Cameron to replace banned Malucelli at Risi Ferrari for Long Beach
Banned Risi Ferrari driver Matteo Malucelli will be replaced by Dane Cameron for this weekend's Long Beach United SportsCar Championship round
US sportscar regular Cameron is taking the vacant seat alongside ex-Formula 1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella for the California event after Malucelli received a one-race ban for causing a major incident in last month's Sebring 12 Hours.
Cameron will race Risi's GT Le Mans class Ferrari 458 Italia on a one-off basis, but team boss Giuseppe Risi has left the door open for further outings amid rumours that Malucelli will not return to the team.
"For the moment, it's just a one-off, and we'll have to see how things progress," he said.
"He's a talented young man and has been on our radar for some time and, through the unfortunate set of circumstances that we don't need to dwell on, we have found ourselves able to offer him this opportunity."
Cameron, 25, said that he was "so excited" to be racing for Risi this weekend.
"The red #62 Ferrari is such an iconic car, one that every driver dreams of the opportunity to race," he said.
"I can't thank Mr Risi and his team enough for having the confidence to bring me into the team at the last minute."
Cameron, who claimed GT Daytona class pole at Sebring in Turner Motorsports' BMW Z4, had his first taste of the Risi Ferrari at the MSR Houston circuit last Friday.
He completed the 30-lap shakedown of the car after a major rebuild following Malucelli's incident at Sebring.
The Italian was banned for Long Beach under an IMSA rule governing "behaviour deemed to represent an unjustifiable risk or reckless endangerment".
He caused a major incident late in the third hour of the 12 Hours when rejoining the track after a spin at Turn 1.
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