for New No. 61 R.Ferri AIM Motorsport Racing with Ferrari F458 at Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona Test
Two-time GT Champ works with new AIM/R.Ferri co-drivers and teammates in preparation for 51st Annual Rolex 24 At Daytona Later this Month
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (January 7, 2013)Two-time reigning GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series GT Champion Jeff Segal worked through a challenging but productive three-day Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona test this past weekend in his debut run with co-drivers Max Papis and Toni Vilander in the new No. 61 R.Ferri AIM Motorsport Racing with Ferrari F458.
Segal will run the full 2013 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series season with Papis while Finnish Ferrari driver Vilander has been added to the AIM/R.Ferri No. 61, along with former Formula 1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella, for the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona later this month.
Segal has driven the past six years with Emil Assentato, a partnership that produced GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series GT Championships last year and in 2010, but the duo has divided ranks in 2013 to drive different AIM/R.Ferri and AIM/FXDD Ferrari F458s.
With Fisichella scheduled to join the team for the upcoming Rolex 24, Segal, Papis and Vilander handled all of the driving during this past weekends test. The trios best lap of the three days came in Saturday mornings session with a relatively conservative time of 1:50.019 (116.489 mph). The focus of the Roar test for Segal and his teammates was to run through a deliberate schedule of component and setup iterations while also developing familiarity within the new team and personnel.
It was a tough test, and we had a lot that we had to learn and figure out, but I think we did just that, Segal said. If it wasnt tough I would be a little bit concerned. New car, new team and there are a lot things that we had to figure out and thats what this test was all about.
Starting the season as the reigning GT Champion for the second time in three years doesnt faze Segal one bit. He and his teammates are also not about to let their guard down even though they are once again heading into a Rolex 24 as the current GT title holders.
Its really not top of mind at all, Segal said. Right now its all about the Rolex 24 and the greatest way to start the season is with big points in the first race. Its all about this race and we will focus on the championship after that but for now the Rolex 24 is the big challenge.
Next up for Jeff Segal and R.Ferri AIM Motorsport Racing with Ferrari is the Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 2427.
