Scuderia Corsa Seeks Hometown Victory at Long Beach Grand Prix
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (April 4, 2017)- Competing with the Ferrari 488 GT3 for the first time on the prestigious street circuit, Scuderia Corsa and drivers Christina Nielsen and Alessandro Balzan will take to this weekend’s Grand Prix of Long Beach with a clear target of victory following their podium performance during the most recent race at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
With Scuderia Corsa serving as the racing arm for Southern California-based Ferrari dealerships including Ferrari Beverly Hills, Ferrari Westlake, and Ferrari South Bay, the team will arrive as the lone Ferrari entrant in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GT-Daytona (GTD) category.
The history of Ferrari and the Grand Prix of Long Beach feature a rich pairing, dating all the way to the very first Formula One Grand Prix at the venue, where Clay Regazzoni and the 312 T2 took victory in 1976, it would begin a legacy of performance at the storied street circuit that continues to today. Carrying the mantle for the marque in to this weekend’s Grand Prix, Scuderia Corsa will participate with the added expectations of being the home team, with both the organization and driver Christina Nielsen residing in the Los Angeles area.
After a second-place result at Sebring just three weeks ago, the team is currently enjoying a surge of championship momentum that should suit them well around the tricky 1.9-mile, 11-turn street circuit. As a temporary configuration on city streets that literally line Long Beach’s downtown “Pike” district, the circuit leaves little room for error.
With the narrow confines lined by walls on all sides, the slightest mistake can result in extensive damage. As the shortest race of the year at one-hour, 40-minutes, Saturday’s event will kick-off the “sprint” season for the championship, with the majority of races now running under three hours; a major departure from the first two races which combined for 36 hours of racing.
The team’s extensive dealership relationships will be in full effect as they host dozens of proud Ferrari owners throughout the festivities, set in a scenic backdrop unlike any other in motorsports. Boasting the marque’s track heritage, not only did Ferrari win three of the first four Formula One races that took place in Long Beach, but Scuderia Corsa also took a debut victory there last year in a Ferrari 458, with driver Martin Fuentes crossing the finish line first in his class while competing in the Pirelli World Challenge.
For driver Christina Nielsen, who resides in Los Angeles, the excitement of her “home race” is palpable.
“I raced there for the first time two years ago in a different car, and I don’t believe the Ferrari 488 GT3 has raced there yet so it’s going to be interesting to see how it goes,” stated Nielsen. “We had a good car at Detroit last year which is also a street circuit, so we just have to work with what we have. It’s a super-cool event and a super-cool track, we’ll be running on the same weekend as IndyCar, and I’m looking forward to being back after our podium finish at Sebring. It’s sort of the home race for the team, they’re doing a good job, and it’s definitely a race where qualifying and pit stops are going to be really crucial since it’s hard to overtake on street circuits. It’s only a 100-minute race, but hopefully we can start from scratch, find a good setup, I’m sure the team will nail it during the pit stops, and that will result in a great run.”
For team owner Giacomo Mattioli, a Beverly Hills local, the home race for everyone involved is an event not-to-be-missed.
“We always feel extra positive pressure and enjoyment when it’s in front of our home crowd,” stated Mattioli. “With so many of our friends coming for the event, our team is coming with expectations to put on a great show on Saturday’s race. It’s such a short race and such a tricky course that we know how challenging it can be, but we should have a great car and would like to add another Ferrari victory to the legacy of Long Beach on its 70th anniversary.”
Practice for the Grand Prix of Long Beach begins this Friday, April 7, with the race taking place one day later on Saturday, April 7 with live coverage on FOX at 4PM ET.
About Scuderia Corsa
2016 IMSA GTD Champion, 2016 24Hours of Le Mans GTE-Am winner, 2016 6H of Watkins Glen Winner, 2016 12H of Sebring Winner, 2016 Pirelli World Challenge GTA Champion, 2015 24Hours of Le Mans Podium, 2015 IMSA GTD and 2013 Grand-AM GT championship-winning team Scuderia Corsa was founded in 2013 by Giacomo Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo. Follow Scuderia Corsa on Twitter @Scuderia_Corsa, on Facebook at Scuderia Corsa, Instagram at #Scuderiacorsaferrari and ScuderiaCorsa.com
Team Sponsors:
Ferrari Beverly Hills / Westlake / Silicon Valley / South Bay - North America’s premiere Ferrari dealership group specializing in new and pre-owned sales, Classiche designation work, collision repair and factory trained service and original parts. Pacific Western Bank is a Los Angeles-based commercial bank with over $21 billion in assets. Pacific Western provides commercial banking services, including real estate, construction, and commercial loans, to small and medium-sized businesses through 80 full-service branches throughout the state of California. Its CapitalSource Division delivers cash flow, asset-based, equipment and real estate loans, as well as treasury management services to middle market businesses on a national basis. The Square 1 Bank Division, headquartered at Pacific Western’s Durham, North Carolina branch, offers a comprehensive suite of financial services focused on entrepreneurial businesses and their venture capital and private equity investors, with offices located in all key innovative hubs across the United States. Pacific Western Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PacWest Bancorp (NASDAQ: PACW). Ferrari Palm Beach – Providing the exclusive Palm Beach market with a premium inventory of new and pre-owned Ferraris, state-of-the-art facilities and technicians for expert maintenance and repair. Wide World Ferrari – Located in Spring Valley, New York, offering Ferrari customers a premium selection of new and pre-owned Ferraris, expert authorized service and exclusive Ferrari certified body repair. Hublot – A champion of innovation, Hublot revolutionized the watch industry with the introduction of the Big Bang, a multiple award winning timepiece created using a combination of precious metals with rubber. Since then, the Swiss brand has become universally known for the concept, “Art of Fusion.” From in-house watch complications to world-class collaborations, Hublot is constantly evolving and looking to the future. PassTime - PassTime GPS has been in business for more than 25 years in the global transportation industry. Our wireless GPS products are available to auto dealers, auto finance companies, auto leasing companies, insurance companies and fleet transportation provider’s in the USA, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Asia Pacific.SONIC Tools – SONIC Tools is the North American subsidiary of Sonic Equipment, the world’s market leader in premium hand tools and tool box systems for both commercial and consumer use. The company’s mission is to elevate efficiency in the professional workshop through its premium hand tools and unique tool organization solutions. Sonic Tools’ precision-crafted tools, toolboxes and wall systems are found in the world’s most progressive automotive enterprises, and personal garages.
Technical Suppliers
Motegi Racing – through technical partnerships with leading professional racing teams, Motegi Racing Competition and High Performance Tuning wheels are designed and engineered for performance. Motegi Racing is a Wheel Pros brand. Wheel Pros products are sold worldwide in more than 20 countries on four continents and through a U.S. network of more than 10,000 active dealers. AERO Advanced Paint Technology is the world’s only ultra-durable, film-based paint appliqué. AERO is 50 percent lighter than traditional paint, has 100x superior durability, is strip-able, and has virtually zero carbon footprint. AERO the future of paint. Sabelt – leading manufacturer of seat belts and safety harnesses for production and racings cars, race suits, shoes and helmets, carbon seats for automobiles and child restraint systems worldwide. AllState – Allstate Roadside Services strives to provide the industry’s best roadside experience for our partners, their customers and our service providers.
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Email: media@scuderiacorsa.com
Picture Credit to Bob Chapman, Autosport Image
