The Ferrari Challenge is a single-marque motorsport championship that was created in 1993, initially catering to owners of the 348 Challenge who wanted to race their cars.[1][2][3][4] The first European season took place in 1993, with a North American series added in 1994.[5] It now encompasses four official series in Europe, North America, Japan & The United Kingdom.[1] Competitors from each series are brought together at the annual World Finals (Finali Mondiali) event.

Quick Facts Category, Country ...
Ferrari Challenge
CategoryOne-make racing
CountryEurope
North America
Japan
United Kingdom
Inaugural season1993
ConstructorsFerrari
Tyre suppliersPirelli
Official websiteOfficial website
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Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo

In the course of more than 30 years of history, the one-make championship has featured eight cars from the Maranello marque: in addition to the Ferrari 348 Challenge, the Ferrari F355 Challenge (debut in 1995), the Ferrari 360 Challenge (since 2000), the Ferrari F430 Challenge (since 2006), the Ferrari 458 Challenge (since 2011) and the 458 Challenge Evo (since 2014), the Ferrari 488 Challenge (since 2017) and the 488 Challenge Evo since 2020.

Series

A Ferrari F430 Challenge car used in the North American series.

Currently there are four distinct series, in Europe, in North America, in the UK, and in Japan.[1] The Ferrari Challenge is managed by Ferrari's Corse Clienti department.

Ferrari Challenge Italy

The now defunct Ferrari Challenge Italy used a two-class format in which distinguished between professional competition drivers in the Trofeo Pirelli (lit. "Pirelli Trophy") and amateur "gentleman drivers" in the Coppa Shell (lit. "Shell Cup").[6][3] This format has now been transferred to the Europe Challenge series. It was originally launched in 1993, with backing from Pirelli.

Ferrari Challenge Europe

The European series is a four-class championship, the classes are:[7]

  • Trofeo Pirelli
  • Trofeo Pirelli Am
  • Coppa Shell
  • Coppa Shell Am

Ferrari Challenge North America

Ferrari F430 Challenge racer at New Jersey Motorsports Park, North American series (2008 season).

The North American also features the Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell class system.[8][9] This championship was inaugurated in 1994. It is organized by Ferrari North America and sanctioned by IMSA.[10][11]

Ferrari Challenge UK

Starting with the 2019 season, the regional Ferrari Challenge UK series has been launched, contested at some of the UK's most iconic tracks, from Silverstone to Brands Hatch, Oulton Park to Snetterton.

Ferrari Challenge Japan

Starting with the 2023 season, the calendar of the Prancing Horse single-make series has been enriched with the second regional series, the Ferrari Challenge Japan, which includes five rounds taking place at the tracks of Fuji (two rounds), Autopolis, Suzuka and Sugo.

Ferrari Challenge Asia-Pacific

The Asia-Pacific was organised from 2011 to 2022, inaugurated in combination with the growing interest and sales for Ferrari in Asia. The seasons included events in Japan, China, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. The Asia-Pacific also featured the Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell class system.

Finali Mondiali

From 2013, the major Ferrari Challenge series have combined to host a World Final common event for all championships. This event culminates in a race containing as many of the competitors across all series in both Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell as can fit, with Ferrari declaring the winners to be "world champions".[12] The following table has the winners of each event:

More information Year, Circuit ...
Year Circuit Trofeo Pirelli Coppa Shell Source
2013 Italy Mugello Circuit Pro: Austria Philipp Baron Am: Italy Giosue Rizzuto [13]
2014 United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit Pro: Italy Max Blancardi
Pro-Am: Mexico Ricardo Pérez de Lara
Am: Italy Massimiliano Bianchi [14][15][16]
2015 Italy Mugello Circuit Pro: Italy Matteo Santoponte
Pro-Am: Italy Alessandro Vezzoni
Am: Italy Erich Prinoth [17][18][19]
2016 United States Daytona International Speedway Pro: Venezuela Carlos Kauffman
Pro-Am: United Kingdom Sam Smeeth
Am: Germany Thomas Löfflad [20]
2017 Italy Mugello Circuit Pro: Switzerland Fabio Leimer
Pro-Am: Germany Jens Liebhauser
Am: Denmark Johnny Laursen [21][22]
2018 Italy Autodromo Nazionale Monza Pro: Denmark Nicklas Nielsen
Pro-Am: Liechtenstein Fabienne Wohlwend
Pro-Am: Switzerland Christophe Hurni
Am: Sweden Ingvar Mattsson
[23]
2019 Italy Mugello Circuit Pro: United Kingdom Adam Carroll
Pro-Am: Italy Emanuele-Maria Tabacchi
Pro-Am: United States James Weiland
Am: Sweden Ingvar Mattsson
[24][25][26]
2020 Italy Misano World Circuit Pro: Belgium Florian Merckx
Pro-Am: Netherlands Han Sikkens
Pro-Am: Netherlands Roger Grouwels
Am: Austria Michael Simoncić
[27][28][29]
2021 Italy Mugello Circuit Pro: Finland Luka Nurmi
Pro-Am: Denmark Christian Brunsborg
Pro-Am: Austria Ernst Kirchmayr
Am: Denmark Peter Christensen
[30][31]
2022 Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari Pro: France Thomas Neubauer
Pro-Am: Italy Marco Pulcini
Pro-Am: Germany Franz Engstler
Am: Sweden Joakim Olander
[32][33][34][35]
2023 Italy Mugello Circuit Pro: United Kingdom Thomas Fleming
Pro-Am: Germany Franz Engstler
Pro-Am: Germany Axel Sartingen
Am: Germany Martinus Richter
[36]
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Champions

