Ferrari 70th Anniversary in Birmingham
Posted: 28.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
July 28, 2017. Birmingham, UK – To mark the 70th anniversary of the Prancing Horse, Graypaul Birmingham brought the urban city of Birmingham a special, unique and the most memorable event to date in the heart of Birmingham – the UK’s second biggest city. A convoy of 70 Ferrari’s drove from Solihull through to Birmingham City Centre to display a spectacular array of Ferrari’s at Victoria Square.
Victoria Square is home to both the Town Hall and the Council House, centred in the city.
The limited edition special series model, the LaFerrari Aperta led the debut in style by leading. The day couldn’t be more perfect with a grand finale of a Black Tie Gala at the Ferrari Birmingham showroom with owners. The celebrations coincided with Ferrari Birmingham achieving Global Ferrari Aftersales Dealer of the Year 2016.
The starting point of the convoy begun at the showroom, owners were very enthusiastic and preparing for the takeover at Birmingham.
The atmosphere was phenomenal, the preparation was smooth, and fans were sharing the passion.
The line-up of Ferrari’s made huge waves across the city; the most loved Enzo was present, and childhood dreams were made true. The fleet included favourites such as the 599 GTO, F40, 70th Edition F12 and the GTC4 Lusso. Spectators were engrossed from the parade as the engines were roaring across the city. Birmingham City Council supported the event with road closures, and ensured the most beautiful Ferrari’s were scaled to create an unforgettable vision.
The audience gathered as thousands congregated whilst the LaFerrari Aperta took centre stage. News reporters and Media were absorbed with the history and masterpiece of Ferrari. The interaction between our Ferrari owners, team and the fans were truly inspirational.
After a few hours of the static display, on departure, the city was lit up with Ferrari headlights, and yellow 70th anniversary flags swaying through.
The entire day was a positive adrenaline and to thank all our Ferrari Owners for supporting a very special occasion, Graypaul Birmingham transformed their Ferrari Showroom into an exquisite 4 course dining area. There could not have been a better place to host an evening Gala, home to our clients with the presence of the New 812 Superfast glancing besides the tables.
The most perfect menu was provided, from Roast Rump of Lamb to Fillet of Beef with fondant Potato to a special ‘Il Cavallino’ cocktail inspired by the vibrant colours and sleek design of classic Ferrari’s. Clients were graced at reception with a musical saxophonist and tranquil atmosphere.
The 70th anniversary will undoubtedly live long in the memory of owners and Ferrari Fans alike. Forza Ferrari.
| Circuit | Hungaroring |
| Date | 30.07.2017 |
| Laps | 70 |
| Distance | 306,630 km / 190,572 miles |
| No | Driver | Ferrari | S/N | Team | Result |
| 5 | Sebastian Vettel | SF70-H | – |
Scuderia Ferrari | 1. |
| 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | SF70-H | – |
Scuderia Ferrari | 2. |
Hungarian Grand Prix – Budapest 30 July
Posted: 30.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Maurizio Arrivabene: ” A great race and a result obtained in far from easy circumstances. Once again it demonstrated the strength of character at Ferrari. Congratulations to the guys here and back in Maranello, working together in what is the mark of a great team. Seb drove a magnificent race, managing to keep the lead despite the problem with the steering wheel. He was helped by a great performance from Kimi who demonstrated, not only that he is a champion, but also that he is a true team-player. Next week, here in Hungary, prior to the FIA mandatory shutdown, we continue our development work, in preparation for the Grands Prix in Spa and Monza.”
Sebastian Vettel: “Everybody inside the team can be very happy and proud of what we have done today! Afterwards, I said to Kimi that I was sorry, because I was slow and struggling during the race. For Kimi it was not good to be there in the middle of a sandwich. It was a tough race that, in the end, kept a good shape. I developed a problem with the steering wheel and I don’t know why yet. We need to avoid it happening again of course, but during the race I didn’t have an option. It’s not like parking the car, check if everything’s all right and then fix the problem. It was quite annoying because it was a strange feeling. But then, at some point, I forgot about it and just tried to get used to it, which was tricky because it just kept changing and getting worse. However, in the end the pace was still there. More generally, I don’t like the short term view that some people have, that after a good race everything is great and you are the hero, but after a bad race it is a disaster. It is not fair because people work hard spending a lot of time, working all together on the car. In my opinion, we have the best car and downforce which, hasn’t been the case for many years. In the end we can make a difference and we have done that so far. We have our testing days here next week and we have a lot of work to do. After that there will be the Belgian GP. Our car has been good there and I think we have some improvements, so it should be fine.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “Today my car was amazing, the handling was perfect and I was always feeling comfortable; even following Seb from very close behind, the behaviour was fantastic. I had no worries that Mercedes could get me. I had a pretty good start and a good run in the first corner; then I took it quite easy. In places like this it’s tricky to try and overtake and I did not want to force things too much with my team mate. When you end up between two cars is not the easiest situation. When they called me for the pit stop I wanted to stay on track a bit longer because I felt I had the speed, but the team has the big picture and I trust them. I ended up following Seb through the whole race and I was never able to use my full speed. Today I knew I had all the tools to finish in a better position, but I should have done a better qualifying. I’m happy for the result that we achieved as a team and this is the main thing. I’m here to win races, but If you take the big picture it was a great weekend, we got the maximum out of it.”
Hungarian Grand Prix – Ferrari one-two in Hungary
Posted: 30.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Seb, Kimi and all the team celebrate a really hard fought win
Mogyorod, 30 July – Scuderia Ferrari recorded its fourth win and second one-two finish of the year, which are the 228th and 83rd respectively in the team’s history. This was Seb Vettel’s seventh win in red and the 46th of his career. For all those back in Maranello, this result was the crowning glory for the huge effort they have put in, which came at the end of a race that was anything but easy, even if both cars started from the front row.
The two SF70H cars maintained those positions off the line, with Kimi tucked in behind Seb, while battle raged behind them and Ricciardo was already out following a collision. As Daniel was stuck on track, the Safety Car was called out for quite a while – five laps in fact – as oil had to be cleaned up off the track surface. The Ferraris made a second good getaway when the race restarted and they were followed by Bottas, Verstappen, who would have to take a 10” penalty for hitting his team-mate, and then Hamilton. In this phase of the race, the Reds were the quickest cars on track, the only ones lapping under the 1’23”.
