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Risi looking for a championship boost in Canada

Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer will be paired in the No.62 Ferrari 458 Italia and it is once again a new track for the Italian.

#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458: Olivier Beretta, Matteo Malucelli

#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458: Olivier Beretta, Matteo Malucelli

Action Sports Photography

Giancarlo Fisichella
#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458: Olivier Beretta, Matteo Malucelli
Pierre Kaffer
#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458: Olivier Beretta, Matteo Malucelli
#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458: Olivier Beretta, Matteo Malucelli
#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458: Olivier Beretta, Matteo Malucelli
#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458: Olivier Beretta, Matteo Malucelli
#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458: Olivier Beretta, Matteo Malucelli
#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia: Giancarlo Fisichella, Pierre Kaffer

Risi Competizione moves this week onto the fast and unforgiving Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Ontario, Canada for what will be the sixth round of the 2014 TUDOR United Sportscar Championship for the GTLM class, and the eighth round for the whole series.

Mosport has in the past proven to be a successful venue for the privately-owned, Houston-based team, and the team is anxious to return to the track formerly known as Mosport for what will be the first 2 hour 45 minute race of the year.  With mixed weather conditions predicted for race day, Risi won’t be the only team keeping a close eye on the radar as the track can be treacherous in the wet.  With a 40-strong field and the nature of the track, several yellow flag periods are expected.

Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer will be paired in the No.62 Ferrari 458 Italia and it is once again a new track for the Italian.  Kaffer has had a second placed GT finish at the 2.46 mile track (in 2009), and knows first-hand how difficult it can be to get round the fast track safely.  However, he says:  “I only have positive memories of this Canadian track, and in 2009 finished 2nd after a great battle with Corvette. They and the Vipers seem to be strong at the moment but our car is good on straight line speed which you need there; I think it will be tight again in the GTLM class.

“Mosport is one of my favorite tracks as it’s quick and technical, so I think we should have a good chance of a podium.  I think Giancarlo will be up to speed very quickly, as we could see from how he adapted to Watkins Glen which is a much harder track to learn – in no time he was right on the pace.  He likes quick circuits so that’s a big positive for Mosport!”

Risi’s Technical Director, Rick Mayer, explains further.  “The track surface is bumpy in an undulating way, but not harsh and abrupt like a street circuit.  The apex patches will change the grip throughout the corner.  The ideal line will depend on where the grip is, and how bad last winter was, but rain will further complicate the ideal grip line.  It’s a very fast track and unforgiving if you make mistakes as there’s very little run off relative to the speed of the corners.  History shows that if you go off, there’s usually substantial damage – as we have found in the past.”

Mayer adds that set up is critical.  “You would like to run low down force but you lose so much on the other sections it ends up being a quicker lap with a moderately high down force setup.  Saying that, you still need to be conscious of strait line speed; the competition is so fierce in the GTLM class now that you can’t afford to give anything away and have to seek to gain whatever advantage you can.”

Two one-hour practice sessions take place on Friday, with a further hour Saturday morning prior to qualifying.  The Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix begins at 2:05 pm on Sunday, 13 July and FOX Sports telecasts are available to viewers in Europe, Asia and Africa on IMSA.com and in the U.S. for users of the FOX Sports GO mobile app. On-board cameras are also available on IMSA.com throughout the event for both international and domestic viewers.

The Motor Racing Network will broadcast the Mobil 1 Sports Car Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance on radio in its entirety on IMSA.com, MRN.com and select affiliates. For this weekend, the broadcast will be carried locally on CHJJ, 90.7 FM from Cobourg, Ontario.

Risi Competizione

 

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