for the GT-A championship. Mike had a god come back to finish tenth overall, gaining seven positions which is very difficult in a street course. I am sorry for Duncan that was taken out by an overly ambitious competitor while he was in the top-10.”

1000 × 668The television broadcast from Sunday’s Long Beach Grand Prix will air on Sunday, April 26 at 3:30 PM ET on On CBS Sports Network.
Scuderia Corsa’s Pirelli World Challenge drivers are back in action this coming weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, with two rounds of racing. Both races will be streamed live on world-challengetv.com with the first race on Saturday, April 25 at 12:20 PM ET and the second on Sunday, April 26 at 11:55 AM ET.

Scuderia Corsa Finalizes 24 Hours of LeMans Program

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•    Jeff Segal to complete all-American driver lineup in Scuderia Corsa Ferrari
•    Team will be lone American Ferrari representative at LeMans


1182 × 700May 13, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – With mere weeks until the start of the 83rd 24 Hours of LeMans, Scuderia Corsa is proud to announce that American driver Jeff Segal will join Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell in the team’s no. 62 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia at this year’s endurance classic.

Scuderia Corsa’s entry marks a new chapter in the history of American Ferrari teams competing at the Circuit de la Sarthe. In 1965, Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team captured overall victory at LeMans with drivers Masten Gregory, Jochen Rindt and a Ferrari 250LM. A NART Ferrari last competed at the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1982, when Alain Cuidini and Americans John Morton and John Paul, Jr. drove a NART Ferrari 512BB/LM to ninth position overall.

Scuderia Corsa’s team principals have participated in the 24 Hours of LeMans previously as car owners, but this year’s race will mark the first time that their team takes part in the world famous endurance classic. The no. 62 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia will compete in the GT-Am class at this year’s race.

“Competing at LeMans was a goal for Scuderia Corsa since we founded the team,” said Giacomo Mattioli, team owner of Scuderia Corsa. “To achieve this goal within three years from the start of the operations, it is a tribute to all Scuderia Corsa team members for their dedication and professionalism. To continue the legacy started by Luigi Chinetti, and continued by my friend Giuseppe Risi, is a tremendous honor. I know that with all of the support we will receive from home, our Ferrari may have a little extra speed down the Mulsanne!”1139 × 683

Segal teamed with Sweedler and Bell to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2014 at the wheel of a Ferrari 458 Italia, and joined Scuderia Corsa in their Daytona program this year.
“To say that I’m excited or grateful doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings on the privilege of competing at the 24 Hours of LeMans,” said Segal. “Participating in this famed race was the absolute top goal that I set when I first started out racing karts, and to think that my first attempt will be behind the wheel of a Ferrari – with a top team like Scuderia Corsa, and co-drivers Townsend and Bill – it really just feels like a dream come true. We have a great shared history winning at Daytona with Ferrari last year, and this feels like we’re embarking on the next chapter of the story together. I cannot wait to be standing on the LeMans grid in June as part of an all-American Ferrari effort, waving the flag for the Ferrari North America dealers, customers, and supporters.”

Sweedler and Bell are currently second in the GT-Daytona driver’s championship of TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. After co-driving to victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring and Rolex 24 at Daytona, a victory at LeMans is the next step on their driving resumes.

1211 × 700“It’s an honor and a privilege to represent Ferrari, Scuderia Corsa, and the United States at this year’s 24 Hours of LeMans,” said Sweedler. “As an all-American team, with three American drivers, I could not ask for a more competitive way to go to battle at the greatest endurance race in the world.”

“Bill and I have been very fortunate to be aligned with Scuderia Corsa and to be able to bring Jeff on board for LeMans,” said Bell. “It will be very special to be a part of this all-American Ferrari effort.. We are a trio of LeMans rookies, but I think we have the potential to do very well and to make this a truly memorable event. It’s a very special thing to get the chance to race at LeMans, and we will make the most of it.”

Sweedler, Bell and Segal will take part in the 24 Hours of LeMans test day at the Circuit de la Sarthe on May 31. The 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place on June 13-14.

