Risi Set for Hiatus from GTLM Class

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Risi Competizione is set for a hiatus from IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition, with the team’s Ferrari 488 GTE potentially missing the next three races in the GT Le Mans class.

A team spokesperson has confirmed to Sportscar365 that the Houston-based team will not take part in next weekend’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, with the events at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Lime Rock Park believed to be in question as well.

While an official reason for the Risi’s withdrawal has not yet been revealed, it’s understood Pierre Kaffer’s race-ending accident in last weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans did not play a factor into the decision.

The team debuted a brand-new second chassis at Le Mans, which was not scheduled to be used in the WeatherTech Championship.

Toni Vilander and Giancarlo Fisichella currently sit sixth in the GTLM drivers’ championship after a tough start to the season that included accidents at both Long Beach and Circuit of The Americas.

Risi’s withdrawal from Watkins Glen will result in a reduced eight-car GTLM field and only one Prancing Horse in the entire grid, in the GT3-spec Ferrari from Scuderia Corsa.

The status of a possible end-of-year GT Daytona class effort with a brand-new Ferrari 488 GT3, which Risi recently took delivery of, remains unclear.

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