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RISI COMPETIZIONE PRE-RACE PREVIEW - 2019 Race Public Relations

Barbara J. Burns GTE-Pro No. 89: Luis Felipe “Pipo” Derani (BRA) BurnsGroup PR [email protected] (GBR) Tel: +1 770 329 7134

Jules Gounon (FRA) Risi Competizione Anna Lenzi Houston, Texas (June 7, 2019)… Risi Competizione returns to compete at the 24 [email protected]

Hours of Le Mans with the untraditionally blue No. 89 Risi Competizione Ferrari 6100 Southwest Freeway 488 GTE-Pro entry for this year’s 87th annual race, June 15-16. Brazilian driver Houston, Texas USA 77057 Luis Felipe “Pipo” Derani, England’s Oliver Jarvis, and Frenchman Jules Gounon Tel: +1 713 772 3868 www.risicompetizione.com will pilot the Prancing Horse for the well-known American team.

Derani, winner of the 2019 race, has four Le Mans entry and one podium finish in 2017 in a GTE-Pro Ford GT. Jarvis has competed at the twice-around-the-clock French venue seven times and was a winner in 2017 in the LMP2 class and has captured three additional podiums, all in the LMP1 class. Gounon, son of former Le Mans winner, Jean-Marc Gounon, will be making his debut at the legendary race.

The Houston, Texas-based Risi Competizione team will mark its 15th entry over the past 21 years at the legendary 24 Heures du Mans race, having competed for the first time in 1998. The Ferrari team’s record includes three victories, in 1998 with the Ferrari 333 SP, and 2008 and 2009 in the Ferrari 430 GT, and an additional five podiums. The American team combined with Frenchman Jean

Guikas and the prestigious Club Ferrari France, the over 50-year-old Ferrari Owner’s Club of France, in a collaboration for the 2019 Le Mans race.

Luis Felipe “Pipo” Derani, driver No. 89 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 LM GTE- Pro: This will be your first time driving for the Risi Competizione team, what are your thoughts about the team and getting the call to come race with Risi and their success at this huge and important race? “I’m really happy to be joining Risi for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. The team has a great history with this race and has had a lot of success not only at Le

Mans but in America as well. Having said that, I couldn’t be happier to be joining such a capable and strong team.”

You competed in a Ferrari 488 Evo in the GTE-Pro class last year at Le Mans. What do you think of the car and the competitive GTE-Pro class at this race? “GTE-Pro is definitely the most competitive category at Le Mans and for this reason a great result means so much for teams and drivers. Ferrari is not only a fantastic manufacturer with so much history but also a fantastic car to drive. To be back driving a Ferrari at Le Mans is definitely an amazing opportunity.”

You’ve driven at Le Mans in both the LMP2 and GTE-Pro classes. Share a little bit about the differences from a driver’s perspective. “Obviously the biggest difference between LMP2 and GTE-Pro is that you must have at least one amateur driver in LMP2. GTE-Pro is filled with Factory

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programs and only professional drivers, which ends up elevating the level by a Race Public Relations big margin and consequently making a victory much harder to achieve.” Barbara J. Burns BurnsGroup PR [email protected] Tell us about your co-drivers…have you ever driven with them and if so when? Tel: +1 770 329 7134 If not, what do you know about them?

“I have competed against Jarvis the last couple of years in IMSA and respect him Risi Competizione Anna Lenzi a lot as a driver. I’m definitely looking forward to sharing a car with him and [email protected] with Jules whom I don’t know yet but has had great success in GT racing. I think we will form a strong team for this year’s race.” 6100 Southwest Freeway Houston, Texas USA 77057 Tel: +1 713 772 3868 What is your favorite part of the race and of the circuit? What’s the most www.risicompetizione.com challenging? “The best part of the race for me is the ‘Happy Hour’ time. ‘Happy Hour’ is the early morning on Sunday where temperatures are still low, and the sun is starting to shine. It is definitely the quickest time to drive around the circuit.

This moment is also special because it means you’ve made it through the night and now you are not far away from the end of the race.”

Share a few thoughts from the Le Mans Test Day. “The Test day was great. I think it was a fantastic first day with the Risi Team and I felt right at home. The Team has gone through everything fantastically well and solved very quickly a small issue we had and put the car back on track for the rest of the afternoon. I feel very positive about how strong we can become race week and am extremely happy to be driving this Risi Competizione car at Le Mans. I am looking forward to being back behind the wheel in a few days’ time.”

Oliver Jarvis, driver No. 89 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 LM GTE-Pro: This will be your first time driving for the Risi Competizione team, what are your thoughts about the team and getting the call to come race with Risi and their success at this huge and important race? “I am extremely excited to drive for Risi Competizione, as it is a team that I know well from watching them achieve a huge amount of success both in Le Mans and also the ALMS. Despite watching them over the years, I don’t know the team individuals yet, so I am looking forward to the opportunity of meeting and working closely with them during the pre-test. Their knowledge and success in Le Mans are going to be vital in bringing us all up to speed quickly with the car.”

You’ve competed at Le Mans seven times, won once and had a total of four podiums; that’s a pretty impressive record. What does it take to win at Le Mans?

“Le Mans is a magical race but to win it everything needs to go well. Nowadays you need to be extremely fast as well as consistent as the competition is so high you cannot afford to be even slightly off the pace. It is important that you have a car that gives you confidence and allows the drivers to push throughout the whole race. As well as that the team plays a huge role, not just in the pit stops but also in the strategic decisions that can win or lose you the race.”

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Race Public Relations Of the seven previous Le Mans runs; all have been in the LMP1 class until 2017 Barbara J. Burns in LMP2. This is your first time to compete in the GTE-Pro class. Tell us about BurnsGroup PR [email protected] how you plan to transition to a different type of driving when not in the top Tel: +1 770 329 7134 and fastest class at this circuit. “I am really looking forward to drive in GTE. For me it is, without doubt, the Risi Competizione Anna Lenzi most competitive class this year at Le Mans. It will be completely new for me [email protected] but I have driven GT cars in the past so I am confident I can get up to speed 6100 Southwest Freeway quickly. I think the biggest difference will be getting used to dealing with traffic Houston, Texas USA 77057 and being overtaken, whereas in the past I was always in the quicker cars. There Tel: +1 713 772 3868 www.risicompetizione.com is definitely a real skill involved in this and I will be using the full knowledge of the team and my teammates in this respect.”

Tell us about your co-drivers…have you ever driven with them and if so when? If not, what do you know about them? “Interestingly when I left Bentley to race with in the U.S. Jules took my seat. I didn’t know him personally before then but got in contact to congratulate him and since then followed closely his progress. I was really impressed with his immediate speed and have got to know him better as I have also taken part in a few GT races at the same events. Pipo I know from the WEC, as well as racing against him in IMSA the last few years. His record speaks for itself and together I believe the three of us make a really strong line up.”

What do you like best about the Le Mans circuit? What do you find the most challenging? “I love the Curves and the fast nature of the circuit. This is the area I also find the most challenging which is why I think it is so rewarding! For me there is also something so special about driving Le Mans at night!”

Share a few thoughts from the Le Mans Test Day. “Despite missing some track time due to some small issues, which are to be expected with a new car, it was a really positive test. In the afternoon of the test I managed 13 laps and already felt comfortable in the car and am confident with more track time I will continue to make continued improvements. The team were fantastic the whole day and so I can’t wait to get back to Le Mans for race week. Between then and now we have lots of work to do but we have set a solid base from which to start.”

Jules Gounon, driver No. 89 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 LM GTE-Pro: This is your first time to compete at Le Mans. With the family history with your Dad, Jean-Marc, being a former Le Mans winner, what does this mean to you and what’s your biggest dream about this race? “For sure it means a lot for me to be able to compete in my first 24 Hours of Le

Mans. My passion for motorsport started exactly in Le Mans in 2005 when I was following my father through the whole race. While I was going to sleep in the Algeco with him, I was a child, but I did a wish that night. And the first part of the wish is realized as I’ve been taken in by Risi Competizione to compete at this famous race!”

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Race Public Relations What advice has your Dad given to you for competing at Le Mans? Barbara J. Burns “The biggest advice that he keeps telling me, is to rest as maximum during the BurnsGroup PR [email protected] week; And don’t stay too much at the racetrack when it’s not needed; And try Tel: +1 770 329 7134 to be really efficient energy-wise to be at 100% on Saturday for the start of the race.” Risi Competizione Anna Lenzi [email protected] This is your first time to race in a Ferrari; what are your thoughts about the opportunity Mr. Risi has presented to you and in conjunction with their 6100 Southwest Freeway Houston, Texas USA 77057 Franco-American association this year and with the Ferrari Owners Club of Tel: +1 713 772 3868 France? www.risicompetizione.com

“I’m very thankful to Mr. Risi for his faith on my ability to drive his car. For me it’s a big honour to drive for Risi Competizione, and I’m really proud to represent as the French driver for the French Ferrari Owners Club!

Tell us about your co-drivers…what do you know about them?

“I’ve never driven with Oliver or Pipo, but we always have been in the same races but different classes. For me, they are two really good drivers with a lot of experience in Le Mans. I’m really looking forward to work and shared the car together with them!”

Competition in the GTE-Pro class is some of the fiercest in the field, share your thought about how the competition looks this year. “It is the hardest class in Le Mans this year, there is no doubt on that! When you see the six factories involved and the number of factory cars-line up, it’s going to be tight! We have to do a clean race, give the best we can. I’m really looking forward to it!”

Share a few thoughts from the Le Mans Test Day.

"The Test was my first time on the Le Mans circuit and first time on a real track with the Ferrari 488 GTE. It was amazing! The feeling of being for the first time on the Hunaudieres was really a moment I will remember for a long time!

“We lost a bit of track time during the day with small issues, but all were solved, and the day was very positive with some experiences on the track and the car. We can't wait to be back on the track next week for the big one! Le Mans, we are coming!”

For race information about the 24 Hours of Le Mans, please visit lemans.org.

Please go to www.risicompetizione.com for information on the Risi Competizione team and follow us on Facebook/RisiCompetizione, Twitter @RisiComp and Instagram @RisiComp.

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