To understand how the prancing black horse came to reign over the LM GTE Pro category, we need to go back to 2003. That year, a Ferrari 550 Maranello triumphed in its category at the Le Mans 24 Hours. This competition version was born of a private initiative headed by French-Swiss gentleman driver Frédéric Dor and David Richards, founder of Prodrive and current boss of Aston Martin Racing. Ferrari then took over again and first developed a racing version of the 575, then the F430, presented at the Paris Motor Show in 2004.

The latter would firmly re-establish Ferrari's prestige in GT at Le Mans, where it first raced in 2006, going on to finish second the following year. The F430 GT really soared to success in 2008 and 2009, with two consecutive category victories for the American team headed by Giuseppe Risi, a Ferrari dealer in Houston (Texas) who had prepared Tracy Krohn's car, second in 2007. The F430 GT truly triumphed, with a double win in 2008 and a triple in 2009. It should also be noted that in 2009, it was with this car that Patrick Dempsey competed in - and, even better, finished - his first Le Mans 24-Hour race.

2009 was also the year when the 458 Italia, which later succeeded the F430 on the track, was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Despite fierce competition from Porsche and Aston Martin, the 458 Italia clinched two LM GTE Pro victories at Mans (2012 and 2014), the manufacturers', team (with AF Corse) and drivers' titles in the category in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012, 2013 and 2014, as well as the LM GTE Am team title in 2013 (with 8Star Motorsports) and all the GT titles up for grabs in the European Le Mans Series 2014. For Battistino Pregliasco, AF Corse Team Principal, official representative for the prancing horse, "in the context of the World Championship, due to its position in the calendar (editor's note: third out of eight rounds in the season) and the double points awarded, the Le Mans 24-Hour race is absolutely crucial. With a good result in Le Mans, you can stay on track for the title for the rest of the season." The Italian team achieved this admirably and, since the creation of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012, it has finished on the LM GTE podium at the last three 24-hour races in the Le Mans.

A lineage like that is more than enough to raise hopes of seeing the 488 GTB at Le Mans in the future...

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO                           Translated by Clair Pickworth

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE, LE MANS 24 HOURS, MONDAY 09 JUNE 2014, SCRUTINEERING. Will the Ferrari 458 Italia armada remain invincible at the Le Mans 24 Hours, in the FIA World Endurance Championship and in the "Le Mans" labelled series?
Photo : CHRISTOPHE JOUNIAUX / VSA