At one third distance, nothing had changed, except that the two leading cars were backing off to spare their equipment. Then Seb came on the radio saying there was something wrong with the steering, which was pulling to the left down the straight. Kimi closed in until the gap closed to just over a second. The number 5 Ferrari pitted at the end of lap 32, after his closest pursuers had already changed tyres. The Supersofts made way for the Softs. Next time round, Kimi came in and emerged back on track just behind his team-mate. The lap times went up and down, partly because of the need to pass backmarkers. On lap 43, the Ferrari duo was back out in front, after a very late stop from Verstappen. Behind them the two Mercedes changed places without a fight. With 15 laps remaining, the top three cars were covered by just two seconds. Seb then pulled out a bit more on lap 58, his fastest of the race. Kimi did likewise to ensure Hamilton could not get into the DRS range.
The final laps were nerve wracking, as Seb could not take the lines he would have liked through the corners but he held firm, as did Kimi right behind him. What a great way to finish, delivering a wonderful reward to a team that knows that it can never give up.
Hungarian Grand Prix – “Today has been a great day”
Posted: 29.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Seb, Kimi lock the first row of the grid for Scuderia Ferrari
Mogyorod, July 29 – It’s another one-two in qualifying for Scuderia Ferrari as Seb Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen lock out the front row of the grid for tomorrow’s race. Remarkably, in all of the three weekends in which a Ferrari driver has qualified on pole position (Russia, Monaco and Hungary), his team-mate has started the race alongside him. This shows the quality and intensity of team work and that was especially the case over the past two days , when all the guys in the garage and at Maranello did their best to improve the handling and performance of the two SF70H cars.
“Today has been a great day” said a radiant Sebastian Vettel, after scoring his second pole this year. “The car and the whole session were fantastic! I am really happy. We brought some new parts here and we tested them yesterday. Then obviously, we talked about it a lot and I think we got the car in better shape this morning. We are working very hard to get everything right. The guys have worked so hard and they love what they do. So, it is good to get back into the car and do our job. We love racing and this weekend has been very good so far. We know we have a strong car, no matter where we go, and that’s the great thing about this year. Now we have to move forward and focus. Qualifying is done, so we now concentrate on the race. There’s a lot of hard work to do and we need to take it one step at a time. Now, we’ll see what happens tomorrow. Thank you all!”
“First and second position is a very good result for team”, Kimi added. “We kind of expected that this circuit would fit us better for certain reasons, but of course you cannot ever take it for granted. Today I really felt I had the speed, but I made a rather stupid mistake at the chicane, I put the left wheels on the kerb under braking, got sideways and lost time. I’m a bit disappointed with what I did, because I had the chance to be one place up, but I ‘m happy because I still managed to take second place. It’s been quite close between three teams so far, so tomorrow it all will depend on what happens in the first ten laps; it’s not going to be an easy race for anyone. There’s no way to plan things for the first two corners. The one who makes the best start has the better chances. Tomorrow we’ll have a long way to go to replicate today’s result!”
Hungarian Grand Prix – An all-Ferrari front row in Hungary
Posted: 29.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Seb on pole ahead of Kimi in qualifying
Mogyorod, 29 July – It was a Ferrari one-two in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel took pole position with a lap in 1’16”276 while Kimi Raikkonen was next fastest behind his team-mate with a 1’16”44, at the end of a very closely contested session. This is Scuderia Ferrari’s 211th pole and the last one in Hungary came back in 2005. This afternoon, track temperatures reached 54 degrees.
Hungarian Grand Prix – Free practice over, Ferrari out in front
Posted: 29.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Sebastian fastest ahead of Kimi: Qualifying at 2pm
Mogyorod, 29 July – Saturday action in Hungary began with the final free practice session, which ended with the two SF70Hs topping the time sheet. Sebastian Vettel was fastest in 1’17”017, followed by team-mate Kimi Raikkonen (1’17” 492.) Sebastian started out on Medium tyres before joining Kimi on a programme running the Supersofts. Qualifying starts at 14h00 local time.
Hungarian Grand Prix – “Up to us to go fast”
Posted: 28.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Seb and Kimi wrap up first day: “We seem to all be very close”
Mogyorod, July 28 – At the end of the first day of practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix,, Scuderia Ferrari drivers take stock of a day which saw steady improvement in the performance of the updated SF70Hs. “This morning I wasn’t that happy”, Seb Vettel says “but in the afternoon I started getting the rhythm. So, I think we were not that bad, but it’s difficult to read the session. Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull are very close to each other. It should be good fun tomorrow. We need to find the best settings for tomorrow and work a little bit more on the tires and on the driving. Then it should be better. I had a bit of damage on the car, after running over a kerb, so that we had to go back to the garage, but in the end it was fine. We saw some cars going off track today, especially at the exits to Turns 4 and 11, which are quite tough. I was a bit too aggressive this morning. But everything seems to work, so we should be in a better place tomorrow. Two years ago here the race was not bad – we won – and we had some other good races here. However, you always hope that the best race is yet to come. We have another chance on Sunday and we are looking forward to it”. Team-mate Kimi Raikkonen’s day was the complete opposite, as he was faster in the first session: “It was a normal day’s work. We started pretty well in the morning, while the afternoon was a bit more tricky and less straightforward. When I stopped on the track it was because I had lost the throttle control for a minute, but then it recovered and I could continue. It was not a major thing, sometimes such issues can happen. The conditions were not the easiest and for sure, due to the red flags, we did not get as much running as we would have liked. Nevertheless it was not too bad. Today the lap times were very close, but you can expect that on this kind of track and many things can change from tomorrow on. We have to do our best and hopefully that’s enough to push us to the front; then it will be up to us to drive as fast as we can”.
Hungarian Grand Prix – Programme completed
Posted: 28.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Seb second fastest, Kimi fourth
Mogyorod, 28 July –Today’s F1 action at the Hungaroring has now come to a close. Soft and Supersoft were the tyre compounds used by both Scuderia Ferrari drivers, who ended the second free practice session with the second and fourth fastest times. Sebastian posted a 1’18”638, while Kimi Raikkonen’s best lap was a 1’18”755. Despite a couple of stoppages when the red flags came out, the team got through its programme, ending the day doing long runs.
Hungarian Grand Prix – Free Practice 1: Ferrari 2nd and 6th
Posted: 28.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Raikkonen ahead of Vettel at the Hungaroring
Mogyorod, 28 July – It’s the last Formula 1 race weekend prior to the summer break. At the end of the first free practice sesson, the Scuderia Ferrari drivers were in second and sixth places on the time sheet: Kimi Raikkonen’s best lap was a 1’18”720 and Sebastian Vettel posted a 1’19”563. Both drivers started off on one set of the Medium tyres, before switching to the Supersofts. Both SF70H cars were put through a series of aerodynamic tests.
