A historic milestone, that of the Prancing Horse single-make championship, which tells a story that began in autumn 1992 on the Mugello track when the Ferrari Challenge was officially presented together with the car that will be the protagonist of the series, the 348 Challenge, in the TB and TS.
The godfather of exception is Jean Alesi, at the time a Scuderia Ferrari F1 driver. The 348 Challenges are distinguished by a reference to tradition, the one that made it possible to transform a road Ferrari into a racing one by adopting a simple kit.
The first series to start is the Italian one which debuts on March 28 on the Monza track. To prevail in the world premiere of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli is Paolo Rossi, while in Race 2 Roberto Ragazzi wins who, at the end of that season, will become the first champion of the Ferrari Challenge.
After the European series in 1993 and the North American one in 1994, in 1995 the Japanese one begins, which since 2012 expands its borders to become Asia Pacific. Finally, in 2019 the English national series, reserved for British pilots, kicks off.
Since then, the most spectacular and famous circuits in the world have hosted in almost 900 races more than 1000 drivers who have alternated at the wheel of the various models that have made the fortune of the single-make, such as the F355 Challenge (1995), the 360 Challenge ( 2000), the F430 Challenge (2006), the 458 Challenge (2010) followed by its Evo version (2014), up to the 488 Challenge (2016) and the current 488 Challenge Evo, presented at the 2019 World Finals at Mugello .
Today the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli is a reality that is spread over three continental series (Europe, North America, Asia Pacific) and a national one (United Kingdom), allowing the participating drivers to compete in four categories – Trofeo Pirelli and Trofeo Pirelli Am, Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell Am – in which they are divided according to performance and skills at the wheel to always guarantee maximum balance, entertainment and fun on the track.
All this without forgetting the aspect linked to the environment and sustainability that have allowed the Ferrari Challenge Europe to be the first European single-brand store certified according to the ISO 20121 sustainable management system for events.
The championship, sanctioned by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), has in its sponsor Pirelli the partner of excellence who, over the course of these thirty years, has exclusively equipped the participating cars by developing specific racing tires.
The races of the Ferrari Challenge are usually offered in the most important countries by international broadcasters, including the Sky network, partner of the series.
The first stage of the Ferrari Challenge North America will take place this weekend at COTA, that of the Ferrari Challenge Europe in Portimao from 1 to 3 April, that of the Ferrari Challenge UK at Oulton Park on the weekend of 6 and 7 May, while the Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific will be on track from 20 to 22 May at Fuji.
To celebrate this anniversary, a special logo has been created that will be applied to the cars and communication materials.
Exciting starting grid
62 Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo will be ready for the green flag at the Circuit of The Americas, with many famous faces and past champions returning for a new season. As always, the veterans will be joined by several rookies, fresh from graduates from the Pilot Course program: new competitors eagerly awaiting to show their talent in their first weekend of racing.
To name a few: alongside the protagonists of the series such as Marc Muzzo (Ferrari of Ontario) and Martin Burrowes (Ferrari of Quebec), we find rapidly rising stars such as Jeremy Clarke (Ferrari of Beverly Hills) and Manny Franco (Ferrari Lake Forest).
In the Coppa Shell, 37 Ferrari 488 Challenge Ages are already warming up their engines ahead of the first race of 2022. Some familiar names such as Roy Carroll (Foreign Cars Italia) and Lance Cawley (Ferrari of Atlanta) will have to deal with a good number of new arrivals, many of which have just successfully emerged from the Pilot Course.
A historical gathering
This round officially inaugurates the 30th anniversary of the Ferrari Challenge, and for the occasion the Circuit of The Americas will host a very special gathering: in fact, it will be possible to admire the historic racing cars that have embellished the series in these three decades.
With their original liveries of the time, the many Ferraris side by side will tell these 30 years of history, on display for the spectators and located throughout the paddock for the entire weekend.
Not just Challenge
Alongside an exceptional grid of participants, the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli continues to grow thanks to the Club Challenge program, which expands the offer with the opportunity to drive Ferrari Challenge cars of every era.
During the weekend at the Circuit of The Americas 19 customers will be ready to drive the series cars on the track, enjoying the same hospitality and assistance as the single-make drivers.
On the other hand, dedicated track sessions for the eight participants in the first “Regional Event” of the Competizioni GT Club, six of which will use the Modified 488 GT which, on this circuit, will be able to exploit its enormous power and the optimal aerodynamic load for a unique experience.
#Ferrari #Challenge #COTA #30th #year #Pirelli #Trophy #begins