Ferrari Finali Mondiali: the engines fire up in Valencia
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Cheste (Valencia), 25 November – Finali Mondiali Ferrari, the event that traditionally brings the Prancing Horse’s racing season to an end, got underway today. For the second consecutive year, it is being staged at the spectacular Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia.
The busy four day programme sees competitors battle it out in the final rounds of the Italian, European and North American Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli series, before fighting for the world title. Also on the card, the first ever Ferrari Historic Race –Trofeo Shell, a race open to all Ferrari collectors and former participants in the Shell Ferrari Historic Challenge, the series for historic cars which ended last year after a fourteen year run. Adding to the spectacle will be non-competitive runs from Formula 1 cars from the past and cars entered in the exclusive FXX and 599XX programmes. Sunday, the final day features demonstrations from the GT cars before a parade by the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team.
Competitors in the European and North American series today had their first qualifying session, to decide the grid for Race 1, which takes place tomorrow. Of the European Trofeo Pirelli runners, the first pole of the day went to Max Blancardi (Motor/Malucelli) ahead of Philipp Baron (Baron Service) and Bjorn Grossmann (Autohaus Gohm). For the North American serie, best lap for the champion Enzo Potolicchio (The Collection), followed by Scott Tucker (Boardwalk Ferrari) and by Francesco Piovanetti (The Collection). Best lap time among the Coppa Shell runners came from Aleksandr Skryabin (Ferrari Moscow), followed by Tibor Valint (Warm Up) and Johnny Laursen (F. Automobile).
The starting grid for the first race in the Italian Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli features Giorgio Sernagiotto (Motor Piacenza) in the number one slot, followed by Stefano Gai (Rossocorsa) and Lorenzo Case (Motor/Piacenza.) Coming out on top in the first session for the gentleman drivers in the Coppa Shell was Andrea Rizzoli (Motor/Piacenza) who beat Flavio Pierleoni (Motor/Malucelli) and Giuseppe Fascicolo (Rossocorsa/Pellin.)
Tomorrow sees the second qualifying session and the first races for the two groups, Italy, then Europe and North America.
Race 1 of the Ferrari Challenge Europe and North America will be shown tomorrow on Sky Sport Extra live at 13.30 and again at 17.00. Sky Sport Extra will show the first Italian race live tomorrow at 15.45 and again at 18.00. Also tomorrow, taking to the track will be competitors in the Ferrari Historic Race Trofeo Shell, for a first free practice session and qualifying.