Hungarian Grand Prix – “This circuit should be better for us”
Posted: 27.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Seb and Kimi confident ahead of Hungarian Grand Prix: “We’re the most improved team this year”
Hungaroring – The skies over Budapest cleared after the morning rain and the outlook for the Hungarian Grand Prix weather is that it will stay hot and dry. Scuderia Ferrari drivers Seb Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen are ready for the challenge, after not having got what they deserved in terms of results at the last event in Silverstone.
Seb is well aware of this: “So far this year, we’ve had excellent races and others that were more difficult. If you ask which team has improved most this year, the answer is Ferrari. The last race was not ideal, but it is normal sometimes to have some races that go better than others. Overall, I think we are on the right path. This year has been very good so far, but we are not completely happy because we want to win. That’s the reason why we have been competitive this year, because we have worked very hard. We have to keep going down this way. I think the worst race was the last one in the UK. The races in Australia, Bahrain and Monaco were great. However, we could have won in Austria, in China and so on. Maybe this year the safety car hasn’t worked out well for us, but that’s how it goes. There are many races ahead and we have to stay positive, because we have been good so far. We are not yet where we want to be, but we want to make sure there won’t be many chances left to the others”. Another ‘hot topic’ of discussion in Hungary is, of course, the introduction of the Halo protection system in 2018: “It’s not that nice looking” Sebastian says “but its purpose is what counts: it was made for driver safety so if it can save lives, then we will use it”.
Kimi has a slightly different view on his season: “If you look purely at the results, this has not been a very good year so far for me. We have been quite happy in some places and not so happy in others and that shows in the results. If we consider the last race, for sure it was not the best: we were not on the pace, but I think it had a lot to do with the layout of the circuit. Lately and especially towards the end of the weekend, I had felt pretty good in the car and driving was fun. I hope we have the same feeling here. This circuit should be better for us, I might be wrong but hopefully not. I think that here we can be a lot stronger against our competitors. We are going to give our best as always and hopefully we’ll be fighting at the front”.
Hungarian Grand Prix – Heading East
Posted: 25.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Not much overtaking in Hungary, with high downforce and high temperatures: the scene of 5 “magic” wins for Scuderia Ferrari
Remember the first time Formula 1 came to Hungary in 1986? The Soviet Union was still in existence and the host nation was part of what was known as the Eastern Bloc. The Hungaroring circuit was slow and twisty, with overtaking all but impossible and the facilities were Spartan. Today it’s been modernised, with the long staircase to the top paddock now a thing of the past. However, the track has retained its characteristics, despite a few modifications over the years. At the Hungaroring, just a few kilometres from the wonderful city of Budapest, qualifying counts a lot more than at many other circuits. Having said that, Scuderia Ferrari’s first win on Magyar soil came from the sixth row of the grid. That’s where Nigel Mansell qualified in 1989, over two seconds off the pole time! He staged an amazing climb up the order, including a famous passing move on Ayrton Senna, who hesitated momentarily before lapping Stefan Johansson.
Different times of course and yet, all the wins for the Reds at this track had something magic about them: after Mansell’s came Michael Schumacher’s “strategic” win in ’98, with the memorable radio chat between the driver and the pitwall crew: “do you think you can go from a two stop to a three?” Indeed he did and how. Then came victories for Michael and Rubens Barrichello in 2001 and 2002, which delivered the championship title; the 2004 hat trick of pole, the win and race fastest lap, again courtesy of Schumi. And lastly, Seb Vettel’s lightning start two years ago, before running a solitary race all the way to the highest step of the podium.
The Hungarian track is one of the shortest and most demanding when it comes to levels of aerodynamic downforce. The heat and tyre degradation (here we will have the Medium, Soft and Supersoft) are other factors to take into consideration. The chance of rain over the weekend is very low, which is good for the fans who will be able to enjoy the great view on offer here.
Ferrari New Power15: Ferrari introduces the new extended warranty programme offering cover up to 15 years
Posted: 25.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 25 July 2017 – Ferrari introduces the New Power15 extended warranty programme which provides cover for Prancing Horse cars for up to 15 years from the date they are first registered.
Once again, Ferrari is leading the market in its provision of after-sales services to its clients. In 2014, in fact, Ferrari became the first marque in the world to offer clients the possibility of extending warranty cover up to 12 years. Now it has extended that programme still further to offer owners an even better package that will protect the value and functional integrity of their Prancing Horse cars over an even longer period.
For maximum peace of mind, every new Ferrari comes with the standard factory three-year warranty along with a seven-year free maintenance programme. The full factory warranty can be extended for a further two years and, from the vehicle’s 6th to 12th year, owners can stipulate the New Power warranty which provides cover on all major components.
New Power15 extends even further Ferrari’s class-leading programme with the possibility of covering the vehicle’s main mechanical components, including the engine, gearbox, PTU, suspension and steering, from year 12 right up to year 15. The coverage for the new extension lasts for 12 months and can be renewed annually for three years.
This warranty extension option is available both for new and pre-owned Ferraris. Subject to the car passing specific technical checks, the New Power15 extended warranty can also be provided for cars on which the Ferrari extended warranty cover has not been taken up, or on cars with gaps in the cover. This makes the New Power15 Extended Warranty the most flexible and comprehensive package of its kind and sets a new benchmark in the automotive world.
Ferrari 70th Anniversary in Nottingham
Posted: 25.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
25 July 2017, Nottingham, UK – On a gloriously sunny day in Nottinghamshire, 150 Ferrari cars were in attendance at the beautiful Belvoir Castle, as part of Graypaul Nottingham’s 70 Years of Ferrari celebrations. With models including two Enzos, a handful of Speciales, Dinos and an F40, along with a very special 1952 212/225 Inter Vignale, the event truly was a sight to behold.
Huge crowds of the public attended in their thousands at the packed venue and were in very high spirits – with everybody enjoying the magnificent display of cars from throughout Ferrari history before enjoying Italian-themed picnic lunches in the sunshine on the lawns of the Castle.
People young and old were in attendance taking photographs and mingling with Ferrari owners who were only too happy to share their passion for the magnificent brand. Also present was former Fifth Gear presenter Jonny Smith, who posed for photographs and chatted with visitors about all things Ferrari, having arrived in the new GTC4Lusso T.
At 17:30, the enormous parade began, winding its way through Nottinghamshire countryside into Nottingham city centre, where hundreds of onlookers had gathered to capture the moment as the 150-strong parade passed by Nottingham Castle, waving 70th Anniversary flags and cheering the parade by.
