Care Racing has now delivered one of its Championship-winning Ferrari 550 Maranellos to its newest racing partner, Cirtek Motorsport.  The British-based team has an ambitious and extensive programme ahead of it in 2005 and, when putting together all the necessary elements for success, had no hesitation in choosing the Ferraris as proven, fast and reliable race winners.

Director of New Business Development for Care Racing Development, Dominique Falque, said, “We are particularly delighted to initiate this co-operation with Rob Schirle and Cirtek as their links with Russia open up a whole new market for us.”

Cirtek will be running the car in the 2005 FIA GT Championship, under the name Russian Age Racing.  The car will be driven by two Russian drivers, Nicolay Fomenko and Alexey Vasiliev, and by triple FIA GT Champion Christophe Bouchut.  The Frenchman last year raced another of Care Racing’s Ferrari 550s to GTS Championship honours in the Le Mans Endurance Series.

The Maranello will be also entered by Cirtek in the Le Mans Endurance Series (LMES), with the Russian duo and a yet-to-be announced third driver, and has furthermore received confirmation of one of the coveted entries for the GT1 category in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Team owner, Rob Schirle, commented:  “Cirtek is very pleased to have been chosen to lead this new age of Russian motorsport, especially as it is a long-term project.  We want to be seen as a major factor in GT Racing and in the FIA GT Championship in particular.  Our partnership with Care Racing and use of one of its stable of Ferrari 550s is a vital part of that package, and I’m really looking forward to adding to the tally of race victories already achieved by the car in the past.

"Nicolay tested the car in December and loved it." Rob continued.  "Vasiliev is a quick driver, and it is a major boost to have Christophe on board, with all the experience he gained with the car last year.  There is still a lot of work to do, but we are quietly confident."

Care Racing

Care Racing Development is the sportscar racing division of the Care Group, a privately owned international group of companies.

Formed by Frédéric Dor in 2000 to undertake the development, production, sale and racing of sportscars, the objective of Care Racing Development is to provide racing teams and racing drivers who are sportscar enthusiasts with a proven car to compete in various Championships throughout the world and to be able to meet sponsors and collectors’ expectations.

Care Racing’s first technical partner was Prodrive who developed for racing the Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS.  This has been followed by highly successful collaborations with BMS Scuderia Italia and Larbre Competition. All partnerships have been highly successful on and off the track, winning between them Championships in Europe, the GTS category of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and multiple races in the American Le Mans Series. 

The Ferrari 550 Maranello’s track record speaks for itself.  Since its racing debut in 2001, the car has recorded 32 victories in the GTS or GT categories of international sportscar races (ACO or FIA regulated series accordingly), a remarkable achievement for a privately funded programme.