Spa hosts penultimate round of Ferrari Challenge Europe

After the summer break, the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe returns to the track next weekend for the season’s penultimate round ahead of the Finali Mondiali in October at Mugello. The iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit will host the races, with 56 drivers competing for victory in the round and precious points for the overall standings, with the destination of the titles still open. Besides the continental series, the Ardennes weekend will also see the final round of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli UK.

Trofeo Pirelli. Everything is still to play for in the main class of the Prancing Horse one-make series, thanks to a double-win in the last round at Estoril by Thomas Fleming (HR Owen – FF Corse), who cut the gap to leader Eliseo Donno (Radicci Automobili) to 23 points. After four victories in the first six rounds, the young driver from Salento has not climbed the top step of the podium since Spielberg and now has to reckon with the Briton’s comeback attempt. The other competitors sit further behind, led by the experienced Max Mugelli (CDP – Eureka Competition), while former Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil (Gohm – Baron Motorsport), with two third places to his credit this season, will line up in Belgium.

The situation is more clear-cut in the Trofeo Pirelli Am overall standings, dominated by the German Franz Engstler (Charles Pozzi GT Racing), whose seven victories, two pole positions and six fastest laps give him a 35-point advantage over Hanno Laskowski (Emil Frey Sportivo), the only driver still able to challenge the German for the title. Many new faces will debut at Spa among the 18 entries in the class, including Italian-Belgian Nicola D’Aniello (Garage Zénith), President of the Ferrari Owners’ Club Belgium and owner of the historic Ecurie Francorchamps brand. Also making their debuts for the very first time are Dutchman Léon Rijnbeek (MERTEL Motorsport) and Martin Havas (FML – D2P), who received the Passione Ferrari “Club Challenge best improvement season 2022” award at the 2022 Finali Mondiali, while in the European series Venezuelan Enzo Potolicchio (Ferrari of Central Florida), who boasts experience in the North American championship, and Claus Zibrandtsen (Formula Racing), who has 13 races in the continental one-make series to his name, make their season debuts.

Coppa Shell. Axel Sartingen (Lueg Sportivo - Herter Racing) tops the standings, 59 points clear of his nearest pursuer, Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing). At Spa-Francorchamps, the German driver will try to make the decisive push for the title. The challenge behind him is tight, with Scheltema leading Manuela Gostner (CPD – MP Racing) by seven points and Alexander Nussbaumer (Gohm - Scuderia GT) by 12. Besides the return of Ernst Kirchmayr (Gohm – Baron Motorsport), winner of the Coppa Shell 2021 and this year only competing at Spielberg, Thor Haugen (Rossocorsa – Pellin Racing), a Ferrari Challenge North America driver, also features among the entrants.

The Coppa Shell Am still sees several drivers in contention for the title. Singaporean Kirk Baerwaldt (Kessel Racing) leads the standings, eight points ahead of Motohiko Isozaki (Cornes Motors Shiba). Others still fully in the running are Henrik Kamstrup (Formula Racing), who claimed his first win in the Prancing Horse one-make series at Estoril, Martinus Richter (MERTEL Motorsport) back after his absence in Portugal, Paolo Scudieri (Sa.Mo.Car.) and Joseph Schumacher (Eberlein Automobile), who mounted the top step of the podium for the first time in the Portuguese round. Giuseppe Ramelli (Rossocorsa – Pellin Racing) and Tommy Lindroth (Gohm – Baron Motorsport) are also still in the title hunt.

Schedule. The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe will kick off on Friday 15 September, with free practice; Trofeo Pirelli qualifying will run on Saturday 16 at 9 a.m., followed at 10.40 a.m. by the Coppa Shell, whose first race is at 5.20 p.m. over a 30-minute distance, preceded at 2 p.m. by Trofeo Pirelli Race-1. The programme repeats itself on Sunday 17 September. 

Qualifying and the races will be broadcast live, free of charge and with English-language commentary, at live.ferrari.com and on the “Ferrari” YouTube channel.

On tv. The round at Spa-Francorchamps will also be covered on television via the Sky platform, which will broadcast the Coppa Shell races live in Italy on both Saturday and Sunday at 5.20 p.m. on the Sky Sport F1 channel. The Trofeo Pirelli races will be recorded and broadcast later, with Race-1 shown at 6.20 p.m. on Saturday on Sky Sport F1, and Race-2 on Sunday at 7.45 p.m. on Sky Sport Arena and at 12 p.m. on Sky Sport 1. In Germany, Sky Sport F1 will record and broadcast the four races later on both Saturday and Sunday, with the Trofeo Pirelli showing at 10.15 p.m. and the Coppa Shell at 11.45 p.m. In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports F1 will record the four rounds of the weekend and broadcast them later: the Trofeo Pirelli on both Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m., and the Coppa Shell at 9 p.m. both days.