Ferrari Challenge Europa: Baron unbeatable at Spa
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This weekend, the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium hosted the fifth round of the European series of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli. Thirty four drivers have been fighting it out on the demanding track in the Ardennes, battling for championship points while treating the fans to a great display of exciting racing. Today saw Baron winning Race 2 in the Trofeo Pirelli and Verwoerdt came out on top in the Coppa Shell.
Spa-Francorchamps, 7 August - The 35 minute race was run on a wet track because of intermittent rain being a major factor of this week end. The victory went again to Philipp Baron, a regular winner in the European series of the one-make championship and star of the week end, as he made the most of the potential of his 458 Challenge at Spa, still one of the most testing race circuits in the world. The Baron Servce team driver dominated the race, taking the flag ahead of Alexey Vasiliev (Ferrari Moscow) and Marco Seefried (Scuderia GT). Fifth Max Blancardi (Motor/Malucelli) thus going into the lead of the overall classification of the Trofeo Pirelli, which has reached the run for home, given that there is only one more round at Zeltweg in September, prior to the World Finals at Mugello, which will see the champions crowned in the various categories.
In the Coppa Shell, victory went to Ben Verwoerdt (Kroymans) who finished seventh overall, followed by Philippe Prette (Motor/Malucelli) and Alessandro Vezzoni (Rossocorsa/Pellin), while in the class for those running the F430 Challenge, Torbjorn Ekstrand (Autoropa) took the win again in Race 2, beating Holger Harmsen (Lueg Sportivo) and Christian Overgaard (Formula Automobile).
Competitors in the European series of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli will be back in action over the weekend of 4 September, at the Spielberg circuit (Zeltweg) as part of the Ferrari Racing Days event, organised by the Corse Clienti department. It also features the fourth round of the Italian series of the one-make championship. In addition, spectators will be able to admire the beautiful cars entered in the XX and F1 Clienti programmes, as they tackle some untimed sessions on the famous Austrian circuit.
The two Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli races at Spa were shown live and repeated by 13 European broadcasters in over 60 countries and show again over the course of the week on Sky Italia.
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European Series classification
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Series
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Driver
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Points
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Driver
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Points
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Driver
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Points
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European Trofeo Pirelli
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Blancardi
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111
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Baron
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87
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Vasiliev
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86
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European Coppa Shell
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Mallegol
Bachelier
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116
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Prette
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89
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Laursen
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72
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European Trofeo Pirelli F430 Challenge
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Grohmann
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95
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Harmsen
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81
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Blank
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73
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