Every new Ferrari bread and butter model is followed by a track version of it that is faster, stiffer, more powerful, lighter and meaner looking. The Ferrari 458 Italia doesn’t stray the line as well, with the 458 GTC being revealed recently during a shakedown at Fiorano.
The 458 GTC is set to replace the F430 in various racing series’ around the world, from endurance races to one make series and even GT racing.
One of the first teams to get their hands on the car is the Jim Gainer racing team that campaigns in the GT300 class of the Super GT. The 458 GTC will be spearheading the team’s efforts in the GT300 class of the Super GT for the 2011 season.
Piloting Fiorano’s finest will be Tetsuya Tanaka and Katsuyuki Hiranaka. The two former GT500 drivers will be in the number 11 car under the Jim Gainer banner. With their experience in the top tier of Super GT, the pair pose a very formidable threat and finished last season with a double victory in the Fuji Sprint Cup for a fitting final hurrah in their F430 machine.
With the 458 GTC under their control now, expect the terrible twosome to pose a stronger challenge for the title this season. Jim Gainer will still run their old F430 as the second car, bearing the number 10 but with yet to be ascertained drivers.
Even though the GT300 class boasts some impressive continental machinery such as the F430, Porsche 911 and Aston Martin Vantage, the Japanese cars have still maintained dominance over that class with the likes of Corolla Axio, Lexus IS, RX7 and Nissan 350Z. Add in the home grown silhouette racing machines like the Garaiya and Shiden into the mix and things get more exciting.
Nonetheless, with the introduction of the 458 GTC and the Porsche RSR among other new conti offerings being available this year, perhaps the pattern is about to change in the Super GT.
Source: 7Tune
