Vilander, Fisichella Confirmed in Risi Ferrari for 24H Le Mans

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Toni Vilander and Giancarlo Fisichella have been confirmed for Risi Competizione’s return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the highly competitive GTE-Pro class.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-long pairing will be joined by a third, yet-to-be-announced driver at the wheel of the Ferrari 488 GTE car in the French endurance classic.

The Houston-based team, which claimed GT Le Mans class honors at last year’s Petit Le Mans, is coming off a podium finish in last month’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, where Vilander and Fisichella was again joined by fellow Ferrari factory driver James Calado.

Calado, however, will not be available to drive for Risi at Le Mans, due to his season-long duties with AF Corse in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Vilander, Fisichella and Matteo Malucelli formed the lineup in Risi’s run at Le Mans last year, where they finished second in class, amid a controversial race against the Ford GTs.

“It’s always an honor to be invited to Le Mans and this year is no exception,” said team principal Giuseppe Risi.

“Our little team has shown it can battle against the factories with a well-prepared car, excellent crew and drivers, and the determination to succeed in endurance races.

“The Ferrari 488, which was new last year, has proven to be another excellent car and we hope to show its abilities again this June.”

This year will mark the team’s eighth visit to Le Mans, with three class victories to its credit.

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