Round four of the 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) Championship brings the Houston, Texas-based Risi Competizione team back to IMSA competition. The No. 62 Ferrari 296 GT3 GTD Pro team includes Ferrari factory drivers Italian Davide Rigon and Brazilian Daniel Serra.
The Tire Rack.com Battle On The Bricks for the IMSA WeatherTech Championship 6-hour race will be held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.439 mile, 14-turn road course on Sunday, September 22.
Since their last race with Risi Competizione at Watkins Glen in June, Rigon won the 6 Hours of Fuji in LMGT3 class, finished second in last month’s 24 Hours of Spa race in the AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3, as well as second at the 4 Hours of Spa European Le Mans Series (ELMS) race as he competes in the 6-race ELMS schedule.
Serra won the LMGT3 class at the 4 Hours of Spa ELMS race and was also called in to co-drive in the Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 at the IMSA sprint race at Road America in early June, where he won in the GTD Pro class. Serra is now in his 18th season in the Complete Stock Car Pro Series in his native Brazil, as well as also competing in the ELMS schedule with Kessell in the Ferrari.
The Indianapolis round of the IMSA WeatherTech series has 56 entries, including 12 in the GTD Pro class with Risi as the only class Ferrari. There are six additional Ferrari 296 GT3’s in the GTD class.
As in the previous three IMEC races, all four IMSA classes will compete at the Indianapolis road course together – Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD).
The Risi Competizione team currently stands in second place in the IMEC points championship with 28 points, just 2 points behind the leading Paul Miller Racing, as they come to Indianapolis striving to get back in the lead.
Both Ferrari drivers have previously competed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway one time each, but this will be their first time with Risi Competizione and in an IMSA race.
L to R: Davide Rigon and Daniel Serra, posing with fans at the autograph session
Quotes:
Davide Rigon, driver, No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3:
“I’m super happy to be back with Risi at Indy. I did a race there three years ago with a different team, different guys and car, the (Ferrari) 488. I remember a little bit about the track but not exactly. I know it will come back to me when I get back on it. Let’s see because it’s not the typical American track, it’s a bit different and more European style track with more space, a long straight. Let’s see how our balance will be there once we get an idea.
“Honestly, I can’t wait to be back with Daniel and back in the car. We will try to do our best and see what result we can get but we are really focused for Indy.”
Daniel Serra, driver, No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3:
“I’m excited to be back with Risi. It’s been a while. It’s nice to be back at Indianapolis, a place with so much history behind it. I’ve been there just once and I think it was two years ago. It’s a nice track. I think the race will be good with a lot of overtaking. I’m looking forward to the race weekend. We have not been together with Risi for a while, so I’m happy to be back with the team and with Davide.”
Qualifying for the GTD Pro class will be on Saturday, September 21 at 3:40 p.m. ET for 15 minutes.
The race start is at 11:40 a.m. (Eastern) on Sunday, September 22, and the race will be televised live on NBC at 3:00 p.m. Peacock will carry live flag-to-flag streaming coverage starting at 11:30 a.m. for the full six hours. IMSA’s YouTube channel will be live for the international feed (outside U.S.). IMSA Radio will cover select sessions live on IMSA.com/RadioLeMans.com. Qualifying will be carried on Peacock and IMSA.com on Saturday, September 21 at 3:35 p.m.
Sponsors for the 2024 season for Risi Competizione include Pennzoil, Ferrari of Houston, OMP Racing and DEA.
For more information and social media about the team, please see www.risicompetizione.com and follow us on Facebook/RisiCompetizione and Twitter @RisiComp and on Instagram/RisiComp.