The 50th anniversary running of the Daytona 24 Hours took place over the weekend at the International Speedway, with over sixty cars, prototypes and GT, taking part, including the world racing debut appearance for five new Ferrari 458 Grand Am cars, based on the GT3 version of the V8 sports car, built especially for the American series.

Of the privateers flying the Maranello colours in the United States, in the end just two Ferraris managed to finish in the top ten in a GT class dominated by Porsche, who took all three places on the podium, with the 458 GrandAm machines never appearing in the front running hunt.

Best of the Ferraris was the Risi Competizione line up of Italy’s Andrea Bertolini, Monaco’s Olivier Beretta and the Finn Toni Vilander, who staged a steady climb up the order from eleventh on the grid to fifth at the flag, having come close to second place in the closing stages.

Eighth came the Ferrari 458 GrandAm crew of Assentato, Lazzaro, Longhi and Segal in the AIM Autosport car, displaying the craft that has taken them to many good results in this marathon race across the Atlantic.

Just five hours into the start, the other Risi car, driven by Raphael Matos, joined by the duo of Gimmi Bruni and Giancarlo Fisichella, was forced to retire. Bruni was at the wheel of car number 62, when he had to bring it into the pits with a mechanical failure. A long stop in the pits meant this American adventure was over; a shame given Bruni had climbed up through the field after having had to start from the back of the grid after the racing car had failed a post-qualifying technical check.

With three and a half hours to go, the AF Corse-Waltrip Ferrari 458 GrandAm had to pit during Portugal’s Rui Aguas stint at the wheel, but they still came home in twenty second place, while the Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferrari was thirteenth at the flag.