Risi Competizione
Encyclopedia
Risi Competizione is an American
auto racing
team formed by Giuseppe Risi in 1997
. Initially a partnership with Doyle Racing using the name Doyle-Risi Racing, Giuseppe Risi took full control of the project and it was rebranded with its current name in 2000. Risi Competizione has won races and championships in the IMSA GT championship
, American Le Mans Series
, and Rolex Sports Car Series
, as well as earning three class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
in , and . Much of Risi Competizione's success has come through the use of Ferrari
s.
, a car dealership
owned by Giuseppe Risi. Doyle Racing, wishing to replace their outdated Riley & Scott
sports prototype
, was able to use Risi's connection to Ferrari to purchase two new Ferrari 333 SP
s. Risi in turn was able to promote his Houston dealership. The first of the team's 333 SPs was planned for use in the IMSA GT Championship
, while the second was kept in Europe to prepare for the 24 Hours of Le Mans
, which the team had already been invited to due to the success of Doyle Racing the previous year in IMSA.
The new partnership was able to quickly find success as the team won in only the second race of the season, drivers Wayne Taylor
and Eric van de Poele
earning victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
. In Europe for Le Mans, Taylor and Van de Poele were joined by Fermín Vélez
, and although they were unable to win the race overall, they scored victory in their class with an eighth-place finish. Back in the United States, Doyle-Risi earned their third victory of the year at the inaugural Petit Le Mans
at Road Atlanta
, winning the race overall against several teams they had competed against at Le Mans. With two victories for the year, Doyle-Risi won the team championship for the World Sports Car class, while Taylor was second and Van de Poele third in the drivers' championship.
Doyle-Risi opened the 1999 season by competing in the 24 Hours of Daytona
, finishing the race in second place and only two laps behind the race winner. Doyle-Risi followed this by joining the American Le Mans Series
, a replacement for the previous year's IMSA GT Championship. Both of their 333 SPs were entered for the full season. However, facing stiffer competition from Audi
, BMW
and Panoz
, the team was unable to score any victories over the year, although they did score a season-best result of fourth at the Grand Prix of Atlanta
. The team finished the season fourth in the LMP championship.
Giuseppe Risi took full control of the team in 2000, rebranding it as Risi Competizione, and retained one of the 333 SPs from Doyle. Ralf Kelleners
and Mimmo Schiattarella were signed, and Risi moved to the new Rolex Sports Car Series
. The team earned two second-place finishes and scored fourth in the team championship. Schiattarella earned fourth in the drivers' championship, while Kelleners was sixth. In 2001, Risi entered a sole 333 SP at the 24 Hours of Daytona but failed to finish, and the team chose to not compete for the rest of the season.
During Risi's year away from competition, the company began development work on a competition version of the 360 Modena
for Ferrari. Although busy with development, Risi agreed to a partnership with Rand Racing to run a pair of Nissan
-powered Lola B2K/40
prototypes in the SRPII class of the Rolex Sports Car Series in 2002. The Rand-Risi team swept the ten-race season, winning their class in every event and clinching the championships. Meanwhile, Risi's 360 debuted in two of the final rounds of the American Le Mans Series season, earning podiums in their class for both races.
For 2003, Risi's 360 was entered in the Daytona 24 Hours and earned second place overall, beating multiple faster prototypes. The team then moved permanently to the American Le Mans Series, running a pair of the new 360s. The team earned second place in their class championship, while Risi Competizione also returned to the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time since their 1998 victory, finishing in 27th place. Risi continued their development of the 360 Modena into 2004, eventually upsetting the series' Porsche dominance with a victory in their class at the New England Grand Prix
. Difficulties in completing races, however, led the team to eventually finish the year fifth in the championship.
