Fresh from his victory in the LMGT3 category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Riccardo Pera returns to the European Le Mans Series to race with GR Racing in the 4 Hours of Imola at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari this weekend.
The 25-year-old from Lucca has enjoyed success in sportscars since graduating from karts, making his debut in the ELMS in 2018. A year later he finished the season as the LMGTE Vice Champion, alongside Christian Ried and Matteo Cairoli, securing three podiums from the six races, including victory at the 4 Hours of Monza.
In 2021 he secured the Italian GT Sprint GT4 Pro/Am title but the LMGT3 win with Manthey 1ST Phorm at last month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans was certainly his biggest win of his career to date.
Riccardo Pera is competing in the 2025 European Le Mans Series alongside Michael Wainwright and Tom Fleming in the black and orange no 86 GR Racing Ferrari 296 LMGT3, the team taking their first podium of the season, finishing third in the 4 Hours of Le Castellet in May. Pera will be looking to go a step or two further in his home race this weekend.
So how would Riccardo Pera sum up the ELMS season so far? “We were unlucky in Barcelona due to some situations that happened in the race with the puncture, etc. So, we were really unlucky, and we finished eighth. We bounced back in Le Castellet with a good podium. Our package looks very strong, we are very competitive, and I think we can achieve some good results for the rest of the season.”
Italy boasts some of the most challenging tracks in the world, with Imola having a fearsome reputation for drivers of all abilities.
“Imola is one of my favourite tracks in the world,” Pera enthused. “It is an old school track and is the one track that has elevations in Italy. It's very cool, very fun to drive, I enjoy every lap around there.
“My favourite sequence of corners are Acque Minerali, the double right, which is very fun. The first one is very fast, and then the second, you have to downshift in between. You have to be quick on the throttle on the exit because then it's uphill. So, you need to be very precise and fast.”
What are the strengths of the Ferrari 296 LMGT3 on a circuit like Imola? “Ferrari has a lot of aero downforce in the front, which help us quite a lot in Imola, especially in the fast corners, like first chicane and then the second chicane. Also, in Piratella and all the fast section of the of the track.
“Ferrari and Imola - an Italian car and an Italian track is the best combination. So, I think there is a lot of good, strong points, but the strength of the Ferrari is in the fast corners, which in Imola can help a lot.”
What is Riccardo Pera’s thoughts on the strength of the competition in LMGT3 this season?
“The level in the ELMS this year is very high with six manufacturers, thirteen cars, all the cars are very fast, so it's very fun this year. We need to be very precise, we do not need to make mistakes, because the level is very high. As soon as you make a mistake in a four-hour race like this, you are out of the game. So, we need to be very prepared and very fast. The ELMS this year is very, very strong, especially in the LMGT3.”
Looking back at the victory in Le Mans, how would Riccardo Pera sum up that race and the experience of standing on the top step of the most famous podium in endurance racing?
“Winning Le Man is something special; something that I was dreaming about since I was a child, and something I will not ever forget for the rest of my life.
“It was a good race; we didn't make any mistakes. The car was feeling very good and very strong. The team did a great job. So, it was a special feeling. Now we head to Imola, and we need to replicate this result.”
