AF Corse is an Italian auto racing team founded by former racing driver Amato Ferrari in 1995 in Piacenza. Strongly linked to the Maserati and Ferrari brands, AF Corse currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship, GT World Challenge Europe, European Le Mans Series, Asian Le Mans Series, DTM, and International GT Open, and are four-time champions of the GT2 class of the former FIA GT Championship.[1] The team has also entered cars under Advanced Engineering, AT Racing, PeCom Racing, Spirit of Race, Formula Racing, 8Star Motorsports and MR Racing, and in association with Michael Waltrip Racing (AF Waltrip).

Italy AF Corse
Founded1995
Team principal(s)Amato Ferrari
Current seriesFIA World Endurance Championship
GT World Challenge Europe
European Le Mans Series
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
Asian Le Mans Series
International GT Open
British GT Championship
DTM
Former seriesItalian Superturismo Championship
FIA GT Championship
FIA GT1 World Championship
World Series Formula V8 3.5 (as Spirit of Race/SMP Racing)
Current driversFIA World Endurance Championship

Hypercar
50.
Italy Antonio Fuoco
Spain Miguel Molina
Denmark Nicklas Nielsen
51.
United Kingdom James Calado
Italy Antonio Giovinazzi
Italy Alessandro Pier Guidi
83.
Poland Robert Kubica
Israel Robert Shwartzman
China Yifei Ye

LMGT3
54.
Italy Francesco Castellacci
Switzerland Thomas Flohr
Italy Davide Rigon
55.
France François Heriau
United States Simon Mann
Italy Alessio Rovera
Teams'
Championships
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 FIA GT2, 2011 ILMC LM GTE-Pro, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 FIA WEC GTE-Pro, 2020 GTWC Endurance, 2021 DTM
Drivers'
Championships
2006, 2007, 2008 FIA GT2, 2011 FIA GT3, 2013, 2014, 2017 FIA WEC GTE-Pro, 2020 GTWC Endurance, 2021 DTM

History edit

In 1995, Amato Ferrari (no relation to the family of Enzo Ferrari and his Ferrari car company) retired from driving and chose to concentrate on team management, initially entering the Italian Superturismo Championship. Following the series' demise in 1999, Ferrari launched a new team known as AF Corse (in English, "AF Racing"), named for his initials. The team turned to sports car racing, and within a year was contracted by Maserati. AF Corse was tasked with the development, maintenance, and transport of the Trofeo Cup, a one-make series based on the Maserati Coupé. The company would continue in this position until 2005.

During 2004, Maserati approached AF Corse about running their latest development in sports car racing: the new Maserati MC12 for the international FIA GT Championship. The team aided Maserati in testing and developing the car before running the two new racers in their home event at Imola. Drivers Fabrizio de Simone, Andrea Bertolini, Mika Salo, and Johnny Herbert were all assigned to the team, eventually earning AF Corse two victories before the season ended.[2] Once the development of the MC12 was satisfied, the company returned to running the Trofeo Cup, as well as running a Maserati Light in the 2005 Italian GT Championship.

 
One of AF Corse's Ferrari F430 GT2s.

AF Corse returned to the FIA GT Championship in 2006. This time however they would be running the latest Ferrari offering, the Ferrari F430, as well as competing in the series' lower category, the GT2 class. Salo was retained in the driving line-up, while newcomers Rui Águas, Jaime Melo, and Matteo Bobbi completed the standard line-up. Victory was earned in the team's debut at Silverstone, and another two were earned over the season, including at the Spa 24 Hours. AF Corse won the class championship, beating fellow Ferrari competitor Scuderia Ecosse.[3] The company retained their connection to Maserati however, entering a trio of cars in the new FIA GT3 European Championship.

As defending champions, AF Corse remained in the FIA GT Championship in 2007, although much on the team changed. While the Ferrari F430s remained, all new drivers were introduced to the team. Dirk Müller, Toni Vilander, Gianmaria Bruni, and Stephane Ortelli took over driving duties for the season, while Motorola announced their full sponsorship of the squad. The two cars dominated the 2007 season, winning nine of the ten events on the schedule and wrapping up another championship.[1]

For 2008, AF Corse expanded to a three car team in the GT2 class. Vilander and Bruni are retained in the lead car, while Biagi returns to the squad to be joined by Christian Montanari in the second entry. The third car will be run under the Advanced Engineering name, with Argentinian Matías Russo and Luís Pérez Companc.