The parade ended with an evening party at the Graypaul Nottingham showroom, with live entertainment and the reveal of the 812 Superfast to a roaring applause and camera flashes.
Ferrari Challenge Europe – Di Amato, Rocca and Hassid win Race-1 at Paul Ricard
Posted: 22.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Le Castellet, 22 July 2017 – Daniele Di Amato, Tommaso Rocca and Henry Hassid won on the first day of the Ferrari Challenge Europe at Le Castellet in France, with some spectacular races in the new 488 Challenge.
Coppa Shell. The Coppa Shell kicked off the day’s racing, with Henry Hassid very fast right from the start. The French driver of the Charles Pozzi team pulled up alongside poleman Johnny Laursen (Formula Racing) before overtaking him with an extreme manoeuvre that forced both drivers off track. Erich Prinoth (Ineco-MP Racing) followed the pair, but was soon under pressure from Rick Lovat with the 488 Challenge of Kessel Racing. Lapping quickly Hassid and Laursen pulled away from the rest of the group, while Eric Cheung (Formula Racing) also burned up the rubber to close in on Lovat and Prinoth. Further back Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing) and Christophe Hurni (Team Zenith Sion-Lausanne) fought tooth and nail for sixth, challenged only at the beginning by James Weiland (Rossocorsa) who was hit by Claudio Schiavoni (Kessel Racing), then penalised with a drive-through. Hassid further extended his lead over Laursen to win by six seconds while Cheung caught up with his two rivals to earn a splendid podium. Prinoth finished in fourth, overtaking Lovat on the final lap, while Hurni took sixth in front of Scheltema. Manuela Gostner (Ineco-MP Racing) sealed eighth place and victory in the Ladies’ Cup that now leads having overtaken Fabienne Wohlwend in the points standing. The Gentlemen’s Cup went to Hassid at his second win in three races in the Ferrari Challenge Europe.
Trofeo Pirelli. Andrea Gagliardini got the better of his CDP teammate Daniele Di Amato at the start of the Trofeo Pirelli race. However, the championship leader retook first place at Signes at the end of the first lap. He then continued unchallenged clocking up some very fast laps. All hell broke loose behind him though: Bjorn Grossmann (Octane 126) approached Gagliardini and attacked him but the two 488 Challenge cars came into contact, allowing third placed Philipp Baron (Rossocorsa) to take advantage, passing Gagliardini before the finish line and Grossmann shortly after the first corner. In addition, the German’s overtaking was deemed irregular and so the reigning European champion had to yield the position to Gagliardini. In the final part of the race Di Amato held onto his lead to collect his fifth consecutive victory of 2017 and consolidate his position at the top of the standings. Baron and Grossmann took the other two podium steps, while fourth place went to Sam Smeeth (Stratstone Ferrari) ahead of Gagliardini and Alessandro Vezzoni (Rossocorsa-Pellin Racing).
Pirelli Am. The Trofeo Pirelli was a much steadier race, but one that, paradoxically, saw the leadership change at the top of the championship standings. Tommaso Rocca had seemed right at the top of his game since qualifying in which he had won pole position. In the race itself he drove the 488 Challenge of Rossocorsa leading from start to finish. Chris Froggatt (HR Owen) threatened the Italian’s lead throughout, but never found an opening from which to mount an attack. Jens Liebhauser (Formula Racing) took the third step of the podium and was enough for the day because Martin Nelson (Scuderia Autoropa) had a very negative race with two drive-through penalties due to an irregular start and then a contact with teammate Robin Jensen. Liebhauser is now leading Nelson in the championship standings. Galip Atar (Octane 126) notched up a first career win, beating Walter Ben Dorrenberg (Ferrari Eberlein) in the Trofeo Pirelli 458. It’s the same again on Sunday with the Coppa Shell at 12:50 pm and the Trofeo Pirelli at 3:35 pm.
Ferrari Challenge Europe – Championship on track at Paul Ricard
Posted: 21.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Le Castellet, 21 July 2017 – This weekend, the fourth round of the Ferrari Challenge Europe will see forty 488 Challenges battle it out on the Circuit Paul Ricard. The meeting is in effect a sort of trial run for the French Grand Prix, which will be back on this track in 2018, after a 28-year absence: the last team to win was Ferrari with Alain Prost in 1990.
Trofeo Pirelli. Championship leader Daniele Di Amato is looking for another two wins to consolidate his position in the absence of Fabio Leimer (Octane 126). However, it won’t be a stroll in the park for the CDP driver, who is certain to be strongly challenged by Philipp Baron (Rossocorsa), Bjorn Grossmann (Octane 126), Alessandro Vezzoni (Rossocorsa-Pellin Racing), Sam Smeeth (Stratstone Ferrari) and his teammate Andrea Gagliardini.
Pirelli Am. The Trofeo Pirelli Am class will be the scene of a new episode in the duel between Martin Nelson (Scuderia Autoropa) and Jens Liebhauser (Gohm Motorsport). The pair have monopolised the season so far with the exception of Chris Froggatt (HR Owen) who won the second race in Budapest. Also of note is the arrival in the European Series of Marc Muzzo (Kessel Racing) after a brilliant race in the Challenge North America during the Ferrari Racing Days at Mosport Park.
Coppa Shell. Johnny Laursen tops the standings in the Coppa Shell, with two wins and two podiums. The Formula Racing driver knows the track well, having driven it in the GT championships and it won’t be easy for anyone to beat him. However, we should keep an eye on the highly experienced Eric Cheung and his teammate Rick Lovat, along with Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing) and Erich Prinoth (Ineco-MP Racing). Cheung and Lovat are also first and second in the Coppa Shell standings, while the Ladies’ Cup is still led by Fabienne Wohlwend, who is not in the race, and is just one point in front of Manuela Gostner (Ineco-MP Racing). Deborah Mayer (Kessel Racing) and Tina Kok (Formula Racing) are also competing.
Programme. Friday at the Paul Ricard is test day. Then on Saturday qualifying takes place in the morning ahead of the two Race-1s, with the Coppa Shell at 12:50 pm and Trofeo Pirelli at 3:35 pm. On Sunday the Coppa Shell kicks off at 12:50 pm and the Trofeo Pirelli at 3:35 pm.
