ALMS – Winning debut for Rinaldi Racing in Am class at Dubai

Highlights. It wasn’t an easy debut for the Ferraris competing in the first round of the Asian series. The 488 GT3 Evo 2020s were hampered by a Balance of Performance that prevented them from challenging for victory. Even so, there was no shortage of noteworthy performances such as Giancarlo Fisichella, who challenged the top three after an exciting start, and Nicklas Nielsen and Alessio Rovera, who were among the quickest and most consistent in their respective stints, as was Alessandro Pier Guidi.

Obstacles. Proceedings were interrupted just before the two-hour mark by a Full Course Yellow, and the race of some of the Maranello cars was also impeded by a few drive-through penalties for veering off track. The Formula Racing no. 60 of Nielsen-Rovera-Laursen was the first Ferrari under the chequered flag, in sixth position. Eighth place went to the Rinaldi Racing trio, Rigon-Perel-Mastronardi, who finished ahead of the Kessel Racing by Car Guy crew of Kimura-Jensen-Ledogar. The first of the two AF Corse Ferraris was eleventh over the line, with Fisichella-Flohr-Castellacci at the wheel, while its twin, the no. 51 driven by Pier Guidi-Piovanetti-Negri Jr, completed the four hours in fifteenth position. The Porsche no. 99 of Precote Herbeth Motorsport claimed the winner’s laurels.

Double podium. In the Am class, victory went to the 488 GT3 Evo 2020 of Rinaldi Racing, crewed by Christian Hook, Manuel Lauck and Patrick Kujala, who finished twelfth overall. The Ferrari with the distinctive green livery finished one lap ahead of the BMW of Walkenhorst Motorsport and the Kessel Racing car of Roda-Zollo-Kohmann.

Programme. The second round of the ALMS will take place in Dubai on Sunday. It sets off at 12:45 pm (local time, 9:45 am in Italy) and finishes four hours later.