 
AF Corse's Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 at Zhuhai International Circuit.

In 2010, the FIA GT Championship was dissolved and two new championships were born from it. The GT1 class of the former series became the FIA GT1 World Championship while the GT2 class formed the FIA GT2 European Championship. The GT2 series was suspended due to lack of entries. As a result, the AF Corse team joined the Le Mans Series. For the 2010 season, the team fielded three Ferrari F430 GT2s for the series' GT2 class. Drivers Matías Russo and Luís Pérez Companc campaigned the #94 Ferrari with Toni Vilander and former Grand Prix drivers Jean Alesi and Giancarlo Fisichella in the #95. ALMS regulars, with the Risi Competizione team, Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni drove the Ferrari #96.

In 2011 AF Corse entered the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup with brand new Ferrari 458 Italia GT2s as well as the FIA GT3 European Championship with Ferrari 458 Italia GT3s. AF Corse won the ILMC in the GTE-Pro category, including the final round at Petit Le Mans. It also won the FIA GT3 driver's championship with Francisco Catellaci and Federico Leo.

The team also joined the International GT Open for the 2010 season in the Super GT class, which is largely reminiscent of the GT2 rules in the Le Mans Series. The team fields two Ferrari GT2 cars for drivers Jack Gerber & Rui Águas in the #6 car and Pierre Kaffer and Álvaro Barba in the #8 Ferrari. AF Corse will also field a third Ferrari (#7) for the AT Racing team with drivers Alexander Talkanitsa and his son Alexander Talkanitsa Jr.

For 2012, AF Corse competed in a variety of sports car championships throughout Europe and globally, including the FIA World Endurance Championship and GT1 World Championship with Ferrari F458 Italia GT2s and Ferrari F458 Italia GT3s, including a co-branded for GTE-Am class car with Michael Waltrip Racing, AF Waltrip. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, amateur driver Piergiuseppe Perazzini collided with the No. 8 Toyota driven by overall-contender Anthony Davidson, sending the Toyota airborne at the Mulsanne Corner. Perazzini's Ferrari also flipped and landed on its roof after hitting the tyre barrier. Davidson suffered two broken vertebrae in the crash but was able to pull himself from the car in the immediate aftermath of the accident - though of course he was forced to abandon the race.[4] The AF Corse #51 car driven by Gianmaria Bruni, Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander won the GTE Pro race beating Corvette, Porsche and Aston Martin.

