04.03.2004 LABRE COMPETITION ARE TO RUN A CARE RACING FERRARI 550 MARANELLO IN THE FRENCH GT SERIES

This Care Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello ran in an FFSA GT Championship round at Nogaro last year as a warm up for Le Mans

The French GT and endurance specialists, Larbre Competition, have concluded an agreement with Care Racing Development which will see the entry of one Ferrari 550 Maranello into France’s FFSA Super Série GT Championship.

Larbre, who have been best known in recent years for their successes with the Chrysler Viper, have now taken delivery of the Ferrari from Care Racing.

Care Racing Development, which so effectively developed and built, with Prodrive’s engineering and technical expertise, a stable of eight Maranellos, will provide engine support and a parts package to the French team. Larbre themselves will adapt the car from its current ACO specification to meet the FFSA regulations and will be responsible for all other technical aspects of the running of the car.

The main areas of difference required for the FFSA Championship are a weight modification, exhaust muffling, some aerodynamic changes and different size air restrictors. These will all be done in time for the car’s first scheduled test at Nogaro this coming weekend.

The drivers will be three-times French GT Champion Patrice Goueslard, a long-time associate of Larbre Competition, and relative newcomer, Olivier Dupard who last year drove for the Belmondo team.

This will be the first time that one of the Ferrari 550s which enjoyed such enormous GT success around the globe in 2003 is entered into a European national GT series, although not the first time in the FFSA Championship. The Luc Alphand/Solution F team used the Nogaro round of the 2003 Championship as a ‘warm-up’ for last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Owner and team principal of Larbre Competition, Jack Leconte, is very much looking forward to the season, “Ferrari is a new challenge for the team after Porsche, Lamborghini and Chrysler, but the Larbre team is fully confident it will be able to show its adaptability and professionalism with any kind of car – particularly one with such a successful racing history.”