Maranello 28 March 2025
Two Ferrari 296 GT3s are set to take at Sonoma on the opening weekend of the 2025 GT World Challenge America season among the 19 entered for the contest overall. The seventh season of the Ultimate Cup Series kicks off at Paul Ricard, with a sizeable contingent of Prancing Horse cars expected to play a leading role.
GT WC America. Leading the charge in the Pro Am class will be Marcelo Hahn and Allam Khodair, using the 296 GT3 and backed by AF Corse. The duo had previously raced in International GT Open competition but will return to this championship over four years after their last appearance and will make a full season effort in America. Having previously competed in GT3 cars of different manufacturers, Hahn is excited to return to Ferrari where he began his GT career in an F430 in the now defunct GT Brazil championship. As Hahn is a Bronze driver, while Allam Khodair is ranked Gold, the duo will compete in the Pro-Am category which features 14 of the 19 entries, by far the most competitive group on the grid. Meanwhile, Jay Schreibman and Oswaldo Negri will also race with the 296 GT3 as the only car currently planned to compete in the Am category. Schreibman has an extensive racing background, beginning with his time in the Ferrari Challenge championship, before moving over to GT3 racing with Negri and completing a partial season effort in 2024. The duo will make a full season effort in 2025 beginning with this opening Sonoma weekend.
Ultimate Cup Series. As is tradition, this year’s Ultimate Cup Series season opener will be at the circuit in southern France. Visiom’s Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo number 1 will be one of the favourites in the Endurance Cup, looking for a third consecutive title. Romain Iannetta will join reigning champions Jean Bernard Bouvet and Jean Paul Pagny this year. The four-hour endurance race starts at 12.55 p.m. on Sunday, 30 March.
Four Ferraris will compete in the four-round GT Sprint Cup: two on Friday, 28 March (at 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. and two more on Saturday, 29 March (at 11.15 a.m. and 1.40 p.m.). In the UCS1 class, Grégoire Benedet will take the wheel of the Ferrari 430 GT3 number 96 of Francorchamps Motors Racing Classic. The Belgian team will also field the F430 Challenge number 69 with Benjamin Mardeen and Greg Franchi in the UCTC class. SR&R will compete in the same class, with reigning UCS3 champion Lyle Schofield in the 488 Challenge Evo number 353 alongside Emilio Rocchi. Finally, CMR will bring the 296 Challenge number 73 on the track, with French driver Patrick Michellier (CMR).
All times are local.