Results edit

24 Hours of Le Mans edit

Year Entrant No. Car Drivers Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2007   AF Corse
  Aucott Racing
78 Ferrari F430 GT2   Joe Macari
  Ben Aucott
  Adrian Newey
GT2 308 22nd 4th
2008   AF Corse 78 Ferrari F430 GT2   Thomas Biagi
  Toni Vilander
  Christian Montanari
GT2 111 DNF DNF
2009   AF Corse 78 Ferrari F430 GT2   Gianmaria Bruni
  Luis Pérez Companc
  Matías Russo
GT2 317 26th 6th
2010   AF Corse SRL 95 Ferrari F430 GT2   Giancarlo Fisichella
  Jean Alesi
  Toni Vilander
LMGT2 323 16th 4th
96   Luis Pérez Companc
  Matías Russo
  Mika Salo
LMGT2 - DNS DNS
2011   PeCom Racing 49 Lola B11/40   Luis Pérez Companc
  Matías Russo
  Pierre Kaffer
LMP2 139 DNF DNF
  AF Corse SRL 51 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2   Giancarlo Fisichella
  Gianmaria Bruni
  Toni Vilander
LMGTE Pro 314 13th 2nd
61 Ferrari F430 GTE   Piergiuseppe Perazzini
  Marco Cioci
  Seán Paul Breslin
LMGTE Am 188 DNF DNF
  AF Corse 71 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2   Robert Kauffman
  Michael Waltrip
  Rui Águas
LMGTE Pro 178 DNF DNF
2012   PeCom Racing 49 Oreca 03   Luis Pérez Companc
  Pierre Kaffer
  Soheil Ayari
LMP2 352 9th 3rd
  AF Corse 51 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2   Giancarlo Fisichella
  Gianmaria Bruni
  Toni Vilander
LMGTE Pro 336 17th 1st
71   Andrea Bertolini
  Olivier Beretta
  Marco Cioci
LMGTE Pro 326 22nd 4th
81   Piergiuseppe Perazzini
  Niki Cadei
  Matt Griffin
LMGTE Am 70 DNF DNF
  AF Corse-Waltrip 61   Robert Kauffman
  Brian Vickers
  Rui Águas
LMGTE Am 294 31st 6th
2013   PeCom Racing 49 Oreca 03   Luis Pérez Companc
  Pierre Kaffer
  Nicolas Minassian
LMP2 325 10th 4th
  AF Corse 51 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2   Giancarlo Fisichella
  Gianmaria Bruni
  Matteo Malucelli
LMGTE Pro 311 21st 5th
54   Yannick Mallégol
  Jean-Marc Bachelier
  Howard Blank
LMGTE Am 147 DNF DNF
55   Piergiuseppe Perazzini
  Lorenzo Casè
  Darryl O'Young
LMGTE Am 305 26th 2nd
61   Jack Gerber
  Matt Griffin
  Marco Cioci
LMGTE Am 305 27th 3rd
71   Olivier Beretta
  Kamui Kobayashi
  Toni Vilander
LMGTE Pro 312 20th 4th
2014   SMP Racing 27 Oreca 03R   Sergey Zlobin
  Anton Ladygin
  Mika Salo
LMP2 303 37th 12th
37   Kirill Ladygin
  Maurizio Mediani
  Nicolas Minassian
LMP2 9 DNF DNF
72 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2   Andrea Bertolini
  Viktor Shaytar
  Aleksey Basov
LMGTE Am 196 DNF DNF
  AF Corse 51   Gianmaria Bruni
  Giancarlo Fisichella
  Toni Vilander
LMGTE Pro 339 15th 1st
60   Peter Ashley Mann
  Lorenzo Casè
  Raffaele Giammaria
LMGTE Am 115 DNF DNF
61   Luis Pérez Companc
  Marco Cioci
  Mirko Venturi
LMGTE Am 331 22nd 3rd
62   Yannick Mallégol
  Jean-Marc Bachelier
  Howard Blank
LMGTE Am 295 38th 14th
71   Davide Rigon
  Pierre Kaffer
  Olivier Beretta
LMGTE Pro 28 DNF DNF
81   Stephen Wyatt
  Michele Rugolo
  Sam Bird
LMGTE Am 22 DNF DNF
2015   AF Corse 51 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2   Gianmaria Bruni
  Giancarlo Fisichella
  Toni Vilander
LMGTE Pro 330 25th 3rd
55   Duncan Cameron
  Alex Mortimer
  Matt Griffin
LMGTE Am 241 DNF DNF
61   Peter Ashley Mann
  Raffaele Giammaria
  Matteo Cressoni
LMGTE Am 326 31st 5th
71   Davide Rigon
  James Calado
  Olivier Beretta
LMGTE Pro 332 21st 2nd
83   François Perrodo
  Emmanuel Collard
  Rui Águas
LMGTE Am 330 26th 4th
  SMP Racing 72   Viktor Shaytar
  Aleksey Basov
  Andrea Bertolini
LMGTE Am 332 20th 1st
2016   AF Corse 51 Ferrari 488 GTE   Gianmaria Bruni
  Alessandro Pier Guidi
  James Calado
LMGTE Pro 179 DNF DNF
71   Davide Rigon
  Andrea Bertolini
  Sam Bird
LMGTE Pro 143 DNF DNF
55 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2   Duncan Cameron
  Aaron Scott
  Matt Griffin
LMGTE Am 289 43rd 11th
83   François Perrodo
  Emmanuel Collard
  Rui Águas
LMGTE Am 331 27th 2nd
  Formula Racing 60   Johnny Laursen
  Christina Nielsen
  Mikkel Mac
LMGTE Am 319 35th 6th
2017   AF Corse 51 Ferrari 488 GTE   James Calado
  Alessandro Pier Guidi
  Michele Rugolo
LMGTE Pro 312 46th 11th
71   Davide Rigon
  Sam Bird
  Miguel Molina
LMGTE Pro 339 21st 5th
  Spirit of Race 54   Thomas Flohr
  Francesco Castellacci