About Scuderia Corsa The 2013 Grand-AM Rolex GT championship-winning team Scuderia Corsa was founded in 2011 by Giacomo Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo.  The team was created for the sole purpose of supporting the racing needs of Ferrari clients and includes turnkey programs, GT endurance racing, the North American Ferrari Challenge Series and track events.  Giacomo Mattioli is the owner of Ferrari Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and South Bay and partner in Ferrari Maserati Silicon Valley with Art Zafiropoulo.
Follow Scuderia Corsa on Twitter @Scuderia_Corsa, on Facebook at Scuderia Corsa, Instagram at  #Scuderiacorsaferrari and ScuderiaCorsa.com
Team Sponsors:

Ferrari Beverly Hills / Los Angeles / Silicon Valley  / South Bay - North America's premiere Ferrari dealership group specializing in new and pre-owned sales, Classiche designation work, collision repair and factory trained service and original parts.  Robert Graham – with its retail presence in more than a dozen countries around the world including New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Dusseldorf, Robert Graham is ‘American Eclectic.’ Since its launch in 2001, it introduces sophisticated, eclectic style to the fashion market as an American-based company with an intention of inspiring a global movement and includes four menswear and women’s wear collections a year—spring, pre-fall, fall and resort. Royal Purple - Royal Purple manufactures high performance lubricants for most automotive, industrial, marine, motorcycle and racing applications. The Houston, TX based company is considered the best synthetic oil by many end users and its synthetic oil and synthetic lubricants are formulated to maximize performance in real world applications. Kaspersky - Kaspersky Lab is the world’s largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection solutions. The company is ranked among the world’s top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users1. Throughout its more than 17-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for large enterprises, SMBs and consumers. With its holding company registered in the United Kingdom, Kaspersky Lab operates in almost 200 countries and territories, providing protection for over 400 million users worldwide.

Ferrari Palm Beach - Providing the exclusive Palm Beach market with a premium inventory of new and pre-owned Ferraris, state-of-the-art facilities and technicians for expert maintenance and repair. Wide World Ferrari - Located in Spring Valley, New York, offering Ferrari customers a premium selection of new and pre-owned Ferraris, expert authorized service and exclusive Ferrari certified body repair. Hublot - A champion of innovation, Hublot revolutionized the watch industry with the introduction of the Big Bang, a multiple award winning timepiece created using a combination of precious metals with rubber. Since then, the Swiss brand has become universally known for the concept, “Art of Fusion.” From in-house watch complications to world-class collaborations such as Ferrari and the Los Angeles Lakers, Hublot is constantly evolving and looking to the future. Passtime - Is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of wireless GPS telematics devices for the global automotive industry in the vehicle finance and fleet transportation sectors offering a web-based software portal with a complete end-to-end software solution designed specifically for the automotive industry.  Ultratech - A pioneer of laser processing, Ultratech designs, manufactures and markets photolithography and laser processing equipment.

Technical Suppliers
Motegi Racing - through technical partnerships with leading professional racing teams, Motegi Racing Competition and High Performance Tuning wheels are designed and engineered for performance. Motegi Racing is a Wheel Pros brand. Wheel Pros products are sold worldwide in more than 20 countries on four continents and through a U.S. network of more than 10,000 active dealers.  Sabelt - leading manufacturer of seat belts and safety harnesses for production and racings cars, race suits, shoes and helmets, carbon seats for automobiles and child restraint systems worldwide. AllState - Allstate Roadside Services strives to provide the industry's best roadside experience for our partners, their customers and our service providers.

Challenging North of the Border weekend for Scuderia Corsa

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585 × 313May 18, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – Looking to continue with the momentum of their strong results at the previous Pirelli World Challenge round at Barber Motorsports Park, Scuderia Corsa drivers Duncan Ende and Martin Fuentes arrived at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario looking for equally strong results in this past weekend’s doubleheader event.

Battling throughout Saturday’s race on the hard-to-pass CTMP circuit, Ende would finish in thirteenth position. In Sunday’s race, he improved to finish in eleventh position in GT after gaining positions on a restart.

“I was aiming for a bit more heading into this weekend, but ultimately I think we wound up more or less where we belonged,” said Ende. “We struggled with balance in Saturday’s race and the car fell off in race two. I was being held up by a competitor a fair bit early on in race two, but once the car and tires went away they drove off, fair and square. On the bright side, there isn’t a scratch on the car – which is a nice change!”

Fuentes, who entered the weekend as the championship leader in the GT-A category, qualified for Saturday’s race in fourth position in that class and finished Saturday’s race in that same position after battling for a podium position throughout the race. In Sunday’s race, Fuentes battled to the third position in GT-A but finished in fifth position.
“It was a very complicated weekend for me and the Scuderia Corsa team,” said Fuentes. “We didn’t find the speed we needed, and this track is one of the most difficult tracks to pass someone. So I had to push the tires very hard in the second race which cost me two spots at the end of the race. Now, we will have to focus and get that first place in the championship back.”

