Patrese, Lacorte Father-and-Son in Cetilar Daytona Lineup

Image: Cetilar

Cetilar Racing has revealed its driver lineup for next month’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, with Lorenzo Patrese joining the father-and-son duo of Roberto and Nicola Lacorte plus Ferrari factory driver Antonio Fuoco.

The all-Italian team will compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener for the third time in a row with its Ferrari 296 GT3, again run by AF Corse.

Patrese, the 19-year-old son of ex-Formula 1 driver Riccardo, along with 17-year-old Lacorte, will both be making their Rolex 24 debuts.

It will also mark the first time that team owner Roberto and son Nicola will race together in the same car.

“This is a very important moment in my life,” said Roberto. “Sharing the car with my son is another dream come true. Together with Ferrari and AF Corse, we carefully evaluated the opportunity to enter the race with this lineup.

“Both Niko and Lorenzo completed two test days in Barcelona, showing great speed and maturity. I believe they are both ready to tackle the iconic 24 Hours of Daytona.

“Additionally, I am proud that Cetilar Racing continues its legacy with an eye on the future and young talents.

“I’m especially proud to give Patrese a chance as he focuses on GT racing, while for Nicola, this will be a valuable experience in his motorsport journey ahead of his FIA Formula 3 season, where he is already showing significant growth during testing.”

While it will mark Nicola Lacorte’s GT racing debut, Patrese has spent the last three seasons in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS competition with Tresor and/or Attempto Racing.

“First and foremost, it’s a great honor for me to take part in the 24 Hours of Daytona and become part of the big Cetilar Racing and AF Corse family,” he said.

“It will certainly be a brand-new experience: a new car, a new track, and my first race overseas. All of this makes me very excited, and I thank Cetilar Racing for this incredible opportunity.”

The team has yet to announce plans beyond Daytona, although have previously contested the Michelin Endurance Cup races.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John