Now that their development of the 360 Modena was completed, Risi Competizione was chosen by Ferrari in 2005 to campaign another new car in the American Le Mans Series, this time the MC12
for Ferrari's sister brand Maserati
. Running under the Maserati Corse name, the team earned several third-place finishes in their GT1 class, but due to the MC12 not complying with certain ACO
& ALMS
rules, the team was not able to be awarded any points in the class championship. The team returned to the GT2 class in 2006 running a replacement for the 360 Modena, the F430
. Assigned factory Ferrari drivers Mika Salo
and Jaime Melo
, Risi Competizione earned four victories and eventually earned the team championship, although Salo finished ninth in the drivers' championship.
Risi improved over the next season, earning eight victories out of the twelve races in the American Le Mans Series, including the 12 Hours of Sebring
. The team once again secured the team championship, while Salo and Melo share the drivers' championship. Both F430s also attended the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third time in the team's history, where a car used in partnership with Krohn Racing
finished 17th overall and second in the GT2 class.
and Harrison Brix for the remainder of the events.
Risi also entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the second year in a row, entering a Salo and Melo along with Ferrari factory driver Gianmaria Bruni
in their primary car, while Krohn Racing used Tracy Krohn
, Niclas Jönsson
, and Eric van de Poele
in their cooperative entry. Although the Krohn entry was the first retirement of the race, the main Risi entry went on to take the GT2 class victory, 19th overall. This marked their second victory at Le Mans in four attempts.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
team formed by Giuseppe Risi in 1997
1997 in sports
1997 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Luc Alphand, France** Women's overall season champion: Pernilla Wiberg, Sweden-American football:...
. Initially a partnership with Doyle Racing using the name Doyle-Risi Racing, Giuseppe Risi took full control of the project and it was rebranded with its current name in 2000. Risi Competizione has won races and championships in the IMSA GT championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
, American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
, and Rolex Sports Car Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
, as well as earning three class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
in , and . Much of Risi Competizione's success has come through the use of Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
s.
Racing history
Risi Competizione was initially created as a competition arm . of Ferrari of HoustonHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, a car dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
owned by Giuseppe Risi. Doyle Racing, wishing to replace their outdated Riley & Scott
Riley & Scott
Riley & Scott Cars Inc. was a racing constructor and racing team that primarily provided chassis for various forms of motorsport, but worked primarily in sports car racing. It was founded in 1990 by Bob Riley and Mark Scott.-Sports car racing:...
sports prototype
Sports prototype
A sports prototype, also referred to as simply a prototype, is a form of racing car that is used as a top category in sports car racing. These purpose-built racing cars differ from street-legal and production-based racing cars that also compete in sports car racing.Prototype racing cars have...
, was able to use Risi's connection to Ferrari to purchase two new Ferrari 333 SP
Ferrari 333 SP
The Ferrari 333 SP was a sports prototype car built by Michelotto to World Sports Car regulations for Ferrari. Unveiled at the end of 1993, at the behest of amateur racer Giampiero Moretti , the 333 SP marked Ferrari's official return to sports car racing after a 20 year absence...
s. Risi in turn was able to promote his Houston dealership. The first of the team's 333 SPs was planned for use in the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
, while the second was kept in Europe to prepare for the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
, which the team had already been invited to due to the success of Doyle Racing the previous year in IMSA.
The new partnership was able to quickly find success as the team won in only the second race of the season, drivers Wayne Taylor
Wayne Taylor
Wayne Taylor is a South African sports car racer. He won the 1996 and 2005 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 2005 Rolex Series. He co-drives for SunTrust Racing with Max Angelelli...
and Eric van de Poele
Eric van de Poele
Eric van de Poele is a Belgian racing driver and former Formula One driver. He participated in 29 Grands Prix, debuting on 10 March 1991. He scored no championship points....
earning victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
. In Europe for Le Mans, Taylor and Van de Poele were joined by Fermín Vélez
Fermín Vélez
Fermín Vélez was a Spanish sports car racing driver, two-time winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring and two-time World Sportscar Championship Group C2 champion....