Ferrari 30th anniversary of the F40
Posted: 21.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 21 July 2017 – Thirty years have passed since the official presentation of the F40, which took place on 21 July 1987 at the Civic Centre in Maranello, now home to the Ferrari Museum. Created to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary, it was the last car to carry the founder’s “signature”. It was a definitive car, the ultimate expression of the technology thus far developed by the Prancing Horse, but at the same time it went back to Ferrari’s roots when racing cars were also road vehicles. An extreme derivation of the 308 GTB and of the 288 GTO Evoluzione prototype, the Ferrari F40 is a masterpiece of engineering and style, which entered the collective imagination as a symbol of an era.
On the anniversary of the launch of this motoring legend, Ferrari has gathered together the memories of three of its creators: Ermanno Bonfiglioli, then Head of Special Projects, Leonardo Fioravanti, a designer for Pininfarina, and test driver Dario Benuzzi.
Ermanno Bonfiglioli, who as Head of Special Projects was responsible for supercharged engines, has not forgotten the excitement of that 21 July: “I have never experienced a presentation like that of the F40. When the car was unveiled, a buzz passed through the room followed by thunderous applause. No one, except for close associates of Enzo Ferrari, had yet seen it. Indeed, the company had cloaked the development and testing of that car in unusual secrecy. And the surprise at such a stylistic leap was almost shock. The timeframe was also unusual, within the very short arc of 13 months, the chassis and bodywork moving ahead quickly and at the same pace as the powertrain. It was June 1986 when we began designing the engine of the project F 120 A. The 8-cylinder 478 hp twin-turbo was a derivative of the 288 GTO Evoluzione’s, but a number of innovative contents enabled the F40 to become the first production Ferrari to exceed 320 km/h. We paid maximum attention to the weight of the engine, thanks also to the extensive use of magnesium, such as oil sump, cylinder-head covers, intake manifolds, and gearbox bell-housing were in this material that cost five times as much as aluminium alloy and that was never used in such quantities in subsequent production cars. This is just a small example of this car’s “difference”.
Leonardo Fioravanti was a designer at Pininfarina when he was invited by Enzo Ferrari to Fiorano to try the 288 GTO Evoluzione: “when il Commendatore asked for my opinion on this experimental prototype, which due to regulatory issues never went into production, I didn’t hide my enthusiasm as an amateur driver for the incredible acceleration of its 650 hp. It was then that he first talked to me of his desire to produce a “true Ferrari”. We knew, as he knew, that it would be his last car. We threw ourselves headlong into the work. Extensive research at the wind tunnel went into aerodynamic optimisation, to achieve coefficients appropriate for the most powerful Ferrari road car ever. Its style matches its performance: the low bonnet with a very tiny overhang, the NACA air vents and the rear spoiler, which my colleague Aldo Brovarone placed at right angles, made it famous. If I had to point out one overriding reason for the success of the F40, I would say that its line succeeded in instantly transmitting the exceptionality of its technical content: speed, lightness, and performance.”
Dario Benuzzi, a Ferrari’s long-term test driver, participated in an arduous and meticulous testing job: “The handling of the first prototypes was poor. To tame the power of the engine and make it compatible with a road model, we needed to subject every aspect of the car to countless tests: from the turbochargers to the braking system, from the shock absorbers to the tyres. The result was an excellent aerodynamic load and high stability even at high speed. Another important aspect was the tubular steel frame with Kevlar reinforcement panels, which provides three times more torsional rigidity than that of other cars of the period, and a bodywork made mainly of composite materials that reduced weight to just 1100 kg. We obtained precisely the car we wanted, with few comforts and no compromises. With no power steering, power brakes or electronic devices, it demands the skill and commitment of the driver but generously repays it with a unique driving experience. Steering precision, road holding, braking power and intensity of acceleration reached unmatched levels for a road car.
Ferrari 70th Anniversary in UK – Windsor
Posted: 15.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
uly 15th, 2017. Windsor, UK – To celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Ferrari, Her Majesty The Queen granted Maranello Sales permission for 70 selected Ferrari owners to drive their cars through Her Majesty’s Windsor Great Park on private land which is part of the Windsor Castle Estate. The tour took in areas of the park where public access is restricted, providing some of the most magnificent views of English countryside, with woodland going back centuries and being preserved for future generations.
It seemed appropriate to start with a light breakfast on the lawns overlooked by the bronze statue of Prince Albert in military uniform on his horse, erected 130 years ago. Keeping to the strict speed limit of 38mph set by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, the procession escorted by The Crown Estate team, proceeded to wind its way through the beautiful wooded countryside stopping to admire the Queen’s Jubilee statue and finally the famous Copper Horse at the top of The Long Walk, before driving the final 3 mile straight down the hill to Windsor Castle where her Majesty was in residence.
This was followed by an elegant Italian inspired English picnic on the lawns of Windsor Castle. Guests socialised and admired the beautiful selection of Ferrari cars and were joined by many Ferrari fans visiting Windsor and the Castle giving them the opportunity to participate in the celebration of the Ferrari 70th Anniversary.
LaFerrari celebrates in Blenheim Palace
Posted: 11.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
July 11, 2017. UK – To celebrate 70 years of Ferrari, Dick Lovett organised a Road Tour of The Cotswolds and surrounding areas for our clients. The starting place for the Road Tour was the iconic World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace. After a light breakfast, all our clients gathered around the LaFerrari Aperta for a group photo in the Great Courtyard, with the Palace as a stunning backdrop.
Over 50 Ferraris, led by the LaFerrari Aperta, then departed in convoy to travel through the picturesque Cotswolds to Castle Combe Race Circuit. Here, our clients enjoyed a cavalcade around the track, before gathering once again for a group photo on the start/finish straight.
Whilst at this point the Great British Summer struck bringing a torrential downpour, nothing was dampening the spirit of our intrepid convoy, which continued on to take in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside before returning to the dealership in Swindon for a Black-Tie Gala Dinner. The evening was capped off perfectly with the premiere of the new 812 Superfast in front of 150 guests.
Whilst we were not blessed with the best of weather, the event will undoubtedly live long in the memory of all who attended and was definitely a fitting celebration of 70 years of Ferrari.
| Circuit | Silverstone |
| Date | 16.07.2016 |
| Laps | 51 |
| Distance | 300,441 km / 186,725 miles |
| No | Driver | Ferrari | S/N | Team | Result |
| 5 | Sebastian Vettel | SF70-H | – |
Scuderia Ferrari | 7. |
| 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | SF70-H | – |
Scuderia Ferrari | 3. |
British Grand Prix – Silverstone 16 July
Posted: 16.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Maurizio Arrivabene: “Even if the reasons are obvious, complaining about losing a second and a fourth place is not Ferrari’s style. Today, the hard fact is that we lost a lot of points in both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ championships. We leave here, set on improving quickly, with humility and determination.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “My race wasn’t going too bad until a few laps before the end. I suddenly had the problem, my front left tire let go with no warning; the air stayed in the tire but the rubber part, came off. It’s disappointing because without that issue the second place was secured, and we deserved a better result. We had made some changes to the car and they seemed to have improved the feeling. When it’s like this you are confident and you can push; I hope that it will be a similar story in the future races. However, today we were lacking a little bit of speed against our rivals. We did what we could but obviously there’s some work to be done to catch up the Mercedes in places like this. This is definitely not our strongest type of circuit. I’m interested to see what happens in the next race, I guess the Hungarian track should suit our car better.”
