Description:

Michelotto Automobili developed the F430 GTC with a view to making it eligible for all the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) series. The F430 GTC were entered in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), the Le Mans Series (LMS), the FIA GT Championship and, of course, the Le Mans 24 Hours. Michelotto worked directly with Ferrari Corse Clienti. From the outset, the F430 was guided by an official desire to enter Grand Touring. This had not been the case with the 360 Modena, which was initially developed by Jean-Michel Bourresche's team (JMB) before receiving a helping hand from Maranello.

Work on the F430 base began at the end of 2004, with the first runs in October 2005. Development was accelerated, but nothing was left to chance. The F430's original aluminium chassis was reinforced with an aluminium tubular trellis cage in the cockpit. Mechanically, the engine displacement was reduced to 3,996 cm' to make the car compatible with the GT2 category (allowing engines with displacements of 3.8 to 4.0 litres). The berlinetta was fitted with two silencers on the exhaust manifolds to limit noise. At the same time, the F430 gained weight - around 50 kg - to reach 1,130 kg on the scales. Power, managed by means of flanges placed on the intake pipes in accordance with the regulations, fluctuated according to the championship from 430 to 470 bhp, available from 6,600 to 7,500 rpm.

In terms of aerodynamics, the underbody of the car was completely flat. To generate downforce, in addition to the excellent base provided by the F430, there was of course a rear wing with a wide range of adjustment options. The race versions of the F430 were fitted with lightweight 18-inch centre-nut wheels with Michelin slicks instead of the 19-inch wheels fitted with Pirelli tyres on the road cars. While the F430 road car's adjustable dampers could be adjusted using a knob on the steering wheel, the F430 GTC's suspension was not adjustable on the fly.

The F430 GTC got off to a strong start by winning the FIA GT2 Manufacturers' Cup and Drivers' title in 2006 and 2007, the ALMS GT2 Manufacturers' Title in 2007, and it won the GT2 class at Le Mans in 2008. Ultimately, the F430 GTC made Ferrari a dominant force in GT racing, and this has continued with the 458 G12 and 488 GTE. Including the 430 GTC prototype, it is believed that approximately 53 examples were built in total.

This particular example was campaigned by JMB Racing (MC) throughout the 2006 FIA GT Championship and was driven by Iradj Alexander and Tim Sugden. JMB Racing also ran the car in the 2006 24 Hours of Spa where it was shared by Iradj Alexander, Tim Sugden, Jean-Michel Martin and Stéphane Daoudi.

The car is fresh from a full rebuild at Michelotto in Italy and is eligible for a number of racing events including Global Endurance Legends and Masters Endurance Legends, in which it can tackle some of the most historically significant circuits in Europe, such as Le Mans, Paul Ricard, Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, and Nürburgring. Contact us now for more information or to arrange a viewing.

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