We are delighted to offer this stunning 2008 ex-AF Corse Ferrari F430 GTC F131 EVO #2626 for sale.
The Ferrari 430 GTC was introduced in 2006 to replace the 360 GTC and to race in GT2 class in the FIA GT Championship, the American Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24 Hours. Over the next 5 years, it became Ferrari’s most successful GT racing car of the late 2000s, both in Europe and the USA, taking multiple GT2 Driver’s & Manufacturers’ titles, plus GT2 class victory and podiums at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Developed in partnership by Corse Clienti and Michelotto Automobili, it was derived from the excellent F430 Berlinetta road car, whilst employing the many lessons learned from its racing predecessor, the 360 Modena GTC. The car’s 90 degree 4-litre V8 produced 450 bhp and was mated to a Hewland manual sequential gearbox and proved most reliable. Around 53 cars were produced in total, with just 11 of these being the later and very rare Evoluzione cars.
Right from its debut in 2006 up to its final season of top flight competition, the F430 GTC enjoyed success in every major national and international championship, plus the major endurance races. The model took the FIA GT2 Manufacturers’ Cup in 2006 & 2007, plus 3 consecutive GT2 Drivers’ titles in the same series across 2006-08. Across the Atlantic it took the 2007 ALMS GT2 Manufacturers’ title and perhaps ultimately took GT2 honours at the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans. Needless to say the car took countless victories and podiums in races across the above series, plus many other national GT Championships.
Chassis 2626 is 1 of just 11 Evo cars built, and enjoyed a lengthy and successful career between 2008 and 2011. Prepared by AF Corse throughout its life, #2626 was raced both as a ‘works’ and a privateer entry in FIA GT and Le Mans Series. In addition, it competed and finished in the 2009 and 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Sebring 12 hours. Many of the best Ferrari GT2 drivers raced 2626 including the likes of Giancarlo Fisichella, Jaime Melo, Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander who were all factory drivers.
#2626’s inaugural season was in the 2008 FIA GT Championship where it raced as an AF Corse entry driven by Maria's Russo and Luis Perez-Companc. The pairing were consistently successful in this hotly contested championship bringing home 1 win at San Luis, thereby helping AF Corse secure the Teams Championship. In 2009 it only raced in the 12 Hours of Sebring with a splendid 2nd in class and the 24hr of Le Mans where #2626 finished a respectful 6th in class. In 2010, the car had a busy racing schedule in the Le Mans Series (LMS) where it was mostly driven by Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni with 2 wins, at Algarave and Silverstone, and a 2nd place finish in the Spa 1000k race.
2011 was the final season for #2626 with a repeat of its 2009 schedule of the Sebring 12 hours and Le Mans 24 hours. At Sebring, Pierre Kaffer, Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni qualified 1st in class and finished 5th. At the Le mans 24hr, #2626 was entered in the GTE Am-class where Nicolas Marroc, Jean-Marc Menahem and Manual Rodrigues finished just outside the podium with a 4th in-class. The car’s impressive career saw it finish in the top 3 in class on 5 occasions with 3 victories and 2 podiums. In its life #2626 raced at many of the iconic circuits including Sebring, Le Mans, Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone, Monza, Portimao and Paul Ricard. The full race history of chassis 2626 is listed in the History section below.
After it was retired from competition, AF Corse restored #2626, obtaining the coveted ‘Red Book’ Classiche certification in the process. The engine has been rebuild by Michelotto in 2019, the gearbox was rebuild in 2022 and both have less than 3000km running time (8000km life). The car is in stunning condition and comes with 2 sets of spare wheels, 1 splitter, 1 front bumper, exhaust silencer, LeMans gear-ratios and miscellaneous running spares. All date-related items such as the fuel cell, seat, belts and crack testing are current so that is in 100% race-ready condition with nothing further to spend. Evidence of its capabilities was given when #2626 was reunited with factory driver Toni Vilander at the Le Mans Classic 2023 ERL race where, despite stiff competition, it convincingly won its GT2C-class.
This is a rare opportunity to acquire a works supported Ferrari 430 GTC EVO “Wide Body” with impressive race history which would sit proudly in any discerning Ferrari collection while also being eligible to race in Peter Auto’s Endurance Racing Legends, Masters Endurance Legends and Ferrari‘s Club Competizione GT program where it would be a welcome and competitive entry.
