AF Corse confirms three-car assault on Fanatec GT Endurance Cup with new Ferrari 296 GT3

AF Corse confirms three-car assault on Fanatec GT Endurance Cup with new Ferrari 296 GT3

AF Corse has confirmed a three-car assault on the 2023 Fanatec GT Endurance Cup with the new Ferrari 296 GT3. 

The Italian squad has been ever-present since the series launched in 2011 and will maintain its long relationship with the Prancing Horse, committing two Pro cars while also continuing its highly successful Pro-Am programme.

Factory drivers Davide Rigon, Antonio Fuoco and Daniel Serra will extend their successful partnership, having previously shared a Ferrari for the Iron Lynx squad in 2022. Indeed, this crew scored an overall podium at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, while Fuoco finished as runner-up in the drivers' standings. 

The sister Pro car will see established stars Alessio Rovera and Nicklas Nielsen joined by GT newcomer Robert Shwartzman. The Israeli-born 23-year-old arrives with a formidable record in junior single-seaters having won the FIA F3 title in 2019 and finished as FIA F2 runner-up in 2021. 

In the Pro-Am entry, the familiar pairing of Louis Machiels and Andrea Bertolini will continue their long-standing partnership and defend the title they won last term alongside Stefano Costantini. They will be joined by 17-year-old Jef Machiels, Louis' son, who makes his GT debut after competing in Formula 4 machinery last term. 

AF Corse is the first team to officially confirm a 2023 programme with the new Ferrari 296 GT3. The hotly-anticipated car replaces the ultra-successful 488 GT3 which earned considerable success between 2016 and 2022, including overall victory at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa in 2021. 

The 2023 Fanatec GT campaign will begin with the traditional test days at Circuit Paul Ricard on 7-8 March. The Endurance Cup launches at Monza on 21-23 April, while the Sprint season gets under way at Brands Hatch on 13-14 May.