More information Year, Europe ...
Year Europe North America Asia-Pacific UK
Trofeo Pirelli Coppa Shell Trofeo Pirelli Coppa Shell Trofeo Pirelli Coppa Shell Trofeo Pirelli Coppa Shell
2003 Pro: France Ange Barde[37] not held
2004 Pro: France Ange Barde[38]
2005 Pro: Republic of Ireland Michael Cullen[39]
2006 Pro: France Ange Barde[40] Am: ??
2007 Pro: Republic of Ireland Michael Cullen[41] Am: Switzerland Loyd La Marca[42] Pro: United States Mike Zoi[43]
2008 Pro: Italy Max Blancardi[44] Am: United Kingdom Michael Cantillon[45] Pro: United States Roberto Fata[46]
2009 Pro: France Nicolas Misslin[47] Am: France Jean-Marc Bachelier[48]
2010 Pro: Austria Philipp Baron[49] Am: Germany Wido Rößler[50]
2011 Pro: Italy Max Blancardi[51] Am: France Jean-Marc Bachelier[52] Am: Hong Kong Alex Au[53]
2012 Pro: Italy Alessandro Balzan[54] Am: Russia Aleksey Basov[55] Am: Canada Damon Ockey[56] Am: Hong Kong Alex Au[57]
2013 Pro: Ukraine Sergiy Chukanov[58] Am: Germany Dirk Adamski[59] Am: Brazil João Adibe[60] Pro: Thailand Pasin Lathouras[61] Am: Hong Kong Eric Cheung[62]
2014 Pro: Italy Daniele di Amato[63]
Pro-Am: Argentina Ezequiel Pérez Companc[64]
Am: Italy Massimiliano Bianchi[65] Am: United States Christopher Ruud[66] Pro: Hong Kong Eric Cheung[67] Am: Indonesia David Tjiptobiantoro[68]
2015 Pro: Germany Björn Großmann[69]
Pro-Am: Sweden Martin Nelson[70]
Am: Belgium Jacques Duyver[71] Pro: Canada Emmanuel Anassis[72]
Pro-Am: United States Mike Zoi[73]
Am: United States Jean-Claude Saada[74] Pro: Australia Stephen Wyatt[75]
Pro-Am: China Wei Xu[76]
Pro-Am: China Xin Jin[77]
2016 Pro: Germany Björn Großmann[78]
Pro-Am: United Kingdom Sam Smeeth[79]
Am: Germany Thomas Löfflad[80] Pro: Venezuela Carlos Kauffman[81]
Pro-Am: United States James Weiland[82]
Am: United States Joe Courtney[83]
report report
2017 Pro: Italy Daniele di Amato[84]
Pro-Am: Germany Jens Liebhauser[85]
Am: Denmark Johnny Laursen[86] Pro: United States Brett Curtis[87]
Pro-Am: United States Chris Cagnazzi[88]
Am: United States Richard Baek[89] Pro: Italy Philippe Prette[90]
Pro-Am: Japan Ken Seto[91]
Pro-Am: Japan Makoto Fujiwara[92]
report
2018 Pro: Denmark Nicklas Nielsen[93]
Pro-Am: United Kingdom Chris Froggatt[94]
Pro-Am: Switzerland Christophe Hurni[95]
Am: Turkey Murat Cuhadaroğlu[96]
Pro: United States Cooper MacNeil[97]
Pro-Am: United States Ross Chouest[98]
Pro-Am: United States Thomas Tippl[99]
Am: United States John Megrue[100]
Pro: Italy Philippe Prette[101] Pro-Am: Lebanon Tani Hanna[102]
Am: New Zealand David Dicker[103]
report report
2019 Pro: Monaco Louis Prette[104]
Pro-Am: Italy Emanuele-Maria Tabacchi[105]
Pro-Am: Lebanon Tani Hanna[106]
Am: Denmark Henrik Jansen[107]
Pro: United States Cooper MacNeil[108]
Pro-Am: United States Neil Gehani[109]
Pro-Am: United States Mark Issa[110]
Am: United States Bradley Horstmann[111]
Pro-Am: Italy Philippe Prette[112] Pro-Am: Japan Makoto Fujiwara[113]
Am: South Korea "Andrew" Moon[114]
United Kingdom Jamie Clarke[115] United Kingdom Toby Flannagan[116]
report report report
2020 Pro: Italy Emanuele-Maria Tabacchi
Pro-Am: Denmark Frederik Paulsen
Pro-Am: Netherlands Roger Grouwels
Am: France "Alex Fox"
Pro: United States Cooper MacNeil
Pro-Am: United States David Musial
Pro-Am: United States Bradley Horstmann
Am: United States Justin Wetherill
not held United Kingdom Lucky Khera United Kingdom Jamie Thwaites
report report report
2021 Pro: Denmark Michelle Gatting
Pro-Am: Spain Sergio Paulet
Pro-Am: Austria Ernst Kirchmayr
Am: Netherlands Willem van der Vorm
Pro: United States Jeremy Clarke
Pro-Am: United States David Musial, Jr.
Pro-Am: United States Michael Petramalo
Am: United States Tony Davis
report report report
2022 Pro: France Doriane Pin
Pro-Am: France Ange Barde
Pro-Am: Germany Franz Engstler
Am: Austria Alexander Nussbaumer
Pro: United States Jeremy Clarke
Pro-Am: United States David Musial, Jr.
Pro-Am: United States Michael Petramalo
Am: United States Tony Davis
Am: Japan Yudai Uchida Pro-Am: Japan Kazuyuki Yamaguchi
Am: Japan Shigeru Kamiue
United Kingdom Lucky Khera United Kingdom Jason Ambrose
report report report report
2023 Pro: Italy Eliseo Donno
Pro-Am: Germany Franz Engstler
Pro-Am: Germany Axel Sartingen
Am: Japan Motohiko Isozaki
Pro: United States Matthew Kurzejewski
Pro-Am: United States Justin Rothenberg
Pro-Am: United States Cameron Root
Am: United States Lisa Clark
report report
Close