Despite both of the drivers hoping for better results, technical directorRoberto Amorosi was pleased with the performance of both drivers in Canada.
“Canadian Tire Motorsports Park is a very technical, high-speed track where even a small mistake can cost the drivers much,” said Amorosi. “Martin and Duncan drove a flawless race and acquired important points for the championship. We are looking forward to the street circuit in Detroit for which Scuderia Corsa is very well prepared thanks to our driver’s great performance in Long Beach!”582 × 312

During Sunday’s World Challenge race, Scuderia Corsa TUDOR United SportsCar Championship driver Townsend Bell qualified for the Indianapolis 500 in 26th position with a speed of 223.447 mph.

Scuderia Corsa’s World Challenge drivers will be competing again in two weeks’ time in a doubleheader at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix in Detroit, Michigan on May 29-31.
Team Sponsors:
Ferrari Beverly Hills / Los Angeles / Silicon Valley  / South Bay - North America’s premiere Ferrari dealership group specializing in new and pre-owned sales, Classiche designation work, collision repair and factory trained service and original parts.  Robert Graham – with its retail presence in more than a dozen countries around the world including New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Dusseldorf, Robert Graham is ‘American Eclectic.’ Since its launch in 2001, it introduces sophisticated, eclectic style to the fashion market as an American-based company with an intention of inspiring a global movement and includes four menswear and women’s wear collections a year—spring, pre-fall, fall and resort. Royal Purple – Royal Purple manufactures high performance lubricants for most automotive, industrial, marine, motorcycle and racing applications. The Houston, TX based company is considered the best synthetic oil by many end users and its synthetic oil and synthetic lubricants are formulated to maximize performance in real world applications. Kaspersky – Kaspersky Lab is the world’s largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection solutions. The company is ranked among the world’s top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users1. Throughout its more than 17-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for large enterprises, SMBs and consumers. With its holding company registered in the United Kingdom, Kaspersky Lab operates in almost 200 countries and territories, providing protection for over 400 million users worldwide.

Ferrari Palm Beach – Providing the exclusive Palm Beach market with a premium inventory of new and pre-owned Ferraris, state-of-the-art facilities and technicians for expert maintenance and repair. Wide World Ferrari – Located in Spring Valley, New York, offering Ferrari customers a premium selection of new and pre-owned Ferraris, expert authorized service and exclusive Ferrari certified body repair.Hublot – A champion of innovation, Hublot revolutionized the watch industry with the introduction of the Big Bang, a multiple award winning timepiece created using a combination of precious metals with rubber. Since then, the Swiss brand has become universally known for the concept, “Art of Fusion.” From in-house watch complications to world-class collaborations such as Ferrari and the Los Angeles Lakers, Hublot is constantly evolving and looking to the future. Passtime - Is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of wireless GPS telematics devices for the global automotive industry in the vehicle finance and fleet transportation sectors offering a web-based software portal with a complete end-to-end software solution designed specifically for the automotive industry.  Ultratech - A pioneer of laser processing, Ultratech designs, manufactures and markets photolithography and laser processing equipment.
Technical Suppliers

Motegi Racing – through technical partnerships with leading professional racing teams, Motegi Racing Competition and High Performance Tuning wheels are designed and engineered for performance. Motegi Racing is a Wheel Pros brand. Wheel Pros products are sold worldwide in more than 20 countries on four continents and through a U.S. network of more than 10,000 active dealers.  Sabelt – leading manufacturer of seat belts and safety harnesses for production and racings cars, race suits, shoes and helmets, carbon seats for automobiles and child restraint systems worldwide. AllState – Allstate Roadside Services strives to provide the industry’s best roadside experience for our partners, their customers and our service providers.
 

Scuderia Corsa Looking For Repeat Victory in Detroit

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1000 × 667Three Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italias will arrive this week on Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan looking for victory in Saturday’s IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race as well as a pair of Pirelli World Challenge races.

Scuderia Corsa has a winning history on Belle Isle that they would like to continue, having captured the GT-Daytona class victory in last year’s TUDOR Championship race. Starting from seventh on the grid, the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia would end up winning the race due to strong driving and pit stop strategy.

This year, drivers Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell are currently second in the GT-Daytona drivers’ championship, one point out of the championship lead. Ferrari leads the GT-Daytona manufacturer’s championship while Scuderia Corsa is third in the team championship, and Saturday afternoon’s 100-minute race will provide them the opportunity to jump into the championship lead.

