The AF Corse team has presented its motorsport programme for 2010, this year it will be concentrated on its participation in the international Le Mans Series. Like over recent years the team from Piacenza will use the F430 GT, the GT2 class Berlinetta from the Prancing Horse which has been extremely successful in the world of Granturismo competitions.

This year Amato Ferrari chose a group of interesting and high-profile drivers. Next to the successful ‘veterans’ Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander there will be two new drivers, both from Argentina, Luis Perez Companc and Matias Russo, and a Brazilian, who is already well known in the world of GT motorsports, Jaime Melo. But there are two more names, well known to the fans of Ferrari: Giancarlo Fisichella and Jean Alesi. Three cars will take part in the Le Mans Series: one driven by the two Ferraristi and supported by Vilander, one by the two Argentinians and one by Melo and Bruni.

It means that Fisichella will not only be the third driver of the Scuderia Ferrari this year, but he also make an experience in the world of Granturismo racing, something he was still missing in his CV. "I’m very happy that I can participate in the AF Corse’s programme and I hope that I can give back the trust they have in me,” the Roman driver said. “Obviously I would have taken the opportunity to race in the Formula, if it had been under the right circumstances, but it didn’t happen. I’m happy to be part of the Ferrari family as a third driver. I can’t wait to test the F430 GT to get ready for the debut at Paul Ricard on 11 April." Fisichella joined the Scuderia from Force India for the last five races of the 2009 F1 season, replacing Luca Badoer who had been temporarily deputising for the injured Felipe Massa. Fisichella was widely linked with a seat at BMW Sauber for the coming season, a team he drove for in 2004 and which has now returned to the ownership of its founder Peter Sauber, although ultimately the Swiss outfit chose other drivers.

"Coming back to racing in a Ferrari after many years is not just a great pleasure, but especially a great honour,” Jean Alesi, a former Scuderia driver and hero of the tifosi, said. “I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of a car I already tested in Fiorano a couple of months ago. I want to thank Amato Ferrari for the opportunity and I hope I can deliver some great show to our fans.”