2020 Rolex 24 Overall Winner Briscoe Heads No. 63 Ferrari Driver Contingent
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Scuderia Corsa has added its name to the highly competitive list of GT Daytona (GTD) teams that will compete next month in the 59th Rolex 24 At Daytona, with a reigning Rolex 24 winner among the drivers of the No. 63 Ferrari 488 GT3.
Ryan Briscoe, part of the Rolex 24 overall and Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class-winning team this past January with Wayne Taylor Racing, heads up a Scuderia Corsa lineup that also includes Brett Curtis, Ed Jones and Marcos Gomes. Team owner Giacomo Mattioli is excited at the prospects.
“I truly believe this lineup has a chance to win,” Mattioli said. “They have the experience, the speed and the enthusiasm to succeed. This race picks its winner, but you do have to prepare. The team has been working all offseason for the return to racing. Our partners Total, Aero and Pacific Western are all excited to be back at Daytona. 2021 feels hopeful and we want to capitalize on the positive momentum.”
Briscoe has logged 22 career IMSA wins. He has finished second in the driver championship three times, including in 2020 when he and teammate Renger van der Zande came up a point shy of Ricky Taylor and Helio Castroneves in the DPi battle. The 2021 Rolex 24 will mark Briscoe’s GTD debut, with his previous IMSA experience coming in Prototypes and the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class.
“I’d like to thank Giacomo for the opportunity to join Scuderia Corsa for this coming Rolex 24 at Daytona,” Briscoe said. “This will be a new challenge for me racing in the GTD class in a Ferrari. I’m very grateful and will do my part to fight for the victory and can’t wait to hit the track in a few weeks!”
Gomes was the GTD pole winner for the 2019 Rolex 24 while driving a Via Italian Racing Ferrari. He also turned the fastest lap of the race in the class. He’s excited to drive for the team that captured three straight IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD titles from 2015-17 and won its class at this year’s Motul Petit Le Mans.
“The expectation is to fight for the victory,” Gomes said. “We have a strong lineup of drivers and Scuderia Corsa is one of the most experienced teams in the GTD class. Furthermore, the Ferrari 488 has always been very competitive at the Daytona 24.”
Curtis has driven for Scuderia Corsa in the past, including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the SRO GT World Challenge. Jones was backed by Scuderia Corsa for his 2019 season in the IndyCar Series.
“First, it’s great to be back with Scuderia Corsa because I have a great relationship with the team and everyone there,” Jones said. “I look forward to going back stateside after a rough 2020 for everyone. I think we have the chance to start 2021 off the right way with a great result at Daytona. I think the team we have around us as well as drivers is a strong lineup. It should be the perfect opportunity to get a great result. The goal as always is to win. I think if we show the performance that Scuderia Corsa had last year, we can certainly be in position to achieve.”
The 2021 WeatherTech Championship season opens with The Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway from Jan. 22-24, which includes testing and the Motul Pole Award 100 qualifying race that determines the starting grid for the 24-hour race the following week. Rolex 24 action runs Jan. 27-31, with the race set to start at 3:40 p.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 30.