In the team’s World Challenge trailer, drivers Duncan Ende and Martin Fuentes are aiming to continue with the strong results that both have recently enjoyed. Ende recently scored his best finish of the season, 10th, at Barber Motorsports Park while Fuentes, who scored the GT-A class victory at Barber, is currently third in the GT-A championship standings a mere three points behind the championship leader. Both drivers will take part in a pair of 50-minute sprint races.

This weekend will mark the first time that Scuderia Corsa’s IMSA and World Challenge teams will compete alongside each other on the same weekend “It is going to be a very busy weekend for us,” said Giacomo Mattioli, Scuderia Corsa team owner. “Detroit is a very challenging circuit that is very bumpy and hard to pass on. Our victory here last year required everyone – the drivers and the crew – to be aggressive and to do a complete team effort. I think we’ll see the same kind of approach from our team again in Detroit in the TUDOR Championship race and I’m confident that Bill and Townsend will be battling for the win and continue their momentum in the championship.

“In the World Challenge races, I am looking forward to see Duncan and Martin compete this weekend. Martin is in a strong position in the championship, being only three points behind the GT-A class leader. Duncan had a really strong race at Long Beach, another street circuit, before he was taken out by another competitor. This could be a very strong weekend for our World Challenge drivers.”

Sweedler, Bell, and the rest of the Scuderia Corsa team will leave Detroit to take part in the LeMans Official Test. Sweedler and Bell will be joined by Jeff Segal at this year’s 24 Hours of LeMans as they compete in the no. 62 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia in the GT-Am class.

The 100-minute IMSA TUDOR Championship race in Detroit will go green on Saturday, May 30 and will be shown live on FOX Sports 2 at 12:00 PM ET and then rebroadcast at 2:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

The first race of the Pirelli World Challenge doubleheader will be shown on Saturday, May 30 at world-challengetv.com at 9:45 AM ET. The second race will be shown on Sunday, May 31 at 12:00 PM ET on CBS Sports Network and streamed live on world-challengetv.com.

Scuderia Corsa 24 Hours of Le Mans Update – Hour Eight

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4271 × 2848The waving of the French tricolour on Saturday afternoon marked not only the start of the 83rd 24 Hours of Le Mans, but also the culmination of season’s worth of planning for Scuderia Corsa. The no. 62 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia, driven by Jeff Segal, started the race in ninth position in the GT-Am class.

Segal deftly moved the Ferrari to sixth position before handing the car over to Bill Sweedler, who then turned it over to Townsend Bell after two trouble free stints. The trio of drivers, the only All- American drivers lineup in the GT-Am class and one of only two in the race, are rookies competing in their first 24 Hours of Le Mans.

As the race approached the completion of the eighth hour, Segal was back behind the wheel running in fifth position in GT-Am class.

Jeff Segal
Really, I’m relieved to get my first stint over with. There is a lot of pressure in the build up to this race, it’s a three week endeavor in addition to many months, and years, of planning. But finally, once the race began, I found that the Ferrari was really good and we were able to find a lot of pace, which was nice because we didn4920 × 3280’t have a lot of practice in good conditions. So, it’s nice to see that the car is fast and competitive and nice to drive. We are seeing already that other cars are having problems, so we need to stay out of trouble and keep doing what we are doing which is running quick, not taking too many chances, taking a position here and there when we can. The traffic is incredible. The LMP1 cars are so fast and you get passed by five or six of them and it can get really, really difficult at night. I guess for now I am enjoying the ease of daylight.

Bill Sweedler
From the start on, this is a pretty special place. You can see with all the fans, the support, the factories that are here and the history it is pretty amazing to get out there and literally be dicing it amongst all of the best teams in the world. It is exciting, really, and I can’t wait to get back in the Ferrari and think about where I can improve and how I can make myself better. Fingers will be crossed for 24 hours.

After driving in the ALMS and now the TUDOR Championship, it kind of prepares you for the traffic – Sebring is as difficult as it gets. Clearly the LMP1 cars are very fast, so once you see them in your mirror you know they are going to get by you pretty quickly. The LMP2 cars are a little more difficult, but the LMP1 cars go right by you.

Townsend Bell
I was pretty relaxed for the start of the race, just because we’ve done a couple of 24 hour races at Daytona and I’ve gotten used to that. But then I got out there, had a conservative approach, and I think halfway through the first stint I really started racing pretty hard and I had to calm myself down and remind myself that it’s a long race. I tried to focus on the balance of the Ferrari and giving good feedback so we can make the car as strong as we can for the end of the race. The balance is good, and we are learning the temperature and pressure that the tires like and that will be the biggest factor at the end of the race.