One-make racing

Thumb
The cockpit of a F430 Challenge carries only basic racing necessities.
Thumb
The Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge was the Ferrari Challenge racer replacing the F355 Challenge.

The Ferrari Challenge uses a single model from the manufacturer's road car range, suitably modified to make them safe for competition use. The lineage began with the 348 Challenge in 1993, followed by its successor, the F355 Challenge, and the 360 Modena was introduced in 2000. The F355 remained eligible during 2000 and 2001.[117] The 360 Challenge version was the first competition-orientated version to be marketed to the public. The F430 Challenge was phased in during a transitional year in 2006, with the same being the case for the 458 Challenge in 2011.[118] The F430 introduced carbon-ceramic brake discs for the first time and gained 80 hp (60 kW) over the 360CS, which has reduced lap times to approximately three seconds shy of the F430 GT2.[6] The 458 Challenge is the first to have driver controlled aids such as traction control, stability management and adjustable ABS brakes.[119]

Ferrari Challenge racing cars

The 296 Challenge is the most recent in a line of Ferraris used in the Ferrari Challenge series. The lineage is as follows:[120][121]

All the cars used in the series are track only, although some 360 Challenges have been made road legal in Australia, with extensive modifications. However, due to new legislation, this is not possible anymore. The 360 Modena Challenge used in the series should not be confused with the 360 Challenge Stradale, which was a road-legal, track day oriented version of the 360, similar to the 430 Scuderia.

Racing simulators based on the series

In 1999, Sega's producer Yu Suzuki created Ferrari F355 Challenge: Passione Rossa, a video game based on the Ferrari F355 Challenge series.

In 2008, System 3's Mark Cale created Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli, the official game of the Ferrari Challenge featuring the licensed Ferrari F430 Challenge Italian, European and North American 2007 series.[122]

In 2012, Ferrari Challenge appeared in Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends.

See also

References

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