Bamber, Catsburg to Race Frikadelli Ferrari at N24

Frikadelli Racing Team will give the Ferrari 296 GT3 its Nürburgring 24 debut with a star-studded driver lineup headlined by Earl Bamber and Nicky Catsburg.

Bamber and Catsburg will share the No. 30 Ferrari with Nordschleife specialist David Pittard, as well as Felipe Fernandez Laser.

Catsburg and Pittard, who contested last year’s edition of the Eifel endurance classic with BMW and Aston Martin respectively, both make their debuts with the Klaus Abbelen-led squad.

Bamber formed part of the team’s lineup during the 2021 edition of the event, while Laser is a team regular.

“I am very much looking forward to my comeback with the Frikadelli Racing team,” said Bamber.

“With the Ferrari 296 GT3, a new challenge is waiting for us, which we will tackle with a strong driver lineup.

“Klaus has done a fantastic job here and has really brought together a lot of good people for this project over the last few weeks.

“I am excited to see what we will achieve together on the Nordschleife.”

The Nürburgring stalwarts make the switch to Ferrari’s new-for-2023 GT3 challenger after many years of campaigning Porsche machinery at the Nordschleife.

As part of the manufacturer switch, team boss Abbelen explained that his team has sought out a new partnership with longtime Ferrari squad Rinaldi Racing.

“The anticipation for the new motorsport season is incredibly high,” he said.

“With the entry of the Ferrari 296 GT3, we have decided on a new project this year in addition to our proven Porsche 992 GT3 Cup.

“Until the 24h race we want to develop the vehicle in such a way that we can deliver the best possible performance there.

“In doing so, we are also relying on the know-how of Rinaldi Racing, who have already been racing with Ferrari on the international stage since 2013 and therefore have a lot of experience.

“We can only benefit from each other in the development of the new GT3 model and have therefore opted for this cross-team collaboration.”

Michele Rinaldi added: “It’s really nice to return to the Nordschleife with a Ferrari project.

“To be honest, I’ve been wishing for this for a long time. I’m very pleased that the time has now come and that Klaus has placed this trust in us.

“I am very positive about this ambitious project and I am already looking forward to the start of the season together with the Frikadelli Racing team. I think we will complement each other very well.”