, and although they were unable to win the race overall, they scored victory in their class with an eighth-place finish. Back in the United States, Doyle-Risi earned their third victory of the year at the inaugural Petit Le Mans
1998 Petit Le Mans
The 1998 Petit Le Mans was the seventh race for the 1998 IMSA GT Championship season, then known as the Professional SportsCar Racing series. It was also the first race of Don Panoz's American Le Mans Series developed with the backing of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , the ruling body of the 24...
at Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta is a 2.54-mile road course located just north of Braselton, Georgia, USA. The facility is utilized for a wide variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams...
, winning the race overall against several teams they had competed against at Le Mans. With two victories for the year, Doyle-Risi won the team championship for the World Sports Car class, while Taylor was second and Van de Poele third in the drivers' championship.
Doyle-Risi opened the 1999 season by competing in the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
, finishing the race in second place and only two laps behind the race winner. Doyle-Risi followed this by joining the American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
, a replacement for the previous year's IMSA GT Championship. Both of their 333 SPs were entered for the full season. However, facing stiffer competition from Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
, BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
and Panoz
Panoz
Panoz Auto Development is an American manufacturer of high-performance automobiles founded in 1989 by Dan Panoz, son of pharmaceutical and motorsport mogul Don Panoz. The company is located in Braselton, GA. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, and the Panoz Esperante...
, the team was unable to score any victories over the year, although they did score a season-best result of fourth at the Grand Prix of Atlanta
1999 Grand Prix of Atlanta
The 1999 Grand Prix of Atlanta was the second round of the 1999 American Le Mans Series season. It took place at Road Atlanta, Georgia, on April 18, 1999.-Race results:Class winners in bold.-Statistics:* Pole Position - #16 Dyson Racing - 1:13.817...
. The team finished the season fourth in the LMP championship.
Ralf Kelleners
Ralf Kelleners is a race driver from Germany.His father Helmut Kelleners was also a race driver, winning the Spa 24 Hours and the 24 Hours Nürburgring.-External links:*...
and Mimmo Schiattarella were signed, and Risi moved to the new Rolex Sports Car Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
. The team earned two second-place finishes and scored fourth in the team championship. Schiattarella earned fourth in the drivers' championship, while Kelleners was sixth. In 2001, Risi entered a sole 333 SP at the 24 Hours of Daytona but failed to finish, and the team chose to not compete for the rest of the season.
During Risi's year away from competition, the company began development work on a competition version of the 360 Modena
Ferrari 360
The Ferrari 360 is a mid-engine midsize two-seater sports car produced from late 1999 until 2005. The 360 replaced the Ferrari F355 and was itself replaced by the fairly similar Ferrari F430...
for Ferrari. Although busy with development, Risi agreed to a partnership with Rand Racing to run a pair of Nissan
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....
-powered Lola B2K/40
Lola B2K/40
The Lola B2K/40 was a Le Mans Prototype developed in 2000 by Lola Cars International as a cheaper, smaller, and lighter alternative to the similar Lola B2K/10...
prototypes in the SRPII class of the Rolex Sports Car Series in 2002. The Rand-Risi team swept the ten-race season, winning their class in every event and clinching the championships. Meanwhile, Risi's 360 debuted in two of the final rounds of the American Le Mans Series season, earning podiums in their class for both races.
2004 New England Grand Prix
The 2004 New England Grand Prix was the third race for the 2004 American Le Mans Series season held at Lime Rock Park. It took place on July 5, 2004.-Official results:Class winners in bold...
. Difficulties in completing races, however, led the team to eventually finish the year fifth in the championship.
Now that their development of the 360 Modena was completed, Risi Competizione was chosen by Ferrari in 2005 to campaign another new car in the American Le Mans Series, this time the MC12
Maserati MC12
The Maserati MC12 is a two-seater sports car produced by Italian car maker Maserati to allow a racing variant to compete in the FIA GT Championship. The car entered production in 2004 with 30 cars produced...
for Ferrari's sister brand Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
. Running under the Maserati Corse name, the team earned several third-place finishes in their GT1 class, but due to the MC12 not complying with certain ACO
Automobile Club de l'Ouest
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest , sometimes abbreviated to ACO, is the largest automotive group in France. It was founded in 1906 by car building and racing enthusiasts, and is most famous for being the organising entity behind the annual Le Mans 24 Hours race...
