07.12.2003 STAR NAMES TO DRIVE FERRARIS IN SPORTSCAR RACING NEXT YEAR

Stars drivers are expected to be seen driving Ferraris in sportscar racing worldwide next year, including former three time Formula One World Champion Alain Prost and 1988 CART Champion Danny Sullivan.

First up is Indycar legend Danny Sullivan, who had a long career is CART and Formula One, including winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1985 and the CART driver's title in 1988, both at the wheel of a Penske. He has signed up as lead driver for Chip Connor's new Ferrari team which will run a pair of Ferrari 575GTC's in next year's new four race Le Mans Endurance Series. US businessman Connor will build the new team out of his Dutch-based Barron Racing outfit which has recently ran Ferrari's in the European Ferrari Challenge series.

Meanwhile former F1 World Champion Alain Prost has been linked to French team DAMS plans to run two Ferraris in the FIA GT series. DAMS had been evaluating running the new Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT, but with the cars unlikely to be delivered prior to the opening race at Monza on 28th March, their attention has turned toward the Ferrari option.

They are talking to Care Racing about running two of the Prodrive developed 550 Maranellos in their return to front line racing. After operating highly successfully in F3000 for several years, their recent racing activities have centred around the the Formula Renault series. For Alain Prost, driving a Ferrari would reunite him with the marque that he won five Grands Prix for in in 1990.

Another team to be linked with a Ferrari sportscar campaign is Ferrari Espana, who want to step up to the FIA GT Championship with an N-Technology developed 575GTC. Ferrari Espana this year ran a 360 Modena in both the Ferrari Challenge and the Spanish GT Championship.

Elsewhere the Pagani Zonda will appear in the FIA GT's next year as the organisers allow carbon fibre chassis into the series for the first time. After a disappointing start last year when the GTS-class Zonda GR managed only a handful of uncompetitive laps at the Sebring 12 Hours and the Le Mans 24 Hours, Carsports American who developed the car through their Dutch based operation, are expected to team up with Force One next year.

Phillipe Alliot's Festina-backed Force One team have been looking to replace the ageing Chrysler Vipers they ran in this year's FIA GT series, and although they have considered the new Ferrari 575GTC, they are close to a deal with Carsports to run a pair of Zonda GR's next year in a program that will include the Sebring 12 Hours, 1000kms of Road Atlanta and the Le Mans 24 Hours. However the whole deal is dependent on Alliot being convinced of the Zonda's competitiveness in tests to be carried out soon after Christmas.