  Olivier Beretta
LMGTE Am 326 41st 12th
55   Duncan Cameron
  Aaron Scott
  Marco Cioci
LMGTE Am 331 28th 2nd
  Clearwater Racing 60   Richard Wee
  Álvaro Parente
  Hiroki Katoh
LMGTE Am 327 40th 11th
61   Weng Sun Mok
  Keita Sawa
  Matt Griffin
LMGTE Am 330 31st 5th
  DH Racing 83   Tracy Krohn
  Niclas Jönsson
  Andrea Bertolini
LMGTE Am 320 42nd 13th
2018   AF Corse 51 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo   James Calado
  Alessandro Pier Guidi
  Daniel Serra
LMGTE Pro 339 22nd 7th
52   Toni Vilander
  Pipo Derani
  Antonio Giovinazzi
LMGTE Pro 341 20th 5th
71   Davide Rigon
  Sam Bird
  Miguel Molina
LMGTE Pro 338 24th 9th
  Spirit of Race 54 Ferrari 488 GTE   Thomas Flohr
  Francesco Castellacci
  Giancarlo Fisichella
LMGTE Am 335 26th 2nd
  Clearwater Racing 61   Matt Griffin
  Weng Sun Mok
  Keita Sawa
LMGTE Am 332 35th 8th
  MR Racing 70   Olivier Beretta
  Eddie Cheever III
  Motoaki Ishikawa
LMGTE Am 324 38th 9th
2019   AF Corse 51 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo   James Calado
  Alessandro Pier Guidi
  Daniel Serra
LMGTE Pro 342 20th 1st
71   Davide Rigon
  Sam Bird
  Miguel Molina
LMGTE Pro 140 DNF DNF
  Spirit of Race 54 Ferrari 488 GTE   Thomas Flohr
  Francesco Castellacci
  Giancarlo Fisichella
LMGTE Am 327 43rd 12th
  Clearwater Racing 61   Matt Griffin
  Matteo Cressoni
  Luis Pérez Companc
LMGTE Am 331 37th 7th
  MR Racing 70   Olivier Beretta
  Eddie Cheever III
  Motoaki Ishikawa
LMGTE Am 328 41st 10th
2020   AF Corse 51 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo   James Calado
  Alessandro Pier Guidi
  Daniel Serra
LMGTE Pro 346 21st 2nd
52   Steffen Görig
  Christoph Ulrich
  Alexander West
LMGTE Am 80 DNF DNF
54   Francesco Castellacci
  Giancarlo Fisichella
  Thomas Flohr
LMGTE Am 330 39th 13th
71   Sam Bird
  Miguel Molina
  Davide Rigon
LMGTE Pro 340 NC NC
83   Emmanuel Collard
  Nicklas Nielsen
  François Perrodo
LMGTE Am 339 26th 3rd
  Spirit of Race 55   Duncan Cameron
  Matt Griffin
  Aaron Scott
LMGTE Am 78 DNF DNF
  MR Racing 70   Vincent Abril
  Kei Cozzolino
  Takeshi Kimura
LMGTE Am 172 DNF DNF
  Cetilar Racing[5] 47 Dallara P217   Andrea Belicchi
  Roberto Lacorte
  Giorgio Sernagiotto
LMP2 363 14th 10th
2021   AF Corse 51 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo   James Calado
  Alessandro Pier Guidi
  Côme Ledogar
LMGTE Pro 345 20th 1st
52   Sam Bird
  Miguel Molina
  Daniel Serra
LMGTE Pro 331 37th 5th
54   Francesco Castellacci
  Giancarlo Fisichella
  Thomas Flohr
LMGTE Am 329 39th 11th
83   François Perrodo
  Nicklas Nielsen
  Alessio Rovera
LMGTE Am 340 25th 1st
  Cetilar Racing 47   Antonio Fuoco
  Roberto Lacorte
  Giorgio Sernagiotto
LMGTE Am 90 DNF DNF
  Spirit of Race 55   Duncan Cameron
  Matthew Griffin
  David Perel
LMGTE Am 109 DNF DNF
2022   AF Corse 21 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo   Simon Mann
  Christoph Ulrich
  Toni Vilander
LMGTE Am 339 41st 8th
51   James Calado
  Alessandro Pier Guidi
  Daniel Serra
LMGTE Pro 350 29th 2nd
52   Miguel Molina
  Antonio Fuoco
  Davide Rigon
LMGTE Pro 349 30th 3rd
54   Nick Cassidy
  Francesco Castellacci
  Thomas Flohr
LMGTE Am 340 39th 6th
61   Louis Prette
  Conrad Grunewald
  Vincent Abril
LMGTE Am 339 42nd 9th
83 Oreca 07   François Perrodo
  Nicklas Nielsen
  Alessio Rovera
LMP2 (Pro-Am) 361 24th 4th
  Spirit of Race 55 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo   Duncan Cameron
  Matt Griffin
  David Perel
LMGTE Am 339 43rd 10th
71   Franck Dezoteux
  Pierre Ragues
  Gabriel Aubry
LMGTE Am 127 DNF DNF
2023   AF Corse 21 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo   Simon Mann
  Ulysse de Pauw
  Julien Piguet
LMGTE Am 21 DNF DNF
54   Francesco Castellacci
  Thomas Flohr
  Davide Rigon
LMGTE Am 312 31st 5th
80 Oreca 07   Ben Barnicoat
  Norman Nato
  François Perrodo
LMP2 (Pro-Am) 183 DNF DNF
  Ferrari AF Corse 50 Ferrari 499P   Antonio Fuoco
  Miguel Molina
  Nicklas Nielsen
Hypercar 337 5th 5th
51   James Calado
  Antonio Giovinazzi
  Alessandro Pier Guidi
Hypercar 342 1st 1st
  Richard Mille AF Corse 83 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo   Luis Pérez Companc
  Alessio Rovera
  Lilou Wadoux
LMGTE Am 33 DNF DNF

Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters edit

Year Car Drivers Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points D.C. T.C.
2021 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020   Liam Lawson 16 3 4 1 10 227 2nd 1st
  Alex Albon 14 1 1 3 4 130 6th
  Nick Cassidy 2 0 0 1 0 11 16th
2022 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020   Nick Cassidy 11 2 1 1 2 64 13th 7th
  Felipe Fraga 14 1 1 1 2 60 16th
  Ayhancan Güven 2 0 0 0 0 7 23rd
  Sébastien Loeb 2 0 0 0 0 0 32nd

AF Corse-Waltrip edit

   AF Corse-Waltrip
Founded2011
Folded2013
Team principal(s)Michael Waltrip
Rob Kauffman
Former seriesFIA World Endurance Championship (2012)
Rolex Sports Car Series (2012–2013)
Noted drivers  Michael Waltrip (WEC/RSCC)
  Rob Kauffman (WEC/RSCC)
  Rui Águas (WEC/RSCC)
  Travis Pastrana (RSCC)
  Brian Vickers (WEC)
  Clint Bowyer (RSCC)

AF Corse-Waltrip, also known as AF-Waltrip, is a former professional sportscar team. The company was a 50–50 partnership between Michael Waltrip Racing NASCAR co-owners Michael Waltrip and Rob Kauffman. In 2011, Michael Waltrip Racing entered into a technical alliance with AF Corse to provide them sportscars to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship and Rolex Sports Car Series. AF Corse-Waltrip shut down their sportscar team in 2013 to concentrate on NASCAR.

Racing Results edit

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results edit

Year Class Car Engine Driver No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points
2012 LMGTE Am Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 Ferrari 4.5 L V8 61 SEB SPA LMS SIL SÃO BHR FUJ SHA 4th1 1081
  Rui Águas 4 DNS 4 2 4
  Rob Kauffman 4 DNS 4 2 4
  Michael Waltrip 4
  Brian Vickers DNS 4 2
  Marco Cioci 1 4
  Piergiuseppe Perazzini 1
  Matt Griffin 1
  Enrique Bernoldi 3
  Xandy Negrão 3
  Francisco Longo 3

^1 There was no drivers championship that year, the result indicates team rank in the LMGTE Am Trophy.

Rolex Sports Car Series Points edit

Year Class Car Engine Driver No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Rank Points
2012 GT Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari 4.5 L V8 56 DAY BIR HOM NJ BEL LEX ELK WAT IMS WAT MON LGA LIM
  Rui Águas 35 11 14 15
  Robert Kauffman 35 11 14 15
  Travis Pastrana 35
  Michael Waltrip 35
2013 GT Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari 4.5 L V8 56 DAY TXS BIR ATL BEL LEX WAT IMS ELK KAN LGA LIM
  Rui Águas 17 14 14
  Robert Kauffman 17 14 14
  Clint Bowyer 17
  Michael Waltrip 17

References edit

  1. ^ a b "2007 Champions". FIA GT Championship. Archived from the original on 27 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
  2. ^ "Team Biography: AF Corse Motorola". FIA GT Championship. Archived from the original on 12 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
  3. ^ "2006 Champions". FIA GT Championship. Archived from the original on 27 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
  4. ^ "Anthony Davidson breaks back after Le Mans 24 Hour accident". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 June 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  5. ^ Watkins, Gary (9 May 2019). "AF Corse to return to LMP2 in 2019/20 WEC". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 2 April 2024.

External links edit