Scuderia Corsa 24 Hours of Le Mans Update – Hour 16

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4920 × 3280
Color has returned to the sky above the Circuit de la Sarthe, and as the 83rd 24 Hours of Le Mans neared its final hours, the no. 62 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia continued to contend for a podium position in the GT-Am class.

Bill Sweedler, Townsend Bell and Jeff Segal cycled through the Ferrari as the race went from daylight, to dusk, to midnight, and then through sunrise. While the Ferrari ran as high as third position during the night, when Bell got back behind the wheel at 7:02 AM local time the Ferrari was fourth but closing on the final podium position.

The rookies at Le Mans – both the Scuderia Corsa team as well as it’s all-American driver line up - have enjoyed a relatively trouble-free run through sixteen hours of competition as the top five cars in class are separated by a mere two laps.

4248 × 2832Jeff Segal
It was good. The car seems like it came alive. In the beginning of the race we struggled a little bit with an imbalance in the handling, but our pace was okay, and then in these conditions with these tires it was definitely better. There were some tricky conditions – we had some safety car, some slow zones, and some accidents that left debris all over the racetrack so at this point in the race it is very much about survival. You come around a corner and the exit is covered in gravel and you had no notice, so you have to be smart and be fast. It seems like one by one people are starting to have problems and it’s our job not to be one of those.

Townsend Bell
I just applied what I learned from the first stint and I think the average pace improved a little bit. I am still learning the tires and the tire wear and just learning what to anticipate but I feel like I’m getting to learn the track pretty well now. I keep learning from other cars around me – an inch here, and inch there – so it’s starting to feel pretty comfortable. But we got up to third and there’s a long ways to go so we’ll try to hang on.  4928 × 3280

Bill Sweedler
Le Mans is a magical place! I drove into the dark last night, and then I drove into the light today. It’s a pretty magic time, both of them.  We are pinching ourselves, still running within the top four in GT-Am, and there’s about ten hours to go. We have a Petit Le Mans left to run, and let’s see what happens!

Scuderia Corsa Charges To The Podium in Le Mans Debut

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4920 × 3280

Never give up. This was Scuderia Corsa motto leading the Team to the podium at the World Famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.

After 24 hours of racing, 330 laps of the Circuit de la Sarthe and 25 pit stops, the no. 62 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia took the checkered flag and claimed the final spot on the podium in the GT-Am class in the 83rd 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The run to the Le Mans podium was anything but trouble-free, especially in the final six hours. The team was slowed by a broker starter and, while fighting locked in battle for the final podium position, an overheating engine. Bell was locked into an exciting 40 minutes heavily broadcasted duel and only the engine concern made him backed off.

4778 × 3185“Normally I should be speechless, but I’m not right now,” said Bill Sweedler. “When Townsend and I won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2012 we joked with each other and said ‘wouldn’t it be amazing to eventually compete at Le Mans?’ And the fact that we got here, and we had a shot – we had a real shot – at winning is incredible. For Scuderia Corsa, Michelotto, all of our sponsors, we couldn’t have asked for more other than a win, but a podium at Le Mans is a special event. And, it gives us a reason to come back to Le Mans and shoot for the top step. And I’ve got to thank the crew, the team, and especially Jeff and Townsend. And my family for coming out to cheer us on – they were my true lucky charms.”

4920 × 3280Bell scored his first Le Mans podium mere weeks after competing in the Indianapolis 500. "It’s a great day for us,” said Bell. “There were so many obstacles in this race for us. So many times I thought that we were done because of penalties or mechanical issues but we never gave up and we never stopped believing that we could get here. The team deserves a huge congratulations. I mean, this is not only our first time here as drivers but our first time as a team coming together in this way and it’s pretty special to do that with a first time group. One thing I learned a long time ago is that the result can never be taken from you. We achieved it together, and it’s a special bond with those people forever".

“Ultimately it was a beautiful race,” said Segal. “All of us were rookies, and for the team it was their first time at Le Mans, so there was a lot for everybody to learn. We had a tremendously difficult task in front of us to end up on the podium at the most difficult sports car race in the world against the best competition in the world. It’s unbelievable. And to think that when we look at third place and we could have had more, it makes it even better. I think we are all hungry for more, and we are already thinking about next year but maybe for a short while we will enjoy our podium and smile a bit.”

