Rain hampers Risi's fast qualifying charge at home race

Austin, Texas, 20th September 2013. After three separate days of testing at the Circuit of the Americas, which have all taken place in the normal hot, Texan temperatures, today’s two official practice sessions and qualifying were unfortunately held in wet and challenging track conditions. There was a spread of 4.5 seconds across the 11 GT competitors in the ALMS today instead of the usual second or so which spoke volumes about the effect that the heavy rain had on the field.

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

Photo by: JMHPics

Houston-based Risi Competizione will start tomorrow’s 8th round of the American Le Mans Series from 8th position on the GT grid – the No.62 Ferrari 458 Italia not getting to grips with the wet conditions as well as some of its competitors.

Matteo Malucelli, who drove the Ferrari in qualifying said afterwards: “It was difficult but the weather was the same for everyone so I can’t complain about that. We had a set up problem, to be honest, as we have done a lot of work in the dry but little in the wet.

“We have a good, fast car in the dry but couldn’t do more than 8th in qualifying. We hope now the race will be dry and we will have an opportunity to repeat the speed we showed in testing.”

While the rain is much needed in Texas, there will be an entire paddock of teams and drivers praying for it to pass before tomorrow.

The next round of the ALMS will be the Circuit of the Americas at Austin, Texas on Saturday 21 September. The 2 hour 45 minute race starts from 3:45pm

Risi Competizione