Imola Thursday Notebook

***Despite winning the opening round at Silverstone, Team Ukraine has pulled out of Imola. No official reason has been given for the withdrawal of the team’s Ferrari 458 Italia of Alessandro Pier Guidi, Andrii Kruglyk and Sergii Chukanov, although the political crisis in Ukraine is not likely helping the situation.

***Chris Dyson will miss this weekend’s race due to business commitments in the U.S. Therefore, the No. 41 Greaves Motorsport Zytek Z11SN Nissan will see a two-driver crew of Tom Kimber-Smith and Matt McMurry.

***While having withdrawn a car at Silverstone, SMP Racing has arrived with all four of its Ferrari 458 Italias, with team principal Boris Rotenberg, who was absent in England, expected to drive this weekend.

***Mads Rasmussen will have a new co-driver, with Russian driver Ilya Melnikov joining the lineup in the No. 63 AF Corse Ferrari in GTC this weekend. Andrea Piccini, meanwhile, will fill in for Jan Magnussen in the No. 60 Formula Racing Ferrari.

***IMSA Performance Matmut will have a very busy weekend, with the French squad entering two Porsche 911 GT3 RSRs in the ELMS and three Porsche 991 Cup cars in the Porsche Carrera Cup France. Nicolas Armindo will be pulling double duty between both series as well.

***The livery for Thiriet by TDS Racing’s new Ligier JS P2 Nissan will be revealed shortly. The French team will debut the all-new Onroak Automotive-built LMP2 car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans next month, which will also replace its Morgan-Nissan in the ELMS beginning with the third round at the Red Bull Ring.

***Kessel Racing is on two fronts this weekend, as the Swiss squad has entered a whopping six Ferraris for the Ferrari Challenge Europe round at Mugello.