Friday saw a special test day at the Autodromo Piero Taruffi in Vallelunga with the F430 GT as the three 2009 Ferrari Challenge winners along with ex-Scuderia drivers Jean Alesi and Giancarlo Fisichella were all on track in the GT2 racer.

Friday saw a special test day at the Autodromo Piero Taruffi in Vallelunga for the GT2 class "Gran Turismo" F430 GT supplied by Ferrari Corse Clienti to the winners of the 2009 Ferrari Challenge in collaboration with Pirelli, supporting the manufacturer from Maranello with enthusiasm in promoting young talents, supplying safe and ecologically correct high-performance tyres. Giorgio Sernagiotto, winner in the Italian series in the Trofeo Pirelli, Stefano Gai and Yannick Mallegol, Champions in the Italian and European Coppa Shell dedicated to gentlemen drivers respectively, took turns behind the wheel of a F430 GT supplied by the team AF Corse.

Yesterday was also the debut of the equipe Jean Alesi and Giancarlo Fisichella on board of the victorious car from the team from Piacenza lead by Amato Ferrari, which will start in the Le Mans Series. This was the second experience behind the wheel of a F430 GT after the test in Fiorano last October for the French driver, who started as the official Scuderia Ferrari driver from 1991 to 1995: “I’m really happy to be back in the Ferrari family, having such a great adventure ahead, sharing the car with other drivers, something I’ve never done. When I raced I shouted only for myself, now Vilander and Fisichella will be my preferred drivers!”

For Fisichella, who is also the third driver for the Formula 1 Team from Maranello this season, this outing was the first test session and the first time on board of an F430 GT with the challenge of the racing series ahead. At the end of the test session the Roman spoke about the great difference between the enormous grip and performance of a single-seater and the weight and completely different aerodynamics of the GT2 car: “It went well, this is an honest car, easy to drive, but I need to gain more confidence to find the limit. This is a great experience and I’m honoured that I can fight together with Jean and Toni to defend the colours of Ferrari in GT2.”

The Finnish driver Toni Vilander, who will assist the two Ferraristi in the upcoming season, spoke about a positive day: “It will be nice to pass on my experience to two drivers of their level. Although we just started working I’m sure that this will be an emotional season.”