Sebastian Vettel: “It was a difficult race. The brakes got fire on the grid and I think this is the reason why I had no grip at the start: they were too hot. During the last laps, after the problem with the front left tire, I tried to get the car back and recover some points. It was difficult today because I was stuck at the beginning behind Max, but I am not the one to judge what happened between him and me. After that I think the pace was good, considering the fact that I was on the Soft tires. Valtteri was on other compound, the Supersofts, so it was clear that he would have been strong. Today was not a great day, but we’ll see what happens in Hungary, on a different track.”
British Grand Prix – Ferrari third and seventh
Posted: 1616.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Two punctures towards the end, but Kimi on the podium with Seb still leading the championship
Silverstone, 16 July – Two punctures in the final moments of the race, but nevertheless Scuderia Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen made it to the podium in third place. Seb Vettel finished seventh and after an incredible, yet cruel race, he still leads the championship. The race got off to a false start as an extra formation lap was needed because Palmer had stopped on track. That meant the race distance was down to 51 laps, but there was excitement right from the start, with Kimi and Seb fighting with Verstappen. Then came a collision between the two Toro Rossos which brought out the Safety Car. Kimi hung on to Hamilton, while Seb, who had a few difficulties at the start, was fourth. Racing restarted on lap 5, with Kimi matching the leader’s pace, while his team-mate had to be patient before getting his place back. It was a thrilling duel, but in the end, it was decided on the strategy call: a scheduled pit stop for Seb on lap 19 saw the German fit the Soft tyres. The number 5 Ferrari came out ahead of the Force India duo in fifth place. Verstappen therefore had to pit to cover our strategy, but when he rejoined he was behind the Ferrari. Seb then banged in a fastest lap, before passing Hulkenberg for fourth place. On lap 24, it was Kimi’s turn to pit to go from the Supersofts to the Softs.
Shortly after that, Hamilton did the same, but on fresh rubber, the Iceman was the fastest man on track. Bottas came down pit lane on lap 32 and came out behind the Scuderia Ferrari duo. Seb reacted, setting his best lap in1:31.872. On lap 43 came the first duel, as Seb repulsed the attack under braking.
But the move ruined his tyres and he lost the position on the Hangar Straight. “I can get to the finish” came his reassurance over the radio and indeed he would, while out in front, with only two laps remaining, Kimi’s left front tyre suddenly let go. The Finn pitted and took on Supersofts, while he was helped by the fact Verstappen also needed to make an unexpected stop. But on the last lap, Seb also got a puncture, again a left front. He dived into pit lane and managed to stay in the points, but the team deserved much better today.
British Grand Prix – “Best car so far this weekend”
Posted: 15.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari drivers pleased with progress made
Silverstone, July 15 – Changing weather conditions made qualifying for the British Grand Prix ever more difficult, but Scuderia Ferrari drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel emerged from the battle with second and third best time respectively.
Kimi’s feeling with the SF70H had been improving through the weekend and all the development work carried out by the team paid off on Saturday afternoon: “In qualifying the handling of my car was better than any other time this weekend and I was really happy with that. Obviously we always want to finish higher, but today we got more or less what we could. In Q1, with the intermediate tires on a damp track, the conditions were a bit tricky. It was very slippery, but it was not wet everywhere and the tires wore out very quickly. Luckily we did the last run at the right time and it was ok. After that, the track was getting better and better. My last lap felt good, but it was still a bit tricky to know where to go because it was still a bit damp here and there; so I took it quite easily at first and then decided to push a bit more. The feeling that I got with my car today was nice, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow and I hope that in the race we can improve. Usually, we are a bit stronger on Sunday”.
Seb lined up behind his team mate and was pleased with the behavior of his Ferrari: “We are quite happy with the result and our performance was good. I think it will be tough tomorrow considering that Mercedes has been very quick for the whole weekend. Our car today was good and felt amazing, so overall I am happy. The track was not really wet and it was good fun to drive, I just found a bunch of cars ahead of me in my last run, but otherwise I think we improved the car a lot over the weekend, also in qualifying trim, and that’s what really counts”.
British Grand Prix – Ferrari second and third
Posted: 1515.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Kimi ahead of Seb on the grid
Silverstone, 15 July – Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel will start tomorrow’s British Grand Prix from second and third places on the grid. Kimi’s best time was a 1”27’147, while team-mate Sebastian did a 1”27’356. For Q1, Scuderia Ferrari chose to fit the Intermediate tyres, followed by the Supersoft once the track had dried.
British Grand Prix – Ferrari 2nd and 4th
Posted: 15.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Free practice ends with Seb ahead of Kimi
Silverstone, 15 July – Sebastian Vettel ended the final free practice session for the British Grand Prix in second place on the time sheet with a 1”28’095. Team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was fourth fastest in 1”28’732 in a session where rain put in an appearance towards the end of the hour. Both Scuderia Ferrari drivers ran Supersoft and Intermediate tyres and they are now ready to return on track at 13h00 local time (14h00 CET) for the qualifying session.
British Grand Prix – “A pretty decent day”
Posted: 14.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari drivers convinced that further progress can be made
Silverstone, July 14 – As is typical of Fridays, Scuderia Ferrari drivers had a lot of things to get through in the two practice sessions. For what it’s worth on a day in which neither points nor grid places are given, P2 ended with Kimi setting the third fastest lap time of 1’28”828, with Seb a close fourth at 1’28”956. A new engine had been fitted to the SF70H since morning and different fuel levels were tested during both sessions. “It was a pretty decent day”, said Kimi, “a bit more straightforward session than on other occasions, and we had no issues. Since this morning the feeling had been ok, but obviously at the beginning there was a bit of guesswork with the conditions, as always when you first run at a track. It could have been a bit better, but it was not too bad either. Tomorrow will be a different day, we can only try to do our best and I’m sure we can improve. In qualifying and mainly on Sunday we’ll see if it is enough”. Sebastian said: “Today for us it was a bit mixed of ups and downs. This morning we had difficulties with the balance to start with, but overall I think we improved the car at the end of the session. On Friday you don’t seek much the performance and this new engine has a lot of miles to do, so we try to save it. It’s working well and we didn’t have problems. But we still have to do more and to improve. We have a lot of things to look at. Mercedes looks quick but it’s not a surprise. The track today was too slippery and tricky, but I think we can get better tomorrow”. “Today”, Seb added “I tried the Shield cockpit protection. The vision is not very good and I think it’s because of the curvature that creates a bit of distortion. We had a run plan but I didn’t like it too much. I couldn’t see much, but at the end it was fun to drive”.
