The Ferrari 488 GT3 was developed as a successor to the 458 Italia GT3, with both the GT3 and GTE variants unveiled at the 2015 Finali Mondiali at Mugello under new FIA GTE and GT3 technical regulations. The design work was carried out by Marco Fainello. Ferrari's twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8, shared with the road-going 488 GTB, formed the base of the race car, producing approximately 600 PS output under championship-mandated balance of performance restrictions.
The 488 GT3 made its world competition debut in round 2 of the 2016 Australian GT Championship at the Albert Park Circuit, supporting the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. In February 2017, a Maranello Motorsport-entered 488 GT3 won the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour from pole position, marking Ferrari's second victory at that event after a previous win in 2014.
Ferrari announced the 488 GT3 Evo update for the 2020 season. Key improvements over the standard 488 GT3 centred on three areas: aerodynamics at the front end, vehicle control systems, and ergonomics inside the cockpit. The front aerodynamic package was redesigned to improve downforce balance and airflow management. Vehicle control electronics received updates to better suit the demands of GT3 endurance competition. The driver cockpit benefited from a new lightweight racing seat developed in collaboration with Sabelt, reducing weight and improving safety margins.
The engine retained the same specification as the predecessor, with a 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing around 600 PS and 700 Nm, the outputs governed by series regulations rather than the hardware ceiling.
The 488 GT3 Evo 2020 is one of the headline machines in Assetto Corsa Competizione, the official SRO GT World Challenge sim title developed by Kunos Simulazioni. It represents the updated Evo specification introduced for the 2020 season of the GT World Challenge Europe, and its in-sim handling model reflects the car's characteristic balance of turbocharged torque delivery, aerodynamic stability, and the particular brake and tyre behaviour associated with the Ferrari GT3 platform.
In sim racing competition, the car has been a popular choice across both amateur and professional iRacing and ACC events. The car's turbocharged power delivery distinguishes it from naturally aspirated GT3 competitors, requiring drivers to manage boost response on corner exit and adapt braking references to account for the car's weight distribution.
In 2021 the Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo won the 24 Hours of Spa in the Pro class, run by Iron Lynx. The GTE sibling version, the 488 GTE Evo, had already established Ferrari's endurance credentials: it won the LMGTE Pro class at the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans with the AF Corse entry. The original 488 GT3 meanwhile claimed back-to-back 24 Hours of Daytona GTD class wins in 2018 and 2019 for Scuderia Corsa and Spirit of Race, and a victory at the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.
Ferrari produced a unique one-off called the KC23 based on the 488 GT3 Evo 2020 chassis. It was built on a 2016 chassis upgraded with the Evo 2020 kit and featured butterfly doors derived from the LaFerrari, with completely redesigned headlights and bodywork finished in Gold Mercury tint.
The 488 GT3 Evo 2020 remained in competition until the homologation of the Ferrari 296 GT3 for the 2023 season. The 296 GT3, based on the mid-engined turbocharged V6 hybrid architecture, eventually replaced the 488 GT3 Evo from the 2024 season onward. During its production cycle from 2015 to 2023, the 488 GT3 programme proved one of Ferrari's most successful customer racing platforms, accumulating wins across the Blancpain GT Series, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the FIA World Endurance Championship's GTE categories, and countless national GT3 series worldwide.
The 488 GT3 Evo 2020 in Assetto Corsa Competizione preserves the final refined state of that programme for sim racers, representing the car as it competed in the 2020 and 2021 GT World Challenge Europe seasons under the SRO-sanctioned GT3 technical regulations.