2020 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo arrives with new aero, same great Italian looks

The new Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo race car is here. And though it’s not a whole lot different than the 488 that debuted a few years back, Ferrari has a comprehensive round of changes coming its way for the 2020 racing season. 

To start, the 488 retains its name. Ferrari released the F8 Tributo not too long ago, but the race car isn’t changing along with the updated road car. Ferrari says the lion’s share of work for this new 488 GT3 Evo is all in the aero. It spent over 18,000 hours performing simulations and wind tunnel testing to develop a new front end design. Now, the 488 has a smaller frontal section under the headlights, which allowed engineers to fit a pair of flicks to the front bumper. A redesigned splitter complements the new front bumper. The door shape has changed for better airflow efficiency, and the vents on top of the rear wing are larger than before. Ferrari says that all of this results in a more aerodynamic car that produces even more downforce than before.

The wheelbase is slightly longer than last year (Ferrari doesn’t say by how much). This was done to reduce tire wear and facilitate the car’s transformation from GT3 to GTE. Ferrari says it focused on reducing weight, but it didn’t say by how much. This allows the team to better place the ballast forced upon it from Balance of Performance rules. Some re-tuning of electronic systems was done. Traction control, ABS and the engine management system were all given a refresh in this car. Ferrari claims the engine software update improves reliability and “guarantees smoother, more precise torque delivery.”

Lastly, if you’re racing with an older 488, there’s no need to fret. Ferrari says all these upgrades can be applied to the older car to bring it up to date.

Chevy also recently debuted the C8.R race car, the mid-engine Corvette that will meet the 488 on the battlefield.