Details & description
The Ferrari 488 GTE can undoubtedly be regarded as the most extreme evolution of the Ferrari 458 with the addition of the transverse gearbox with magnesium casing. A great deal of time was spent on studying the turbocharged engine and all the related factors. So much so, that the engineering work started almost a year ahead work on the car itself. Michelotto already had experience with turbocharged race engines, having worked on the F40 (F40 Stradale, F40 LM and F40 GT). But almost twenty years had gone by since then, and huge progress had been made in that field. Moreover, the F40 had indirect fuel injection with 2 injectors per cylinder, whereas the 488 has direct fuel injection. In any case, the results were rewarding. The Ferrari 488 GTE won the World Manufacturers' Championship in its debut year 2016, and agzain in 2017 before being blatantly penalized by questionable BOP (Balance Of Performance) changes.
Meanwhile, considering the substantial technical changes in the GT3 category, the Ferrari 488 GT3 was based directly on the 488 GTE, with very few adaptations. There is, in fact, a special kit that can be used to convert one model into the other. The Ferrari 488 GT3 production started in 2016. After a first upgrade in 2018, the car had a 2020 EVO upgrade and is still being produced today.
This specific car F142 GT3 *4296* was produced in March 2017, and was raced in the Blancpain GT Sports Club series in 2016, 2017 and 2018 where it had several pole positions, fastest laps, podium places and class victories. In 2019, the car raced in Le Mans in the "Road to Le Mans" race during the 24H Le Mans weekend. It also appeared very frequently at Track and Test days organised by Curbstone Track Events all over Europe. During its active race history, the car resided at AF Corse in Piacenza, who serviced the car during its whole active race history.
Having received all maintenance and rebuild programs from AF Corse, in the winter of 2019-2020, the car was upgraded to 2020 specs by Michelotto.
During the Ferrari Finali Mondiali 2022 in Imola, the car was used by Ferrari as show car to celebrate the "+500 victories" of the 488GT3 for and by Ferrari. The livery developed by Ferrari included all the names of PRO and AM drivers having raced the 488 GT3 succesfully.