Ilott to Make Le Mans Debut in Iron Lynx Ferrari

Last year’s FIA Formula 2 series runner-up Callum Ilott will make his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut next month driving an Iron Lynx Ferrari in the GTE-Am category.

Alfa Romeo F1 reserve driver Ilott, who finished second to Mick Schumacher in F2 last season, is replacing Iron Lynx team principal and driver Andrea Piccini in the No. 80 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo for the French endurance classic on August 21-22.

It will mark the 22-year-old’s first attempt at Le Mans less than one month after he makes his 24-hour race debut with Iron Lynx at the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa.

Ilott made his sports car racing debut earlier this year driving for the Ferrari factory-supported Iron Lynx team in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup, which holds its next round at Spa later this month.

Those appearances came in GT3 machinery, while Le Mans will present his first chance to race the GTE variant of Ferrari’s 488 racing line.

Ilott will team up with Matteo Cressoni and Rino Mastronardi for Le Mans, which marks the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The British driver told Sportscar365 in April that while a full-season F1 drive remains his primary target, now is a “good time” for him to get involved in sports car racing considering Ferrari’s development of a Le Mans Hypercar for the 2023 WEC season.

“It is a real honor to be chosen to drive for Iron Lynx and Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – and an opportunity I just couldn’t turn down,” said Ilott.

“There’s a great tradition of British drivers doing well there, and I will be aiming to make my own contribution to Le Mans history.”

Iron Lynx has also announced that Sarah Bovy will join the No. 85 Ferrari GTE-Am crew for Le Mans, after the French racer made her WEC debut in last weekend’s 6 Hours of Monza. Bovy will team up with Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting.

“Callum is a great addition to our driver strength,” said Piccini.

“We have been incredibly impressed with his versatility in making the switch to GT racing with us and are looking forward to working hard together in the coming weeks as we prepare for Le Mans.

“Equally, we have enjoyed watching Sarah’s progress with us in Italian GT Endurance, Michelin Le Mans Cup and FIA World Endurance Championship, so she deserves her opportunity on a bigger stage.

“I will naturally miss not driving in the race this year but will be able to concentrate totally on our team.

“Running Callum at Le Mans further strengthens our relationship with Ferrari and the Ferrari Driver Academy, and since Iron Lynx joined forces with Prema just a few weeks ago, there is a world of opportunities available across all disciplines of racing.”

Claudio Schiavoni, Paolo Ruberti and Raffaele Giammaria remain as the drivers of the No. 60 Iron Lynx Ferrari at Le Mans.