The new Maranello sprint and endurance car has been revealed at Spa. The new GT3 has already been a hit among enthusiasts. Discover the latest Ferrari beast in detail.
At long last, on the occasion of the Spa stage, the veil fell on the new Ferrari 296 GT3. A racing car that wants to write new pages in the history of Cavallino. It will debut in the major tournaments next year and is a derivative of the 296 GTB road. We’ll see he’s the protagonist already at 24 Hours of Daytona in January 2023. If the base is a 296Gb road, you’ve already understood that it has high-end tech components, but Unlike the road model, it is equipped with a non-electrified 2.9-liter V6 with a turbo.
The car has been mechanically, dynamically and electronically improved. Indeed, the GT3 version is the epicenter of extreme technology to bring excitement and victories to the track. It collects the legacy of the Queen Thoroughbred, the legendary 488 GT3 with nearly 500 victories and over 100 titles. The engine, in a more advanced and lower setting, also allows the Rossa’s center of gravity to be lowered. The rear-centered V6 also brings to mind the iconic 246 SP winner at the Targa Florio in 1961 and 1962. Compared to the 488, the new GT3 has several improvements in terms of performance, torsional rigidity (+10%), intake efficiency and even fuel consumption. The Ferrari 296 GT3 is aggressive even when stationary, introducing stylistic elements that made the previous model suddenly obsolete.
In terms of design, the new Rossa has hit the mark, combining a need for sportiness with a touch of elegance. After an impressive number of hours in the wind tunnel, the new GT3 showed a 20% increase in vertical load, a 20% decrease in load displacement at the front and 40% at the rear. The car has to be very balanced and agile, which makes a difference in the mixed sections. Another feature is the all-new aluminum frame with a rectangular wheelbase. Transverse gearbox “Xtrac” with 6-speed single-plate clutch. The race car also benefits from an innovative track-designed suspension pod (400mm front discs and newly designed calipers). The new forged wheels from Rotiform are exclusive to the new model. Also take a look at the Audi S4 and A4 Avant, and discover the new generations in the Alps (video).
The Ferrari 296 GT3 features traction control and an overhead system with a high-resolution rear camera that transmits images to one of three screens inside the cockpit, providing all the useful information to drivers. The latter could also benefit from important updates about potential overtaking maneuvers of opposing drivers. We’ll see Rossa’s new protagonist in ‘Pro’ classes using the official Cavallino Knights, but also in the chapters for gentlemen and pro mixed crews. There is not long to wait, given that the debut will take place, as was expected, at the beginning of 2023. Alfa Romeo, a new GTV coming? Here’s what it would look like (video).
Ferrari, the new GT3 is already a star
Antonello Coletta, Head of GT Sports Activities in Maranello, is already pleased with the new GT3. Objectively speaking, the car left everyone speechless. It feels like a great leap forward, and after the many official tests, we’ll also know more about how the riders are feeling. “We started with an idea for this project, and we’ve changed a lot of things in the past four to five months. We plan to start production of the car in the latter part of 2022 with its debut at Daytona 2023‘, Coletta Microphones analyzed Motorsport.com.
The car shouldn’t make us regret the 488 that made history for the brand founded by Enzo Ferrari. “It is a very complex and difficult challenge because we are faced with the need to replace the model that won for 7 years against a group of opponents, who at this time brought new developments and cars, while we kept the same car, we only offer the Evo package. Making a better car than the previous one, in this case talking about the 488, is very complicated He thinks about how much he earned and still does. But we are sure we have a little gem that can bring us other victories and titles‘, has appointed the head of GT sports activities in Maranello.
There is already an anticipation for the IMSA SportsCar Championship event, at the end of January 2023, which will see the new GT3 champion at 24 Hours of Daytona. “In Daytona I think there will be Risi Competizione in the GTD PRO category, AF Corse I think it will definitely be in PRO-AM with at least 3 modules, but at the moment it is too early to tell. The goal is to make the car compete in the major championships around the worldBut as you know it is not easy because we are working on different projects in parallel like the Hypercar which requires a lot of focus. We definitely want to have 296 in the US because it’s still a very important market for us, then we’ll see. In a year we will be able to cover the most important races in the worldColetta added.
“We have a very important number of drivers that I consider family and, as I’ve made it clear several times, I’d like to keep this group intact and get everyone involved by dividing them up on the LMH and GT3 projects. At the moment, lineups are not determined, keep in mind that LMH is a very important program, but with only 7 races per year. So there are likely to be pilots involved on both fronts. We want to show that 296 is competitive. At the moment I don’t know when we will do the following tests, Maybe in two weeks. But timelines change all the time because both projects are important and challenging. We are working hard in the shortest possible time, especially with LMHAntonello Coletta concluded.
We leave you to watch the exciting video below and the technical features of the Ferrari 296 GT3. Engine: 120 ° V 6-cylinder, 4-valve per cylinder, 2,992 cc, 600 hp at 7,250 rpm, maximum torque of 710 Nm at 5500 rpm. Transmission: 6-speed sequential transverse gearbox. Dimensions (mm): length na, width 2.050, height na, pitch 2.660; Dry weight: 1250 kg. Suspension: front and rear double telescoping triangle, tubular steel arms; 5-way adjustable shock absorber. Braking system: front discs 400 x 36 mm, rear discs 332 x 32 mm; Calipers: 6-piston front, 4-piston rear.
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