After missing out on even getting in the car at Daytona and Sebring due to crashes, Giancarlo Fisichella has finally climbed the top step of podium in North America, winning for Ferrari today with Pierre Kaffer and Risi Competizione.

The start of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship could not have been worse for the Italian ex-F1 veteran but the past two weekends have started a dramatic turnaround.

Pole and second place at Indianapolis was backed up today with Risi’s first victory here at Road America since 2011.

“It’s a great result. Yesterday was not such a good day in qualifying and we started ninth,” Fisichella said.

“We fixed up the car and expected to be quicker and make up positions today, and maybe fight for the podium, but we didn’t expect to win the race!

“Everything’s gone well and everyone did a fantastic job – me and Pierre and especially the mechanics in the pits stops. That was the key to winning the race. We went into the pits in fifth and came out 1st and Pierre was able to keep the position right to the end of the race. There were a lot of yellow flags but everything went well so a big thank you to everybody.”

Prior to today’s win, Fisichella and BMW’s three-time World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx were the only drivers in the GTLM field without a win in TUDOR United SportsCar Championship or ALMS competition.

Remarkably in the GTLM class, eight different drivers have scored the pole position in eight races this year. A further eight different drivers have recorded the fastest lap.

Every manufacturer in GTLM has scored at least three podiums finishes and four out of five have won races – today – it was Ferrari’s turn.

“It was crazy in the cockpit,” Kaffer said.

“Today is the day of the whole Risi Competizione crew as they did a fantastic job. All the pit stop practice and driver change practice we’ve done paid off today and it was all worth it. Everything was 100% perfect. It’s a great feeling and Giuseppe Risi is a very patient man – he’s competing in this GTLM category against all the factory teams and to beat them in the pits is a fantastic feeling. The boys deserve it today.”

John Edwards and Dirk Mueller took second today for BMW while last round winners Jonathan Bomarito and Marc Goosens finished third.

Championship leaders Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia fought back from an early stop to finish sixth. The Danish/Spanish combination currently hold an eight point lead in the championship over Bomarito and Wittmer with three races remaining.

In the GT Daytona class today, Turner Motorsport’s BMW took its third victory of the year for Dane Cameron and Markus Palttala.