1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello GT2 “XL Racing”

When Ferrari produced the 550 Maranello, the car was not intended initially to be competitive within motorsports, however multiple privateer teams saw a potential for greatness. One such team was XL Racing, who in 2001 built their own modifications for the vehicle to enter into the FFSA GT and American Le Mans series. During the 2003 season in the FFSA, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher had seen the car and requested to test drive it around the Merignac Circuit in Bordeaux. After his test drive, Schumacher signed the roof of the car as a gesture of both goodwill and approval, this signature can still be seen on the car today. The XL Racing GT2 was a mainstay of the FFSA Championship, racing in the series until 2007. The success of the privateers with the 550 Maranello then inspired confidence within Ferrari to produce their own factory race spec GT2 car, which would eventually become the 575 GTC in 2003.