The 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans marked a bold showing for Ferrari’s iconic F40, with four entries vying for endurance glory. Among them, the Igol-Ennea SRO team fielded two of the most advanced GT Evoluzione-spec cars, boasting a formidable 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V8 capable of 640 bhp. These machines were further enhanced with cutting-edge carbon-ceramic brakes, underscoring Ferrari’s push to remain competitive in the increasingly demanding GT1 category. Team owner Luciano Della Noce returned to the cockpit alongside seasoned Swedish driver Anders Olofsson and Carl Rosenblad, forming a trio that blended experience with ambition. Their car, dressed in the striking yellow-and-blue Igol livery, represented the pinnacle of privateer Ferrari engineering at the time.
The second Igol-Ennea entry featured a lineup of French racing veterans—Jean-Marc Gounon, Éric Bernard, and Paul Belmondo—each bringing a wealth of single-seater expertise to the endurance stage. While the FCI team entered a more conservative 3.5-liter GTE variant, and Pilot Racing’s Stéphane Ratel fielded an F40 LM driven by Michel Ferté, it was the Igol-Ennea squad that captured attention for its technical sophistication and driver pedigree. Though the F40 was nearing the end of its competitive lifespan, these entries demonstrated the car’s enduring appeal and adaptability. In a field dominated by factory-backed prototypes and GT1 juggernauts, the Igol-Ennea Ferraris stood as a testament to privateer passion and the relentless pursuit of performance.
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