Risi Ferrari to race at Sebring, Cheever joins team

It will be the first time since 2018 that Risi has competed in the Twelve Hours, an event in which it has scored three wins.

Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado, who competed in the #62 Ferrari 488 in January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, will be focused on Friday’s opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Sebring 1000 Miles.

Thus the Houston-based Risi team has drafted in Eddie Cheever III to drive with Daniel Serra and Davide Rigon, who together with Pier Guidi and Calado finished second at Daytona.

“We have a great deal of history at Sebring, including three victories,” said team principal Giuseppe Risi. “Returning to a track we have experienced much success over the years certainly gets everyone excited.

“It will be a big weekend with the WEC teams competing on Friday and our 12-hour race on Saturday. Fans should enjoy many hours of good racing, and particularly with the Ferrari battles in both series.”

Risi won the Twelve Hours in 2007, ’09 and ’10 and has scored six other podium finishes. However, for Serra this will only the third time he has raced at Sebring, while Rigon and Cheever have competed there only once before.

Risi’s return means the GTD Pro class will comprise 11 cars for the second round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, as the Ferrari 488 faces a field of two BMW M4s, two Porsche 911 GT3Rs, a Corvette C8.R, Acura NSX, Mercedes-AMG GT3, a Lamborghini Huracan, Aston Martin Vantage and a Lexus RC F.

There has been a driver shuffle in the Lexus team, as Vasser Sullivan Racing’s enduro third driver Kyle Kirkwood will be racing his AJ Foyt Racing-Chevrolet in the second round of the NTT IndyCar Series.

As a result, Aaron Telitz has temporarily been switched across to partner Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat in the #14 GTD Pro entry, while Scott Andrews has been drafted into the GTD-class #12 car to accompany Frankie Montecalvo and Richard Heistand.