Full marks for the launch of the 458 Challenge in Monza
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Monza, 10 April –The opening round of this season’s Italian and European Challenge Trofeo Pirelli took place this weekend at the Monza National Circuit, with the debut of the new 458 Challenge. The car's maiden outing was watched by special guests in the shape of Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa and Enrico Galleria, Ferrari Commercial and Marketing Director, who were in Monza for this special debut. A good crowd, which on Sunday alone reached 24,000
Victory in the second and closely contested leg of the European division was decided pretty much at the start with the advantage going to Alexandr Skryabin (Ferrari Moscow) who, of the drivers in the Trofeo Pirelli category remained solidly in command for the entire race, despite the arrival of the safety car after Howard Blank’s (Motor Piacenza) accident. The Ferrari Moscow man crossed the line ahead of Max Blancardi (Motor Malucelli) and Alexey Vasiliev (Ferrari Moscow) with both men driving great races featuring amazing climbs up the order. Equally closely fought was the race to the podium for the gentleman drivers in the Coppa Shell: Jean Marc Bachelier (Motor Piacenza) took the win ahead of Dirk Adamski (Baron Service) and Dennis Andersen (Formula Automobie), while of those in the F430 Challenge, Alexadner Moiseev (Motor Piacenza) was first, beating Carsten Andersen (Formula Automobile.)
In the Italian Trofeo Pirelli, the top step of the podium was occupied once again by Stefano Gai: the Rossocorsa driver led all 35 minutes of the race, to finish ahead of Giorgio Sernagiotto (Motor Piacenza) who drove a consistent and error free race. Lorenzo Bontempelli (Kessel Racing) having started alongside Gai, had to pit early and then climbed up the order to stand on the third step of the podium. In the Coppa Shell race, Benedetto Marti (Motor Piacenza) took a fantastic win, getting the better of Mario Molteni (Rossocorsa) and Emilio Rossi (Motor Piacenza.) In the second leg of the F430 Challenge, Giosuè Rizzuto (Motor/Modena) was impressive on his way to the win over Sossio del Prete (CDP) and Andrea D’Antonio (Ineco/Ram.)
Competitors in the European Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli will be back in action at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, Cheste near Valencia over the weekend of 8 May, while they and the Italian competitors will both race in the brand new round at the Le Mans circuit on 11 June, in one race with separate classifications, as a curtain raiser to the famous Le Mans 24 Hours.
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Italian series classification
|
|
Series
|
Driver
|
Points
|
Driver
|
Points
|
Driver
|
Points
|
|
Trofeo
Pirelli
Italy
|
Gai
|
33
|
Bontempelli
|
22
|
Sernagiotto
|
21
|
|
Coppa
Shell
Italy
|
Molteni
|
27
|
Marti
|
24
|
Rossi
|
22
|
|
Trofeo
Pirelli
F430
Challenge
Italy
|
Belluzzi
|
24
|
Del Prete
|
22
|
La Barbera
|
21
|
|
European series classification
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|
Series
|
Driver
|
Points
|
Driver
|
Points
|
Driver
|
Points
|
|
Trofeo
Pirelli
Europe
|
Skryabin
|
25
|
Blancardi
|
25
|
Vasiliev
|
25
|
|
Coppa
Shell
Europe
|
Mallegol
|
31
|
Bachelier
|
31
|
Adamski
|
25
|
|
Trofeo
Pirelli
F430
Challenge
Europe
|
Moiseev
|
28
|
Andersen
|
22
|
Grohmann
|
16
|