In 2013, Scuderia Corsa won the GT Drivers, Team and Constructor title for Ferrari in the Grand Am Championship, which later merged with the American Le Mans Series to become the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Competing in the championship since 2014, the team once again won the Drivers (Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell), Teams and Constructor (Ferrari) title in the GTD (GT Daytona) class in 2015.

This year, the outfit continued its efforts with the new Ferrari 488 GTD, but without Townsend Bell and Bill Sweedler, who left to join the O’Gara Motorsport team. Since then, that team has ceased its activities in competition, but Scuderia Corsa has maintained its momentum from 2015 with a class win at the 12 Hours of Sebring for the trio Christina Nielsen (who participated in Le Mans with Formula Racing), Alessandro Balzan and Jeff Segal.

Segal was also present at Le Mans and reformed the trio who reached the third step on the podium in 2015 with Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell. A winning trio: "The #62 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia driven by the all-American lineup of Townsend Bell, Jeff Segal and Bill Sweedler captured victory in the GTE-Am class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in only the team’s second appearance at the endurance classic. Throughout the race, the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari was a contender for victory, taking the lead for the first time as the sun began to set in the race’s fifth hour. Thanks to rapid stints at the wheel by all three drivers, the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari finished three minutes ahead of the second-placed car and lapped the rest of the GTE-Am field. The car completed 331 trouble-free laps of the 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe, while the Scuderia Corsa crew executed 25 mistake-free pit stops."

Yet, Scuderia Corsa had only participated once in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 2015. A year to learn and a year to win? "I guess you could say that! We came to Le Mans last year and it was a great learning experience that turned out quite well. This year we were determined to aim for victory. The crew was ready, the drivers were no longer rookies at Le Mans and the 458 proved to be the ultimate weapon. Great team effort, it was impeccable."

Impeccable as well, or almost, was the beginning of Scuderia Corsa’s season in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the current name of the championship sanctioned by the IMSA, since the team is leading in the championship: "We are on a good streak. Last weekend Scuderia Corsa scored a victory at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, marking the Team third consecutive endurance win in a row. Our target is to win the IMSA GTD class, We are currently leading the championship but we know it's a long season and competition is tough. It would be amazing to win the title back to back."

In the meantime, Giacomo Mattioli is still savouring the class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans: "Le Mans is the most important race in the world. The history, the passion that you feel around you for the entire week, the podium at the end of it...best podium ever. You feel the passion. Last year, I walked in a coffee shop in town and the bartender recognized the uniform and asked me how was the car as we had an accident the night before during practice, I mean people are really following the entire event! We take a lot of pride in representing Ferrari at Le Mans and it is truly a privilege winning Le Mans with Ferrari. When you experience it then you understand why Le Mans is the pinnacle of motor sports racing."

However, the end of the race was not a piece of cake for Giacomo Mattioli: "Well, I pride myself to stay calm typically. As a team owner, I think it's my job to communicate calmness to everyone...however, I was definitely standing up and not very talkative. I felt the moment."

The team manager felt a similar moment at the 12 Hours of Sebring last March: "The 24 Heures du Mans is really the pinnacle of sports car racing! This year win at the 12H of Sebring will remain special at the debut for the Ferrari 488 GT3, it was fantastic. It has been nearly four seasons since Scuderia Corsa made its professional racing debut in a IMSA GRAND-AM race at Laguna Seca, and this year the team has stood atop the podium at Le Mans. I am proud of the international racing platform that Scuderia Corsa has developed."

Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

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Photo (copyright - Scuderia Corsa): Giacomo Mattioli claimed a podium finish along with (from left to right) Jeff Segal, Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell.