Ferrari Challenge to Sebring: Manny Franco’s call-up gives others hope
Manny Franco races for Conquest Racing in the 2026 Sebring 12 Hours, a significant event for the often-unnoticed Ferrari Challenge series.
The iconic Sebring 12 Hours takes place this weekend, with Ferrari Challenge star Manny Franco driving alongside Lorenzo Patrese and FIA Gold licence holder Albert Costa in the Conquest Racing team. The trio will be piloting a Ferrari 296 GT3, which is a significant step-up from the standard Ferrari 296 Challenge that Franco drove at Thermal Club last weekend. However, Franco’s involvement in this race is a big moment for Ferrari Challenge. While this isn't Franco's first time in a high-profile race, the inclusion of a Ferrari Challenge driver is always good news for the rising stars in the series.
Manny Franco is showing other Ferrari Challenge drivers the route to success
Obviously, not every Ferrari Challenge driver has aspirations of competing in a race as tough as the 2026 Sebring 12 Hours. However, the series has many young talents, like Franco’s Ferrari Challenge North America rival Johnny Kaminskey, who can learn from Franco’s path to such a prestigious endurance event. For many casual motorsport fans, the Ferrari Challenge series is seen as a playground for rich businessmen to have some fun in a fast car on some iconic racing tracks. While some drivers might fall into this category, Manny’s inclusion in an event like the Sebring 12 Hours is not only great for his career, but it’s also an amazing boost to the overall reputation of the Ferrari Challenge series. As mentioned, Kaminskey is a rival to Franco in the North American version of Ferrari Challenge, even winning Race 1 at Thermal Club in the opening round of the 2026 season. The 17-year-old is a rising star in the Ferrari ecosystem, so if he can perform as well as Franco in Ferrari Challenge, there is no reason Ferrari won’t soon include him in high-profile events.
I’ll be following Manny Franco’s 2026 Sebring 12 Hours performance this weekend on TIFOSI7, so make sure to come back to the website to track the Ferrari Challenge star’s results. You can also find all the latest Ferrari Challenge news and updates here.
