Maranello back at the Mountain
Il Bello Rosso team returns to Mount Panorama to take on the 12 Hour raceThis weekend's 12 Hour race event at Bathurst will see the return of a tomato-red Ferrari sponsored by Il Bello Rosso. This time, Maranello Motorsport will field a 458 GT3 in an attempt to make good on last year's DNF result.
According to Maranello, the 458 GT3 arrived months ago from the official Ferrari race preparation company, Michelotto. The team has received Michelotto factory support for the first event of the 2012 season.
This year the 458 GT3 will be piloted by John Bowe and team owner Peter Edwards. Last year Bowe and Edwards drove the number 17 Kessel-built 2008 Ferrari 430 GT3 which retired while on lap 42.
Bowe and Edwards will be joined by seasoned sports car racers Dominik Farnbacher and Allan Simonsen. German-born Farnbacher is a regular Le Mans Series competitor while Simonsen (from Denmark) also raced a 430 GT3 last year for the Red Alert Laser Tag team; finishing in sixth place with 276 laps after 12 hours.
Last year, the Audi R8 (in first and second) and Porsche GT3 cars filled the first five places.
The Il Bello Rosso team is confident the Audi and Porsches won't run away with it this weekend. The 458 GT3 uses a 2011-spec chassis and the team has faith in not just finishing the 12 Hour endurance race but also in its chances for an outright win.
"We've got a great race package," said Maranello Motorsport's Managing Director, Mark Coffey. "Bathurst is always a tough place to be learning, and while we've got some impressive international entries to up the challenge this time around, there's no reason why it can't be the Il Bello Rosso Ferrari taking the chequered flag."
The striking red paintwork doesn't just suit as a classic Ferrari colour but is also apt considering the team's sponsor Il Bello Rosso markets the pear-shaped truss-grown baby roma tomatoes.
Maranello Motorsport is located in Cremorne Street, Richmond -- conveniently, just around the corner from the new Carsales HQ on Punt Road. The 2008 Ferrari 430 GT3 is currently for sale at Maranello Motorsport -- ready to race for $245K.
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