Maranello (Modena), 31 August 2009

After a long summer break on the last weekend the F430 GT went onto the track again in the international Gran Turismo racing series with two prestigious events such as the FIA GT Championship and the American Le Mans Series.

Four weeks after the race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium the FIA GT was back on the track, this time in Budapest, for this season's fifth race. On the long and twisty Hungarian track the Ferrari started by AF Corse, with Toni Vilander and Gimmi Bruni behind the wheel, conquered the second place, despite a ballast of 100 kg; only the Porsche 997, driven by Emmanuel Collard and Richard Westbrook was faster. Meanwhile the F430 with Paolo Ruberti and Matteo Malucelli (BMS Scuderia Italia) gained, with a third place, this season's best result.



Thanks to these results AF Corse stays ahead in the race for the Teams’ and Drivers’ title, while Ferrari consolidates its lead in the championship, before the cars will start at the next race held at the Parco Algarve circuit in Portugal on the weekend of 20 September.

ln the Mosport Grand Prix, held at the Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville (Ontario, Canada), this season's eighth race in the American Le Mans Series, Risi Competizione's F430, with Jaime Melo and Pierre Kaffer, crossed the line second, after they had to start from the back of the starting grid. In the end they were placed between the two Corvettes C6-R with Jan Magnussen-Johnny O’Connel and Olivier Beretta-Oliver Gavin.
The Ferrari of Houston Team, despite the second place, is now just 31 points behind the leader in the standings, with the Petit Le Mans in sight, the spectacular 10-hour race on 26 September on the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Georgia.