& ALMS
Alms
Alms or almsgiving is a religious rite which, in general, involves giving materially to another as an act of religious virtue.It exists in a number of religions. In Philippine Regions, alms are given as charity to benefit the poor. In Buddhism, alms are given by lay people to monks and nuns to...
rules, the team was not able to be awarded any points in the class championship. The team returned to the GT2 class in 2006 running a replacement for the 360 Modena, the F430
Ferrari F430
The Ferrari F430 is a sports car that was produced by the Italian automaker Ferrari from 2004 to 2009, as a successor to the 360. It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show...
. Assigned factory Ferrari drivers Mika Salo
Mika Salo
Mika Juhani Salo is a Finnish racing driver. He competed in Formula One between and . His best ranking was 10th in the world championship in 1999. He also won the GT2 class in the 2008 and 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans....
and Jaime Melo
Jaime Melo
Jaime Melo, also known as Jaime Melo, Jr. , is a Brazilian auto racing driver best known for his success in grand tourers as Ferrari driver. In 2006 he won the FIA GT Championship in the GT2 class driving for AF Corse and the next year he did the same at the American Le Mans Series for Risi...
, Risi Competizione earned four victories and eventually earned the team championship, although Salo finished ninth in the drivers' championship.
Risi improved over the next season, earning eight victories out of the twelve races in the American Le Mans Series, including the 12 Hours of Sebring
2007 12 Hours of Sebring
The 2007 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring was the 55th running of this event and the opening round of the 2007 American Le Mans Series season. It took place on March 17, 2007.-Official results:Class winners are in bold...
. The team once again secured the team championship, while Salo and Melo share the drivers' championship. Both F430s also attended the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third time in the team's history, where a car used in partnership with Krohn Racing
Krohn Racing
Krohn Racing is a professional sports car racing team based out of Braselton, Georgia at the Road Atlanta complex. The team competes in the American Le Mans Series GT2 class as a partner with Risi Competizione and races full-time in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype...
finished 17th overall and second in the GT2 class.
2008 season
For Risi Competizione's 2008 campaign in the American Le Mans Series, two F430s are once again in use. The team's primary car is once again piloted by defending champions Salo and Melo. The second car is used in partnership with Krohn Racing for several races during the season, but driven by Patrick FriesacherPatrick Friesacher
Patrick Friesacher is an Austrian racing driver who drove for the Minardi Formula One team during the first half of the 2005 season.-Early career:...
and Harrison Brix for the remainder of the events.
Risi also entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the second year in a row, entering a Salo and Melo along with Ferrari factory driver Gianmaria Bruni
Gianmaria Bruni
Gianmaria "Gimmi" Bruni is an Italian racing driver who in 2004 drove in Formula One with the Minardi team, and is now racing in the Le Mans Series and Intercontinental Le Mans Cup....
in their primary car, while Krohn Racing used Tracy Krohn
Tracy Krohn
Tracy W. Krohn is an entrepreneur, business mogul and auto racing enthusiast who was a new addition to the 2006 Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans, at #320. He is currently #278 on the list. He has a petroleum engineering degree from Louisiana State University and has worked as an...
, Niclas Jönsson
Niclas Jönsson
Niclas Jönsson is a former driver in the Indy Racing League. He raced in the 1999-2000 seasons with 4 career starts. His best career IRL finish was in 12th position in the 2000 Delphi Indy 200 held at Walt Disney World Speedway.He made 1 NASCAR Busch Series start at Montreal, he started 8th and...
, and Eric van de Poele
Eric van de Poele
Eric van de Poele is a Belgian racing driver and former Formula One driver. He participated in 29 Grands Prix, debuting on 10 March 1991. He scored no championship points....
in their cooperative entry. Although the Krohn entry was the first retirement of the race, the main Risi entry went on to take the GT2 class victory, 19th overall. This marked their second victory at Le Mans in four attempts.