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Our favourite images from the maiden 24H SERIES race for Ferrari’s newest GT3 flagship, the 296, entered by Kessel Racing.
Photos – Nico Mombaerts
No race in Italy, endurance or otherwise, would be complete without a Ferrari on the grid, and the Hankook 12H MONZA was no different, as long-time Scuderia customer Kessel Racing made its second start of the year at the ‘temple of speed.’
Unlike this year’s Hankook 12H MUGELLO, at which Kessel Racing competed with its outgoing Ferrari 488 GT3, the Hankook 12H MONZA marked the first series start for the 296, the prancing horse’s latest GT3 flagship unveiled in July 2022.
Like Kessel Racing’s first two 24H SERIES outings, Alessandro Cutrera, Marco Frezza and ‘L.M.D.V,’ teamed together in the Kessel Racing Ferrari, and in Monza, the Italian trio was joined by compatriots Marco Talarico and David Fumanelli.
The sixth fastest GT3 time in official Free Practice was a good start to the weekend for Kessel Racing. Note also the bespoke position of the race number ahead of the rear wheel arch rather than along the flanks.
The Ferrari’s Free Practice pace was emulated during qualifying, when ‘L.M.D.V’ and Marco Frezza posted the sixth fastest GT3 times in their respective sessions. Heavy traffic meant Alessandro Cutrera posted the eighth fastest GT3 time during Q2…
…though this was still enough for the trio to bank 7th overall on Saturday’s starting grid.
In Mugello, Kessel Racing’s Ferrari 488 ended a problematic ‘part one’ with heavy front-end damage after a trip into the barriers. In Monza, having pushed its fuel strategy to the limit early on, Kessel Racing’s Ferrari 296 finished the opening hour 2nd overall, and was still in the top four when the second hour ticked by.
A number of refueling infringement penalties ended up costing Kessel Racing time on both the Saturday and the Sunday, but the Ferrari 296 nevertheless completed its maiden 24H SERIES race 7th overall.
Interestingly, Cutrera, Frezza, Talarico, Fumanelli and ‘L.M.D.V’ took the chequered flag just over 90 seconds behind the overall top five – suggesting there’s plenty of pace in this particular prancing foal – and Kessel Racing suffered no on-track incidents at all during the Hankook 12H MONZA.
You can also check this article out in our Hankook 12H ESTORIL magazine, available for digital download below.
