MIM-contracted driver David Vidales embarks on an exciting new phase of his motorsport career in 2024 as he joins the AF Corse team based in Piacenza, Italy for what promises to be an intense year of top-level international GT racing in a factory Ferrari 296 GT3.
In a press release issued by the Italian squad – Ferrari’s official partner in Hypercar and international GT racing and winners of 8 editions of the 10 disputed of FIA WEC GTE – it was confirmed that the 21-year-old Spaniard will flank his French-Monégasque fellow racer Vincent Abril in a GT racing programme scheduled to be announced in the coming weeks.
David Vidales declared: “It is a great honour for me to wear the colours of such a prestigious and successful team as AF Corse. I’m very grateful for this opportunity and I’m really looking forward to the start of the new season. I would like to thank Salvatore Gandolfo and Monaco Increase Management for all their hard work”.
The MIM CEO added: “A big thanks on my part go to AF Corse for making this collaboration happen and for giving David Vidales a great chance to form part of such a prestigious racing family as Ferrari. We are fully convinced of David’s potential and we welcome this latest phase in his racing career, which we are sure will be successful.”
2024 promises to be a major step forward for Vidales, who can boast experience, wins and podiums in Formula Renault Eurocup, FIA Formula 3 and All-Japan Super Formula Lights ever since the former national karting champion began his full-time single-seater racing career in 2020.
After a season spent in Super Formula Lights which did not reflect his true potential, David took part in the pre-season Rookies Test for Super Formula, Asia’s top racing series, in December at the iconic Suzuka circuit. The test was with the single-seater Dallara SF23, second only to Formula 1 in terms of power and speed.
David was invited to take part in that test by the Vantelin Team TOM’s team that won the 2023 title with Ritomo Miyata, and despite not having done any vital simulator work for such a challenging circuit, he immediately produced an impressive performance in an unfamiliar car to finish P5, just three-tenths of a second behind the pacesetter Ben Barnicoat.
With this experience behind him, all eyes will now be on the Spanish youngster in 2024 as he gets to grips with a totally new category, in which he will be up against a field of competitive international drivers all competing for honours with prestigious GT manufacturers.