4271 × 2848Scuderia Corsa’s result adds another chapter to the long history of success for American Ferrari entrants at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and provides a foundation which the team hopes to build on in future editions of the race.

"What a fantastic feeling", said Giacomo Mattioli, co-owner of Scuderia Corsa "I'd like to thank Bill for the trust that he put on Scuderia Corsa. IMSA for their endorsement, Ferrari Corse Clienti, Michelotto, Kessel and Michelin for their support. Team did a stellar job and never gave up. I am proud of the international racing platform that Scuderia Corsa has developed.”

“It was a great weekend for Scuderia Corsa,” said Art Zafiropoulo, Team co-owner. “We have a podium and it's remarkable to accomplish such a strong finish in Le Mans. So happy for Bill, Townsend and Jeff, what a great debut! We are looking forward to future races at Le Mans!"

Scuderia Corsa’s next event will be the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s Sahlen’s Six Hours at the Glen on June 26-28 at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York. The event will also be the third round of the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup, in which Scuderia Corsa is currently second in the GT-Daytona class.

Watkins Glen Finish Moves Bell and Sweedler up in Championship Standings

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After a month-long rebuild of the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia, drivers Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell rewarded the team’s effort with a fourth-place finish in Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. The Six Hours was not only the fifth round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s GT-Daytona class, but also the third event of the Patron North American Endurance Cup.

The race, which featured multiple caution periods and one red flag period, turned into an extra challenge for the drivers, crew, and engineers of Scuderia Corsa as the changing conditions forced extra pit stops to change from dry tires, to wet tires, and back to dry tires. The fourth-place finish moved Sweedler and Bell to third in the GT-Daytona driver’s championship and strengthened their hold on second place in the Patron North American Endurance Cup driver’s championship. Ferrari is second in the TUDOR Championship and NAEC’s GT-Daytona manufacturer standings, and Scuderia Corsa is second in the NAEC’s GT-Daytona team championship.

Sweedler, who started the race in conditions that quickly changed as rain began to fall as the green flag was waved, battled for position throughout his two stints behind the wheel of the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari.

1000 × 667“We made a gamble today with the strategy, and with how things played out, it didn’t quite work for us,” said Sweedler. “We knew there would be a lot of rain but the red flag period ended up working against us. That was one of the most challenging races I have ever done. Being out there in the mixed conditions – when the track is changing because the rain is falling or the line is drying each lap – was already a big challenge but I was also out there on slicks. It was tough for the guys but the executed really, really well and the car was very good in the rain.”

Bell guided the car throughout the final two hours which featured the heaviest rain of the race. As the race resumed following the red flag period, Bell moved the Ferrari from eighth position up to fourth by the time the checkered flag fell.

“For a variety of reasons, this was an incredibly difficult race,” said Bell. “But I think we made the most with what we had, and all things considered, we ended up with a good finish and a good amount of points. The track was changing throughout the entire six hours, and we were fighting all the time to stay on the dry line with traffic coming because there was so little grip off-line. One of the mirrors had been hit so I had to rely on the rear-facing camera quite a bit, which was interesting! And as if Watkins Glen wasn’t a challenge already, it was especially challenging in the rain. I’m glad we brought the car back without a scratch and we will focus on the next race at Lime Rock Park.”

At the Pirelli World Challenge race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Martin Fuentes in the no. 07 Scuderia Corsa / Hublot Ferrari 458 Italia and Duncan Ende in the no. 64 Scuderia Corsa / Lino’spresso battled amongst the 30 car field in the GT and GT-A race. Ende’s highlight on the weekend was his 9th place finish in the GT class in Friday’s race, while Fuentes brought his Ferrari to the checkered in Sunday’s race in fourth position in GT-A.

1000 × 668“The takeaway for us from Watkins Glen is that, even though didn’t have the best day, we were able to bring home a good result,” said Giacomo Mattioli, owner of Scuderia Corsa. “With the constantly changing conditions it was very difficult for the drivers to have to stay on a track that was not dry with the slick tires. And the crew had to deliver perfect pit stops to keep us in a position to capitalize in the final hour, which has enabled us to gain ground in championship and remain in contention.

“It was a busy weekend for our team in the Pirelli World Challenge race in Road America, with three races. It was very satisfying to see Martin have another strong points weekend in the GT-A class and for Duncan to be very fast all weekend but, unfortunately, they seemed to be lacking a little bit of luck. We’ll be very focused on giving them a strong pair of Ferrari 458 Italias for the next PWC race.”

