Ferrari 296 GT3: racer without electric power

From the outside, the 296 GT3 is still recognizable as 296. The racing version has of course the necessary aerodynamic adjustments. Under the front bumper is a large front spoiler and on either side of the front are a total of four large air ducts, two on each side, stacked on top of each other. At the rear you will immediately notice the large spoiler, which is hung on the attachment points with the so-called ‘gooseneck’. Seen from behind, the differences with the regular 296 GTB in appearance are the biggest. Instead of a central exhaust, the GT3 has two round exhausts with a huge diffuser underneath. All aerodynamic adjustments account for 20 percent more downforce than the 488 GT3 delivered.

Ferrari 296 GT3

In terms of construction, the 296 GT3 can no longer be compared with the street car. It has a six-inch longer wheelbase than the 296 GTB, a six-speed sequential instead of an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, and Ferrari says the blown V6 is mounted further forward and lower than on the street version. In addition, the 296 GT3 loses the electrical support that the 296 GTB does have. Its deletion was necessary due to the rules in the GT3 standings. Due to the lack of the battery and electric motor, the 296 GT3 delivers a power of approximately 600 hp and 710 Nm of torque. That is quite a bit less than the 830 hp and 730 Nm that the 296 GTB releases on the asphalt.

Just don’t think that a 296 GTB will win on the GT3 track. The GT3 weighs 220 kilos less and the aerodynamic adjustments ensure that the racer is pressed against the asphalt much more powerfully. Incidentally, despite the radical weight savings, according to Ferrari, the 296 GT3 simply has air conditioning on board, so as a driver you do not have to suffer as much as possible.

The Ferrari 296 GT3 will make its debut at the Daytona 24 Hours in 2023. Fun fact: it’s Ferrari’s first mid-engine V6 racer – excluding Formula 1 – since the 246 SP from the 1960s.