British Grand Prix – The Shield makes its debut at Silverstone
Posted: 14.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Seb (5th fastest) runs the protection device, Kimi is 6th
Silverstone, 14 July –Ferrari ended the first free practice session for the British Grand Prix in fifth and sixth places. Kimi Raikkonen’s best lap was a 1”30’137, while Sebastian did a 1”30.517. During his installation lap, the German’s car was fitted with a new head protection system being evaluated by the FIA, known as a Shield. Both Ferrari men ran the Supersofts for the entire session.
British Grand Prix – “A great place to race”
Posted: 13.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Kimi and Seb relish the challenge on the British track
Silverstone, July 13 – Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen may be different in character and for many things, but they share various passions: for speed, for Scuderia Ferrari, and for the British Grand Prix Track.
“Silverstone it’s a great place” says Kimi “and I enjoy driving here. The track has a lot of history and there’s always a great atmosphere. I have raced here before F1, I liked the old circuit, the layout was more flowing. It hasn’t changed a lot, the feeling is a bit different but it’s still a great place to drive. This year we have completely different cars and rules, we expect to have more downforce than last year’s car and thus to carry more speed through the fast corners. Tomorrow we’ll see if it’s that’s the case: hopefully it goes more in that direction because it’s more fun! We have a limited amount of engines because of the regulations, and now It’s time to put a new one in; as was planned since the beginning”.
As Silverstone goes, Seb is on the same page as his team-mate: “Usually there is a big passion for racing in this country, so it is great to be here, as it is one of the places where the history of motor racing was made. As for us, our car was good last week and it should be ok here, too. I didn’t win in Austria and I really wanted to, but that’s how it goes: sometimes we succeed and sometimes we don’t. The most important thing is to be up there, not just in terms of results, but in terms of pace. Also, tomorrow I’ll test the Shield protection for a few laps in P1. So far I’ve only seen it on a computer screen, so I’ll check it out”.
British Grand Prix – Silverstone, where history is made
Posted: 12.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
The scene of Ferrari’s first win. And this time?
Silverstone means a lot to Scuderia Ferrari. It was the scene of its maiden Formula 1 win, in 1951 when José Froilán González drove a 375 to victory. It has always been a classic on the calendar, but is the track the same as in yesteryear? Definitely not: in González’s day the track was under 5 kilometres in length and a race distance involved no less than 90 laps and the Argentinian’s average speed on his way to pole position was only a little over 160 km/h. But even then, it was a superfast track and when Ferrari took pole and the win in 1990 with Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost respectively, their 641s both exceeded 250. Those were the days when Nigel would tell the young test drivers back in Maranello, that at Silverstone, “you never brake.” There was an element of truth in that because the old layout did not put too much stress on the discs and pads. Since then, the circuit has been redesigned several times, the last in 2011 with the creation of the Arena Circuit measuring 5.8 kilometres. Its character has changed, the facility has been modernised and inevitably, it has lost some of the magic from the days when the motorhomes were parked on a grass paddock, used to host barbecues with all the drivers in attendance. But it still has plenty to recommend it, as a very technical circuit, which, above all, rewards aerodynamic efficiency at the corner entry and in the many changes of direction.
Ferrari Challenge NA – Close Competition and New Winners Mark Race 2 at Mosport Park
Posted: 17.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Bowmanville, 17 July 2017 – Ferrari Racing Days came to a thrilling conclusion with Qualifying, Race and XX Programmes cars action filling the day for all of the clients and fans in attendance. The fast, sweeping corners of Mosport Park offered a unique challenge to drivers, in the all-new 488 Challenge and 458 Challenge EVO cars. Drivers were required to summon all of their courage and skills as top speeds peaked out at above 180 mp/h along Mosport’s long back straight, and intermittent rain hit the area. The polished surface brought little relief as drivers spent much of their practice sessions scouring for grip, before the clouds parted in time for racing action in the afternoon. The XX Programmes clients were not so lucky, however, as their session took place in largely wet conditions.
Trofeo Pirelli. Wei Lu and his Ferrari of Vancouver 488 Challenge repeated his pole performance in Qualifying 2 on Sunday morning in an intense, four-way fight. As the fifteen minute qualifying session came to a close, the top four cars were separated by only fifteen one-hundredths of a second, led by Wei’s 1.19.124. Peter Ludwig was denied pole by only one hundredth of a second, but his 1.19.138 was good for second over Cooper MacNeil and Martin Fuentes. Come the afternoon race, however, Wei fell back to fourth, ceding the lead to Peter Ludwig with MacNeil and Fuentes following through. While the leading four were spread out, there was tension throughout the race as the new 488 Challenge was up to eight seconds per lap faster than some of the slower 458 Challenge EVO cars, meaning managing traffic was a key skill required throughout the race.
Trofeo Pirelli AM. Marc Muzzo once again took pole position in Trofeo Pirelli Am, but it was a tightly fought battle for pole. The closest challenger was Chris Cagnazzi. Chris drove his Ferrari of Long Island 488 Challenge car to within two one-hundredths of a second of Marc, to start on the front row. Further back, Joe Courtney and his Miller Motorcars car took third in class over Brent Holden. However, the afternoon race was a different story. Marc was unable to maintain his advantage, allowing Cagnazzi to take his maiden win for the 2017 season, and bringing him within one point of Brent Holden for second place in the overall standings. Further back, Jean-Claude Saada completed an immense, charging drive to take second at the flag, with Marc Muzzo completing the podium.
Coppa Shell. Karl Williams did an excellent job to qualify just fourteen hundredths of a second behind the Trofeo Pirelli AM pole sitter. But, he was followed closely by Dave Musial, who pushed him all the way to the flag, setting his fastest lap late in the session. Barry Zekelman completed the top three. Come the afternoon race, Karl Williams maintained his lead to take the win over Barry Zekelman by three seconds. Michael Fassbender, after a charging drive from sixth in class, claimed his maiden podium in only his third Challenge race, finishing only 15 seconds behind the class winner, an impressive achievement.