The next TUDOR Championship race for the GT-Daytona class will be the Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut on July 24-25. The Pirelli World Challenge team will compete next at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 31 – August 2.

Ferrari Brings Maranello to Monterey Car Week

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 Ferrari will debut "Casa Ferrari Carmel" during California's Monterey Car Week and Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance from Wednesday August 12th to Sunday August 16th.
Injecting Maranello flavor and history into Monterey Car Week, Casa Ferrari Carmel will mark the epicenter of the Prancing Horse for the long weekend. Situated perfectly in the Carmel Highlands on Route 1, Casa Ferrari, will strike a chord for Ferraristi familiar with Enzo Ferrari's historic home at the Fiorano test circuit.

 Featured will be:
  • The full range of modern Ferraris including the brand-new 488 GTB, the stunning F12berlinetta, and the FF and California T Grand Tourers.
  • The Piazza which features a different iconic model from Ferrari's extensive history for public viewing each day.
  • The Pit Stop which offers a vintage full-service gas station with retro-uniformed attendants.
  • The Ferrari General Store where select Ferrari merchandise will be available.
  • Casa Enzo and Caffé Ferrari, where Ferrari owners are invited to enjoy espresso by Bologna-based Filicori Zecchini, and an Italian gelato by Grom.
  • California T ride and drives available on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
Casa Ferrari Carmel will be open from 9am-6pm Wednesday, August 12, to Sunday, August 16.

Casa Ferrari Carmel
70 CA-1
Carmel Highlands, CA 93923

Scuderia Corsa Storms To Victory in Virginia, Podiums in Utah

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•    Great victory propels Sweedler and Bell in IMSA Championship, now second
•    Fuentes drives his Ferrari to a pair of Pirelli World Challenge podiums

666 × 1000August 23, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – From the drop of the green until the drop of the checkered, the Oak Tree Grand Prix weekend belonged to Scuderia Corsa as drivers Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell drove the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia to a runaway victory in Sunday’s race at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Starting from third position, Sweedler executed a pair of daring passes – including one at the start – to move the Ferrari into the GT-Daytona class lead. Flawless pit stops by the Scuderia Corsa crew, and inch-perfect driving by Bell kept the Ferrari up front for the duration of the race. The victory means that the team has closed the gap in the GT-Daytona team championship as Scuderia Corsa now sits in second position. Bell and Sweedler are now also in second position in the driver’s championship, having also narrowed the gap to the leader, and are coming on strong just as the TUDOR Championship season heads into the final couple of races.

“What a great race,” said Sweedler. “The Scuderia Corsa guys did a flawless job. The drivers, crew, engineer, strategy were all flawless. We have been working hard for this, and frankly, this victory coming towards the end of the year with us in the championship hunt. We knew that if we were unable to put good points on the board, or win, at VIR that our chances for the championship were slipping away. So our focus was to make no mistakes, and it’s worked out perfectly for us.”

The championship was also on the mind of his teammate, as Bell defending the lead in the early part of his stint from one of the other GT-Daytona championship contenders.1000 × 668

“We’re coming for that championship,” said Bell. “It was nice to finally have a venue where we could show what the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari is capable of. The Ferrari was perfect all day. And what a job that my teammate Bill Sweedler did! He drove the Ferrari to the lead and then the pressure was on me to keep it there. We had a good battle with the 48, but then we settled down and we were able to pull out a gap. I’m so happy for the guys – we’ve had some good results but they really deserve this victory.”

Sweedler and Bell would not be the only Scuderia Corsa drivers to spray champagne this weekend. While the Oak Tree Grand Prix was in the closing stages, Scuderia Corsa driver Martin Fuentes was standing on the GT-A podium after Sunday’s Pirelli World Challenge race at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. Fuentes, driving the no. 07 Scuderia Corsa / HUBLOT Ferrari 458 Italia, also finished second in Saturday’s PWC race. Both results strengthen his position in the GT-A class championship. Duncan Ende, driving the no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia, finished 13th in the GT class in Saturday’s race and 14th in Sunday’s.

“It was a good weekend for me and for Scuderia Corsa with a strong finish in both races,” said Fuentes. “We are shortening the gap between us and the points leaders and I’m looking forward to the next race. This might not have been the best circuit for the Ferrari, but we were able to get some strong points and we are looking forward to the last two races of the season. It was a great job by the Scuderia Corsa team, this championship won’t be over until the last battle in Laguna Seca!”

