Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 - 2011

The development of the 458 Italia GT2 was entrusted, following tradition, to Michelotto in Padua, renowned for having prepared numerous Ferrari berlinettas over the years, including the 308 GTBs of the 1980s, which excelled in rallying. The base model was the latest addition to the rear-engined V8 two-seaters, the 458 Italia, which would also be the last to feature a naturally aspirated engine, as Ferrari would definitively switch to supercharging with its replacement, the 488.

 The tuner therefore had at its disposal a refined two-seater coupé which, in its road version, offered active aerodynamic solutions and the largest naturally aspirated V8 engine ever produced by Ferrari, with a displacement of 4.5 litres (the turbo in the 488 was reduced to 3.9 litres) and an output of 570 hp, which, in the racing version fitted with an air intake restrictor, was reduced by 100 hp.

After tests at Sebring and on the Paul Ricard circuit, the car made its debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring in the spring, which is part of the American Le Mans Series and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, created in 2010 to replace the World Endurance Championship (which was reintroduced in 2012). Out of the four cars entered by three teams, it was the French Luxury Racing Team that performed best, finishing 28th.

 During the tests at Le Mans at the end of April, the black and white car of the Farnbacher Team sponsored by Hankook took first place in the GTE Pro Class and was ranked 30th overall. Shortly afterwards, at the 1000 km of Spa, the 458 Italia GT2 achieved its first victory in its class for the AF Corse team with two Italian drivers, Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni, finishing 16th overall.

 At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, each of the six 458s at the start were participating in the LMGTE Pro Class. The best result was achieved by the AF Corse team, finishing 13th overall with Fisichella, Bruniand and Finnish driver Toni Vilander, while coming in second in their class behind the Chevrolet Corvette C6.R ZR1 driven by Olivier Beretta, Tommy Milner and Antonio Garcia.

As the season progressed, the 458 Italia GT2 secured class victories at the 6 Hours of Imola, Silverstone, Le Castellet and Estoril, which were all part of the Le Mans European series. There, AF Corse won the team classification and the duo of Fisichella and Bruni took the drivers' title. The AF Corse Team took first place in the LMGTE Pro Class of the Le Mans Intercontinental Cup, with Ferrari winning the Manufacturers' title.

From 2012 onwards, the458 Italia GT2 distinguished itself in the LMGTE Am class, open to drivers of a different calibre, while continuing to score victories in the Pro Class, where it won the first Manufacturers' title in the new FIA WEC Championship. These were repeated in the following two years, with the addition of the team title (again with AF Corse) and the drivers' title (as of 2013) with Bruni and Bruni/Vilander. The 458 Italia GT2 won the LMGTE Pro Class at Le Mans in 2012 and again in 2014.