The 24-Hours of Le Mans has long been known as the greatest and toughest endurance race in the world, from the hours and dedication taken to prepare for the race, to the immeasurable pressure on race day; I have always had immense appreciation for the drivers and teams that participate.

My affinity for Le Mans began in 2007 when longtime-friend, Art Zafiropoulo, and I co-owned a Ferrari F430 GT which we entered in the race under the banner of Risi Competizione.  Thanks to a great team effort from drivers and crew, the number 99 car achieved 2nd place. There was an indescribable feeling I had while watching the race, a palpable adrenaline rush that had me hooked. In work I thrive in an environment filled with dedication, enthusiasm, and teamwork, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans had, and still has, it all; soon I began to get the itch to start my own team, which seemed like the next logical step having already owned and operated several Ferrari dealerships.

It was an itch I had to scratch, fast-forward to 2012 and Scuderia Corsa was born. Scuderia Corsa’s purpose was to continue the long lineage of Ferrari dealers embodying the core mission of the brand: privateer racing and supporting clients’ desire to race. After successfully competing in the Ferrari Challenge North America series and winning IMSA SportsCar Championships, we received our invitation to Le Mans. 

With our eyes on the prize, we entered Le Mans 2015 and earned a podium place. As they say in Italian “l’appetito vien mangiando…” and so we entered again in 2016. It was June 18 and an overcast day at Circuit de la Sarthe, we had been preparing months for this day. The atmosphere was electric, and the caliber of competition was high. Throughout the 24-hours, our talented drivers rotated turns behind the wheel of our number 62 Ferrari 458 GT2, fighting tooth and nail to maintain Scuderia Corsa’s standing on track. Truthfully the team and drivers could, and should, have been sponsored by Advil given the copious amounts consumed! To this day I still think about how grueling the race was for the team and the drivers. After the most captivating 24-hours, Scuderia Corsa was victorious, achieving a 1st place podium finish! We entered into Le Mans again in 2017 and 2019, collecting another two podiums finishes at the world’s greatest endurance race.    

The adrenaline of standing on the historical podium of Le Mans is a rush that is nearly impossible to duplicate. However, ten years and a whole other continent later, the feeling was matched at Cavallino Classic Middle East. My son Enzo and I entered our 1962 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso to be shown at the Concours. Found in Los Angeles in 2018, the car was in less than stellar condition, and in 2020 was sent to our restoration shop Bacchelli and Villa for the complete works. After the restoration was completed, the car was put through its paces meandering the Italian Dolomites during Cavalcade Classiche; it drove like a dream, as if it had just rolled out of the gates in Maranello. Cavallino Classic brings together the very best and entering it for show felt more daunting than driving on a cliff’s edge. The judges scrupulously examined every detail of each car while we waited on bated breath, a wait that felt just as long as Le Mans in 2016. The enthusiasm and teamwork from Bacchelli and Villa shone through and to our sheer delight, our 1962 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso won Best in Show GranTurismo and earned an unprecedented 101 points! 

So with that, I’d like to say a huge thank you to Luigi and the Cavallino Classic team for reinvigorating and creating memories that transcend beyond past and present day, may the celebration of Ferrari’s and Ferraristi long continue. Forza Ferrari!