1000 × 668It was a strong weekend for the team in both championships, and team owner Giacomo Mattioli was thrilled to celebrate the team’s performance.
“What an amazing feeling for Scuderia Corsa this weekend,” said Mattioli. “This was a perfect race for our team. Bill drove an amazing race, it was a really good feeling to see him take the lead. The guys in the pits executed perfectly. Townsend did a very solid job as Iceman to close the race. Today we seized the opportunity that we had. This is what a championship caliber team does and this is what we did. I couldn't be more proud of my guys. For a while, I had one eye on the track and another one on the race from Miller Motorsports Park where Martin scored two great podiums and is right there in the GT-A championship contention as well.”

Fuentes and Ende will be back in their Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italias this weekend as the Pirelli World Challenge hosts a doubleheader at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California. The next round of the TUDOR Championship will be the Lone Star LeMans at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas on September 17-19.
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About Scuderia Corsa
2015 24Hours of Le Mans Podium and 2013 Grand-AM Rolex GT championship-winning team Scuderia Corsa was founded in 2011 by Giacomo Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo.  The team was created for the sole purpose of supporting the racing needs of Ferrari clients and includes turnkey programs, GT endurance racing, the North American Ferrari Challenge Series and track events.  Giacomo Mattioli is the owner of Ferrari Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and South Bay and partner in Ferrari Maserati Silicon Valley with Art Zafiropoulo.
Follow Scuderia Corsa on Twitter @Scuderia_Corsa, on Facebook at Scuderia Corsa, Instagram at  #Scuderiacorsaferrari and ScuderiaCorsa.com
Team Sponsors:
Ferrari Beverly Hills / Los Angeles / Silicon Valley  / South Bay - North America's premiere Ferrari dealership group specializing in new and pre-owned sales, Classiche designation work, collision repair and factory trained service and original parts.  Robert Graham – with its retail presence in more than a dozen countries around the world including New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Dusseldorf, Robert Graham is ‘American Eclectic.’ Since its launch in 2001, it introduces sophisticated, eclectic style to the fashion market as an American-based company with an intention of inspiring a global movement and includes four menswear and women’s wear collections a year—spring, pre-fall, fall and resort. Royal Purple - Royal Purple manufactures high performance lubricants for most automotive, industrial, marine, motorcycle and racing applications. The Houston, TX based company is considered the best synthetic oil by many end users and its synthetic oil and synthetic lubricants are formulated to maximize performance in real world applications. Kaspersky - Kaspersky Lab is the world’s largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection solutions. The company is ranked among the world’s top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users1. Throughout its more than 17-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for large enterprises, SMBs and consumers. With its holding company registered in the United Kingdom, Kaspersky Lab operates in almost 200 countries and territories, providing protection for over 400 million users worldwide.
Ferrari Palm Beach - Providing the exclusive Palm Beach market with a premium inventory of new and pre-owned Ferraris, state-of-the-art facilities and technicians for expert maintenance and repair. Wide World Ferrari - Located in Spring Valley, New York, offering Ferrari customers a premium selection of new and pre-owned Ferraris, expert authorized service and exclusive Ferrari certified body repair. Hublot - A champion of innovation, Hublot revolutionized the watch industry with the introduction of the Big Bang, a multiple award winning timepiece created using a combination of precious metals with rubber. Since then, the Swiss brand has become universally known for the concept, “Art of Fusion.” From in-house watch complications to world-class collaborations such as Ferrari and the Los Angeles Lakers, Hublot is constantly evolving and looking to the future. Passtime - Is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of wireless GPS telematics devices for the global automotive industry in the vehicle finance and fleet transportation sectors offering a web-based software portal with a complete end-to-end software solution designed specifically for the automotive industry.  Ultratech - A pioneer of laser processing, Ultratech designs, manufactures and markets photolithography and laser processing equipment.

Technical Suppliers
Motegi Racing - through technical partnerships with leading professional racing teams, Motegi Racing Competition and High Performance Tuning wheels are designed and engineered for performance. Motegi Racing is a Wheel Pros brand. Wheel Pros products are sold worldwide in more than 20 countries on four continents and through a U.S. network of more than 10,000 active dealers.  Sabelt - leading manufacturer of seat belts and safety harnesses for production and racings cars, race suits, shoes and helmets, carbon seats for automobiles and child restraint systems worldwide. AllState - Allstate Roadside Services strives to provide the industry's best roadside experience for our partners, their customers and our service providers.

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