Gentleman’s Cup. Osvaldo Gaio took his second gentleman’s cup win of the weekend, in his Miller Motorcars 488 Challenge car to the front of the Gentleman’s cup field.
Trofeo Pirelli 458. Naveen Rao and his Ferrari of San Diego 458 Challenge EVO took their maiden pole of 2017 with an 1.21:615 on his third lap of the fifteen minute morning session. It was a dominating performance, one second faster than his nearest competitor, Joseph Rubbo. Joel Weinberger completed the top three in his Continental Auto Sports car with a 1.23.302. Come the afternoon race, Naveen held off an intense charge from Rubbo to claim the victory. By also claiming fastest lap of the race, Naveen completed the triple crown, qualifying first, having the fastest race lap in his class, and finishing first. Joel Weinberger completed the top three.
Ladies Cup. Lisa Clark once again took victory in the Ladies cup class with her 458 EVO, finishing just ahead of Debra Palermo.
Racing Days. Five of the XX Programmes clients joined Mosport Park for Ferrari Racing Days taking to the track in dedicated track sessions. Three Ferrari FXX K shared the track alongside a 599XX and 599XX EVO to thrill both the Challenge drivers and the fans in attendance.
Ferrari Challenge NA – Canadian drivers and teams take victories at Mosport Park
Posted: 15.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Bowmanville, 15 July 2017 – A glorious sunny day saw Wei Lu, Marc Muzzo, Karl Williams and Joel Weinberger take victory at historic Mosport Park in the third round of the North American series of the Ferrari Challenge while welcoming XX Clienti for Ferrari Racing Days.
Trofeo Pirelli. Wei Lu took his maiden win of the 2017 season with an excellent lap of 1:19.352, two tenths faster than the best that Peter Ludwig, our points leader, could accomplish in his Wide World of Cars Ferrari. Cooper MacNeil rounded out the top three. Come the race, it was a close fought battle throughout, with lapped traffic playing a significant role in the action. However, Wei Lu, and his Ferrari of Vancouver 488 Challenge were able to prevail over Peter by 1.625 seconds. In a race that ran uninterrupted by caution periods, Wei absorbed serious pressure from Peter and Cooper throughout the thirty minute race. The three finished within three seconds of each other at the flag.
Trofeo Pirelli AM. Seven Trofeo Pirelli Am cars took to the track for qualifying in the morning with Marc Muzzo and his Ferrari of Ontario 488 Challenge car continued his strong run of form, taking pole, fastest race lap and the win on Saturday. While the race itself ran trouble free for much of its thirty minute duration, a hard incident into the Moss hairpin brought out a prolonged caution period that ultimately concluded the race. Further down the field, Chris Cagnazzi continued his impressive run of podiums, continued from Montreal, taking second place in his Ferrari of Long Island 488 Challenge car and Brent Holden completed the podium in third.
Coppa Shell. A strong field of fifteen cars took the green flag in Coppa Shell. Karl Williams set the pace in qualifying in the morning setting an excellent lap of 1:20.811, a tenth and one half faster than his closest competition, Murray Rothlander, who only claimed second by four one-hundredths of a second. Come race time, Karl and his Ferrari of Beverly Hills powered car led the class to the finish with Barry Zekelman and Amir Kermani rounding out the top three. Hollywood star Michael Fassbender took ninth place.
Gentleman’s Cup. Osvaldo Gaio took his Miller Motorcars 488 Challenge car to the front of the Gentleman’s cup field, and set the fastest lap in his class as well. His 1:22.444 was one tenth clear of the fast time set by Karl Williams, both on lap 12 of the truncated race.
Pirelli 458. Joel Weinberger took class pole in his first Challenge race of the 2017 season in his 458 Challenge EVO car, followed closely by Joseph Rubbo and Caesar Bacarella. The top four positions were incredibly tight in qualifying, spread by only four tenths of a second. In the race, Joel maintained his advantage, taking class victory with Naveen Rao overtaking Caesar Bacarella for third place.
Ladies Cup. Lisa Clark took victory in the Ladies cup class in her 458 Challenge EVO. The Ladies Cup was a typically close fought affair between Lisa and Debra Palermo with Debra finishing just behind Lisa.
Ferrari Racing Days – Challenge and XX Programmes at Mosport Park
Posted: 12.07.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Bowmanville, 12 July 2017 – The Ferrari Challenge North America and the powerful cars of the XX Programmes are raring and ready to offer excitement and spectacle at the North American edition of the Ferrari Racing Days this weekend on the Mosport Park track.
Mega-horsepower. The FXX K, the hybrid car of the XX Programmes, is the most eagerly awaited car on a circuit that has hosted eight editions of the Formula One Grand Prix. A selection of these cars, which was first presented to the public at the 2014 Finali Mondiali, will be in action in Canada along with a few 599XXs and 599XX Evos, another two cars of this special Corse Clienti activity. The 599s deploy a sophisticated under-car air suction system to create something similar to the ground effect in Formula 1.
Fassbender returns. The third round of the Ferrari Challenge North America, which will also take place at Mosport Park, sees the return to the Coppa Shell of Hollywood star, Michael Fassbender, who debuted at Laguna Seca where he picked up his first points. Dave Musial, who swept all before him at Montreal, tops the standings, one point ahead of Barry Zekelman and 15 in front of Karl Williams who shared the spoils in the first round of 2017.
Trofeo Pirelli. Peter Ludwig has won three of the four Trofeo Pirelli races held so far, but Martin Fuentes is only 15 points behind after victory in Race-1 at Montreal. Wei Lu is third in the standings. The Pirelli Am class is led by Marc Muzzo, who after racing in Canada will fly to Europe to compete in the European series at the Paul Ricard. Brent Holden, winner of the first season race at Laguna Seca, lies in second 19 points adrift from the leader. Joe Rubbo tops the table among drivers racing the old 458 Challenge EVO on 45 points, but Oscar Paredes-Arroyo is just seven lengths behind.
Programme. The Challenge and the test sessions of the special cars of the XX Programmes will begin on Friday. On Saturday Race-1 of the Trofeo Pirelli and the Trofeo Pirelli 458 takes place 2:45 pm followed, an hour later, by the Trofeo Pirelli Am and the Coppa Shell. On Sunday the Trophy Pirelli Am and Coppa Shell gets going at 2:05 pm while the Trofeo Pirelli e Trofeo Pirelli 458 starts at 3:05 pm local time.