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January 4, 2017 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – Scuderia Corsa, the defending champions of the IMSA and North American Endurance Cup GT-Daytona championships, has finalized its driver lineup for the 24 Hours of Daytona as well as the NAEC rounds of the 2017 IMSA championship.

At Daytona, Christina Nielsen and Alessandro Balzan – who captured the IMSA and NAEC GT-Daytona driver’s titles in 2016 – will be joined by Ferrari factory driver Sam Bird. Bird captured two victories in the 2016 World Endurance Championship driving the Ferrari 488 GTE and in his first year with Ferrari has greatly contributed to the WEC Manufacturer win.

In the North American Endurance Cup, which is made up of the endurance races at Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans, Nielsen and Balzan will be joined by Matteo Cressoni. Cressoni, a veteran of international sports car racing, previously drove for Scuderia Corsa in the team’s no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia at the 2014 Petit Le Mans.

This year’s 24 Hours of Daytona will also mark the debut of the Ferrari 488 GT3 in the endurance classic. The reliability and speed of the turbocharged Ferrari already well-proven, and with the demonstrated strength of the drivers, the team is aiming for a victorious debut for the car – similar to its debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring last season.

“With this driver lineup and the proven success of the 488 GT3, I am confident that Scuderia Corsa will defend our Championships this year. The GTD field has expanded this season to factory entries and we welcome the challenge” said Giacomo Mattioli, Scuderia Corsa Team Owner. “2017 marks the 70th anniversary for Ferrari and there is no better way to celebrate than success at the race track, where it all began”

Scuderia Corsa will take part in this week’s Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway on January 6th – 8th.

24 Hours of Daytona Technical Analysis – Joe LaJoie, Scuderia Corsa Engineer

The Rolex 24 Hour is a pure endurance race so the racecar handling takes a backseat to other aspects. The planning and preparation is critical and starts in November. The crew must completely refurbish the car and prepare spares. The crew must prepare for more than 28 stops in the race while each driver will run more than 5 hours each and the first twenty-one hours must be error free in order to race the last three as a sprint race.

In past races at Daytona, most teams would sacrifice the infield in order to run low drag to assure being fast down the straights while keeping the braking excellent in order to pass. Trim the car out too much and the car can be difficult to drive – especially for 24 hours. The arrival of the GT3 specification has altered this tactic somewhat.

Top speed has not been one of our strengths relative to the competition. The car has always shown competitive lap times while being well balance throughout the fuel load and life of the tire. This means the car is easier to drive than others, a good strength to have for the Rolex 24 Hour.

About Scuderia Corsa

2016 IMSA GTD Champion, 2016 24Hours of Le Mans GTE-Am winner, 2016 6H of Watkins Glen Winner, 2016 12H of Sebring Winner, 2016 Pirelli World Challenge GTA Champion, 2015 24Hours of Le Mans Podium, 2015 IMSA GTD and 2013 Grand-AM GT championship-winning team Scuderia Corsa was founded in 2013 by Giacomo Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo. Follow Scuderia Corsa on Twitter @Scuderia_Corsa, on Facebook at Scuderia Corsa, Instagram at #Scuderiacorsaferrari and ScuderiaCorsa.com

Team Sponsors:

Ferrari Beverly Hills / Westlake / Silicon Valley / South Bay - North America’s premiere Ferrari dealership group specializing in new and pre-owned sales, Classiche designation work, collision repair and factory trained service and original parts. Pacific Western Bank is a Los Angeles-based commercial bank with over $21 billion in assets. Pacific Western provides commercial banking services, including real estate, construction, and commercial loans, to small and medium-sized businesses through 80 full-service branches throughout the state of California. Its CapitalSource Division delivers cash flow, asset-based, equipment and real estate loans, as well as treasury management services to middle market businesses on a national basis. The Square 1 Bank Division, headquartered at Pacific Western’s Durham, North Carolina branch, offers a comprehensive suite of financial services focused on entrepreneurial businesses and their venture capital and private equity investors, with offices located in all key innovative hubs across the United States. Pacific Western Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PacWest Bancorp (NASDAQ: PACW). Ferrari Palm Beach – Providing the exclusive Palm Beach market with a premium inventory of new and pre-owned Ferraris, state-of-the-art facilities and technicians for expert maintenance and repair. Wide World Ferrari – Located in Spring Valley, New York, offering Ferrari customers a premium selection of new and pre-owned Ferraris, expert authorized service and exclusive Ferrari certified body repair. Hublot – A champion of innovation, Hublot revolutionized the watch industry with the introduction of the Big Bang, a multiple award winning timepiece created using a combination of precious metals with rubber. Since then, the Swiss brand has become universally known for the concept, “Art of Fusion.” From in-house watch complications to world-class collaborations, Hublot is constantly evolving and looking to the future. PassTime - PassTime GPS has been in business for more than 25 years in the global transportation industry. Our wireless GPS products are available to auto dealers, auto finance companies, auto leasing companies, insurance companies and fleet transportation provider’s in the USA, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Asia Pacific. SONIC Tools – SONIC Tools is the North American subsidiary of Sonic Equipment, the world’s market leader in premium hand tools and tool box systems for both commercial and consumer use. The company’s mission is to elevate efficiency in the professional workshop through its premium hand tools and unique tool organization solutions. Sonic Tools’ precision-crafted tools, toolboxes and wall systems are found in the world’s most progressive automotive enterprises, and personal garages.

Technical Suppliers

Motegi Racing – through technical partnerships with leading professional racing teams, Motegi Racing Competition and High Performance Tuning wheels are designed and engineered for performance. Motegi Racing is a Wheel Pros brand. Wheel Pros products are sold worldwide in more than 20 countries on four continents and through a U.S. network of more than 10,000 active dealers. AERO Advanced Paint Technology is the world’s only ultra-durable, film-based paint appliqué. AERO is 50 percent lighter than traditional paint, has 100x superior durability, is strip-able, and has virtually zero carbon footprint. AERO the future of paint. Sabelt – leading manufacturer of seat belts and safety harnesses for production and racings cars, race suits, shoes and helmets, carbon seats for automobiles and child restraint systems worldwide. AllState – Allstate Roadside Services strives to provide the industry’s best roadside experience for our partners, their customers and our service providers.

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Email: media@scuderiacorsa.com

Picture Credit to Bob Chapman, Autosport Image