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Overview
One of the most original and successful Ferrari GTE works cars in existence
Built by Michelotto for the 2011 season and entered by the official Works team AF Corse
Raced by Ferrari’s top driver line up of Fisichella, Bruni and Villander
ILMC (now WEC) championship winner in 2011
LMS championship winner 2011
Wins at Spa, Silverstone, Imola and Petit Le Mans
2nd in class at Le Mans 24hr 2011 finishing on the same lap as the winning Corvette
Displayed in Museum Ferrari Maranello
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Ferrari 458 GTE #2826
This wonderfully original 458 GTE sits alongside the Le Mans winner as one of the most successful Ferrari GT2 Works cars in existence. With championship wins in both the Le Mans Series and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in the 2011 season this car really was at the top of its class.
Chassis #2826 was built by Michelotto for the 2011 season and was one of two cars entered by the official works team AF Corse. The car wore the famous number 51 as worn by last years Le Mans winning Ferrari 499P. The second 458 Works car was less successful making this the standout Ferrari Works car for the 2011 season.
Ferrari put together their prime driver pairing of Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni to share this car for the season, also joined by Toni Vilander for Le Mans. With class wins at Spa, Imola, Silverstone and Petit Le Mans and further podiums at Le Mans and Paul Ricard this dominating performance was enough to win both drivers and teams championships in the Le Mans Series as well as winning the teams championship in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.
Unfortunately the class Le Mans win was not quite to be for this car. The car qualified in second place to the BMW M3 GT but comfortably ahead of the two Corvettes. However, as the race started it was clear that it would be a Ferrari vs Corvette battle for the class win. Corvette were leading the race with the Ferrari in a close second place when the leading Corvette came together with a GTEAm backmarker. The damage to the Corvette resulted in instant retirement launching the Ferrari into a comfortable class leading position.
As the time wound down the Ferrari started to experience its own issues, electrical and clutch problems meant that the Ferrari was spending a lot longer in the pits than the remaining Corvette. By the end of the race the delays meant that the Corvette passed the Ferrari to take the class win with the Ferrari a close second place.
Although the Le Mans win did not materialise this year, the 2011 season for #2826 was one of the most successful in Ferrari works history. The #51 car took 9 podiums from 10 race finishes, 6 of these class wins.
The car returned to competition for the 2012 season, entering the World Endurance Championship in the LMGTE Am class with AF Corse - Waltrip. The team continued their success taking a further four podiums including one class win with drivers including Robert Kauffman, Rui Águas and Brian Vickers.
2011 ILMC (Now the FIA World Endurance Championship)
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Race Date
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Race
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Drivers
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Car No.
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Result
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Race Date
07/05/2011
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Race
6 HOURS OF SPA
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA AND G.BRUNI
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Car No.
#51
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Result
1ST GTE PRO
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Race Date
16/06/2011
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Race
24HRS OF LE MANS
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA, G.BRUNI AND T.VILANDER
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Car No.
#51
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Result
2ND GTE PRO
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Race Date
03/07/2011
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Race
6 HOURS OF IMOLA
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA AND G.BRUNI
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Car No.
#51
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Result
1ST GTE PRO
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Race Date
11/09/2011
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Race
6 HOURS OF SILVERSTONE
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA AND G.BRUNI
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Car No.
#51
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Result
1ST GTE PRO
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Race Date
01/10/2011
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Race
ROAD ATLANTA PETIT LE MANS
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA, G.BRUNI AND P.KAFFER
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Car No.
#51
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Result
1ST GTE PRO
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Race Date
13/11/2011
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Race
6 HOURS OF ZHUHAI
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA AND G.BRUNI
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Car No.
#51
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Result
5TH GTE PRO
2011 LMS:
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Race Date
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Race
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Drivers
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Car No.
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Result
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Race Date
04/04/2011
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Race
6 HOURS OF LE CASTELLET (PAUL RICARD)
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA AND G.BRUNI
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Car No.
#51
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Result
2ND GTE PRO
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Race Date
07/05/2011
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Race
6 HOURS OF SPA
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA AND G.BRUNI
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Car No.
#51
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Result
1ST GTE PRO
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Race Date
03/07/2011
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Race
6 HOURS OF IMOLA
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA AND G.BRUNI
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Car No.
#51
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Result
2ND GTE PRO
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Race Date
11/09/2011
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Race
6 HOURS OF SILVERSTONE
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA AND G.BRUNI
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Car No.
#51
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Result
1ST GTE PRO
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Race Date
26/09/2011
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Race
6 HOURS OF ESTORIL
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Drivers
G.FISICHELLA AND G.BRUNI
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Car No.
#51
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Result
RETIRED
2012 World Endurance Championship
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Race Date
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Race
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Drivers
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Car No.
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Result
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Race Date
17/03/2012
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Race
12 Hours of sebring
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Drivers
R.Kauffman / M.Waltrip / R.Aguas
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Car No.
#61
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Result
4th in class
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Race Date
05/05/2012
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Race
6 HOURS OF SPA
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Drivers
R.Kauffman / B.Vickers / R.Aguas
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Car No.
#61
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Result
DNS
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Race Date
17/06/2012
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Race
24HRS OF LE MANS
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Drivers
R.KAUFFMAN / B.VICKERS / R.AGUAS
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Car No.
#61
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Result
6th in class
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Race Date
25/08/2012
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Race
6 HOURS OF Silverstone
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Drivers
P.Perazzini / M.Griffin / M.Cioci
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Car No.
#61
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Result
1ST IN CLASS
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Race Date
15/09/2012
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Race
Sao Paulo 6 Hours
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Drivers
F.Longo / A.Negrão / E.Bernoldi
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Car No.
#61
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Result
3rd in class
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Race Date
29/09/2012
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Race
6 Hours of Bahrain
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Drivers
R.KAUFFMAN / B.VICKERS / R.AGUAS
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Car No.
#61
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Result
2ND IN CLASS
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Race Date
28/10/2012
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Race
6 Hours of SHANGHAI
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Drivers
R.Kauffman / R.Aguas / M.Cioci
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Car No.
#61
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Result
4TH in class
2012 Elms
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Race Date
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Race
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Drivers
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Car No.
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Result
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Race Date
15/07/2012
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Race
6 Hours of DONINGTON
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Drivers
P.Perazzini / M.Griffin / M.Cioci
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Car No.
#60
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Result
2ND in class