How the GT Manufacturers' title was won: Ferrari to the fore

Ferrari continued its unbroken streak of GT FIA World Endurance Manufacturers' Championship titles in 2017, wrapping up the crown with a round to spare in Shanghai before James Calado/Alessandro Pier Guidi went on to take the first GT FIA World Endurance Drivers' Championship in Bahrain. 

Having beaten Aston Martin by seven points last year and being passed by Porsche by just four points in 2015, the Italian marque’s 67.5-point margin over nearest challengers Ford was the largest in the GT class since the WEC began in 2012, when Ferrari was the only manufacturer to run two factory entries for the full season.

Rid of the reliability issues which hampered the new 488 GTEs in 2016, Ferrari immediately emerged as a frontrunner, taking advantage of Aston Martin’s struggles with the reduced tyre allocation and Porsche’s unfamiliarity with its new mid-engined 911 RSR to finish second to the No.67 Ford of Harry Tincknell/Andy Priaulx/Pipo Derani at Silverstone. 

The battle between the two classic rivals ebbed and flowed across the European legs of the championship, with Ferrari taking the lead after a 1-2 finish at Spa, although the victorious No.71 car of Sam Bird/Davide Rigon and Pier Guidi’s No.51 car were, at times, a little too close for comfort.

However, it wasn’t quite so straightforward at every round, with Tincknell, Priaulx and Derani’s run to second at Le Mans allowing Ford to retake the initiative. Bird, Rigon and Miguel Molina were the best-placed F488 in fourth, but Calado and Pier Guidi more than made up for it by winning at the Nürburgring next time out. 

Although Rigon and Toni Vilander – subbing for an absent Bird – were ruled out with engine trouble, Ferrari still recorded 27 points in Germany thanks to the contribution of the LMGTE Am Clearwater Racing entry, meaning it drew level with Ford in the Manufacturers’ race. 

Mexico wasn’t perfect either – Bird and Rigon won on the road, but were demoted to second after a 10 second penalty for a Full Course Yellow violation. A refuelling problem for Calado and Pier Guidi dropped them to sixth – while victory for Aston Martin’s outgoing Drivers’ champions Nicki Thiim/Marco Sorensen, with neither Ford on the podium, somewhat softened the blow for the Prancing Horse.

Back in the lead of the Manufacturers’ championship heading to COTA, Calado and Pier Guidi took their second win of the year and promptly followed it with another victory in the rain at Fuji, both times denying Porsche the top spot. 

With Bird and Rigon backing them up by finishing third at COTA, Ferrari began to pull clear at the top – compounded by a nightmare run for Ford, which managed just 22 points across the two meetings.  

Although Tincknell and Priaulx fought back with a victory at China, a low-key run to fourth for the No.66 Ford of Stefan Mücke and Olivier Pla ensured the title would be returning to Italy, even before Rigon and Bird triumphed in the final race of the season at Bahrain.  

Despite the memorable victory at Le Mans in the final year for the venerable Vantage GTE, Aston Martin was beaten to third in the standings by Porsche, which did not win a race all season. The No.91 car of Richard Lietz and Frédéric Makowiecki remained in contention for the Drivers’ title until the final round, and ultimately finished just eight points behind Calado and Pier Guidi, having finished in the top six at each race.