Simon Mann (racing driver)

Last updated

Simon Mann
2024 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 No.55 (DSC02308).jpg
Nationality Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British
Flag of the United States.svg American
via dual nationality [1]
Born (2001-02-10) 10 February 2001 (age 23)
United Kingdom
FIA World Endurance Championship career
Debut season 2021
Current team Vista AF Corse
Racing licence FIA Silver Driver.png FIA Silver
Car number55
Starts17 (17 entries)
Wins0
Podiums0
Poles0
Fastest laps0
Best finish12th (LMGTE Am) in 2023
Championship titles
2021
202021
Italian GT Endurance - Pro-Am
Italian GT Sprint - Pro-Am

Simon Mann (born 10 February 2001) is a British-American racing driver currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with AF Corse. A mainstay at the Italian team, Mann has tasted success in the Italian GT Championship's Pro-Am class, winning the Sprint title in 2020 and 2021, the same year in which he would triumph in the Endurance championship. [2]

Contents

GT3 beginnings

Mann started his career in 2018, competing in the GT3 Light class of the Italian GT Championship with AF Corse. The American-licensed driver returned with the team the following year, driving in the Pro-Am classes of both the Sprint and Endurance series. In the Endurance championship, he and Matteo Cressoni finished 12th in class, whereas the Sprint championship yielded four class podiums, including Mann's first car racing win at Vallelunga; Mann ended up third in the Pro-Am standings. In 2020, he once again raced alongside Cressoni in Italian GT. In the Endurance championship, Mann finished fourth in Pro-Am with two class podiums, though he and Cressoni would attain Sprint success, beating the Easy Race on a dead heat to claim the Pro-Am title. [3]

For the 2021 season, Mann returned to the Sprint and Endurance series, continuing his partnership with AF Corse. [4] Having started the year by competing at the 24 Hours of Daytona, Mann soon showed title-winning form in the Pro-Am class, winning his class at Misano and Imola alongside Toni Vilander and Matteo Cressoni respectively. [5] [6] His Sprint campaign concluded with a pair of overall podiums at Mugello, which earned Mann the Sprint Pro-Am title. In Endurance, Mann also won the Pro-Am championship, attaining class wins at Mugello and the season finale in Monza. [7]

LMGTE career

Having made his LMGTE debut at the 6 Hours of Monza in 2021, Mann moved into the FIA World Endurance Championship the subsequent year, pairing up with Vilander and bronze-ranked Christoph Ulrich in AF Corse's LMGTE Am lineup. [8] The outfit performed unremarkably, taking a best finish of seventh and ending up 11th in the teams' standings.

Mann scored a podium in the Asian Le Mans Series at the start of 2023 before embarking on another season in the WEC, this time driving alongside Ulysse de Pauw and a rotating door of amateur drivers in the third seat. [9] Their campaign started off well, as the #21 crew took fourth place at Sebring and finished fifth in Portimão. [10] However, an early crash for de Pauw at Le Mans changed their fortunes in the second half of the year, as the team missed out on points thrice during the final four races and took home tenth in the overall championship. [11]

Racing record

Racing career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2018 Italian GT Championship - GT3 Light AF Corse ???????
2019 Italian GT Championship Sprint - GT3 Pro-Am AF Corse 61014723rd
Italian GT Championship Endurance - GT3 Pro-Am 400001712th
2020 Italian GT Championship Sprint - GT3 Pro-Am AF Corse 82007941st
Italian GT Championship Endurance - GT3 Pro-Am 30002274th
2021 Italian GT Championship Sprint - GT3 Pro-Am AF Corse 83005941st
Italian GT Championship Endurance - GT3 Pro-Am 42002521st
FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am 100000NC†
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD 2000024655th
2022 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am AF Corse [12] 600002817th
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD 40001111920th
2023 Asian Le Mans Series - GT AF Corse 40001237th
FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am 700003812th
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Pro 2000053719th
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD 2000033747th
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 100000NC
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am 10000N/ADNF
2023-24 Asian Le Mans Series - GT AF Corse 50001328th
2024 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGT3 Vista AF Corse 81001973rd
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD AF Corse 50001115430th

As Mann was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.* Season still in progress.

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantClassCarEngine12345678RankPoints
2021 AF Corse LMGTE Am Ferrari 488 GTE Evo Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 SPA ALG MNZ
10
LMS BHR BHR NC†0
2022 AF Corse LMGTE Am Ferrari 488 GTE Evo Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 SEB
7
SPA
11
LMS
7
MNZ
7
FUJ
10
BHR
11
17th28
2023 AF Corse LMGTE Am Ferrari 488 GTE Evo Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 SEB
4
PRT
5
SPA
6
LMS
Ret
MNZ
9
FUJ
12
BHR
11
12th38
2024 Vista AF Corse LMGT3 Ferrari 296 GT3 Ferrari F163 3.0 L Turbo V6 QAT
7
IMO
4
SPA
13
LMS SÃO COA FUJ BHR 8th*21*

* Season still in progress.

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantClassMakeEngine12345678910RankPoints
2024 AF Corse GTD Ferrari 296 GT3 Ferrari 3.0 L Turbo V6 DAY
2
SEB
19
LBH LGA WGL
6
MOS ELK VIR IMS
20
PET
6
30th1154

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLapsPos.Class
Pos.
2022 Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Christoph Ulrich
Flag of Finland.svg Toni Vilander
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo GTE
Am
33941st8th
2023 Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Ulysse de Pauw
Flag of France.svg Julien Piguet
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo GTE
Am
21DNFDNF
2024 Flag of Italy.svg Vista AF Corse Flag of France.svg François Hériau
Flag of Italy.svg Alessio Rovera
Ferrari 296 GT3 LMGT327933rd6th

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References

  1. Goodwin, Graham (7 November 2021). "Toni Vilander Set To Return To FIA WEC In 2022 With Christoph Ulrich & Simon Mann". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  2. "Simon Mann Italian champion in GT3 Pro-Am". Menu dei Motori. 31 October 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  3. "Campionato Italiano GT – Mann-Cressoni, Pro-Am champions after win at Vallelunga". Menu dei Motori. 6 December 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  4. Lloyd, Daniel (14 December 2020). "AF Corse to Tackle Rolex 24 with Italian GT Class Champions". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  5. Lloyd, Daniel (14 December 2020). "AF Corse to Tackle Rolex 24 with Italian GT Class Champions". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  6. "Season Review 2021 – Simon Mann: My first Daytona". Menu dei Motori. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  7. "Simon Mann Italian champion in GT3 Pro-Am". www.ferrari.com. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  8. Euwema, Davey (7 November 2021). "Vilander to return to WEC with AF Corse". Motorsport Week. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  9. "FIA WEC Reveal 38 Car Full Season Entry, 13 Hypercars For Breakthrough Season | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  10. "WEC GTE – Second season podium for Ferrari in FIA WEC LMGTE Am". Menu dei Motori. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  11. Little, Martin; O'Connell, RJ (10 June 2023). "2023 LM24, Hour 2: Heaven & Hell At Cadillac". DailySportsCar. Archived from the original on 20 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  12. Dagys, John (3 January 2022). "AF Corse Confirms Single-Car Ferrari GTD Entry for Rolex 24". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 3 January 2022.