The on-track action in Race-1 of the Ferrari Challenge Europe has concluded on the first day of the Finali Mondiali at Mugello, with Adam Carroll stealing the show in the first race of the European series. This race was also hindered by two Safety Car incursions. Emanuele Maria Tabacchi and Tanni Hanna were proclaimed champions in the Trofeo Pirelli Am and Coppa Shell classes. The heavily-crowded starting grid featured no less than 43 Ferrari Challenge 488 vehicles.
Trofeo Pirelli. Adam Carroll (Ferrari Budapest) proved to be the man to beat on the day, storming his way to pole position, fastest lap and the victory. The English driver, capitalising on a fine start, broke away to eventually take the chequered flag in first place with the Safety Car still out. Bjorn Grossmann (Octane 126) posted second and Sam Smeeth (Baron Motorsport) took third spot. In fourth place was the leader of the Trofeo Pirelli standings, Louis Prette (Formula Racing), who came home adrift of rival Smeeth but ahead of Niccolò Schirò (Rossocorsa) whom he had previously overtaken during the race. The result helps Prette stretch his lead over closest second-place pursuer, namely Schirò. The result will thus go down to the wire in Saturday’s Race-2.
Trofeo Pirelli Am. Thanks to the win in Trofeo Pirelli Am, Emanuele Maria Tabacchi (Rossocorsa) has mathematically sealed the championship honours. The driver took advantage of the absence of his most immediate adversary, Jack Brown, to celebrate his Ferrari Challenge season debut, with one race still left to run. The podium was rounded out with Matus Vyboh (Scuderia Praha) in runner-up spot ahead of Jan Danis (Scuderia Praha).
Coppa Shell. The win in Race-1 bore the signature of James Weiland (Rossocorsa), while Tani Hanna (Formula Racing), thanks to a second place, brought the curtain down on the title chase, additionally helped out by tenth place of Eric Cheung (Formula Racing) whose race had been hampered by earlier contact with rivals. The bottom step of the podium was occupied by Thomas Gostner (Ineco – MP Racing).
Coppa Shell Am. Henrik Jansen’s (Formula Racing) win, along with the fourth place of Agata Smolka (Rossocorsa), has thrown the championship wide open again. Second step on the podium was claimed by Ingvar Mattsson (Scuderia Autoropa), ahead of Alexander Nussbaumer (Scuderia Gohm). Fifth place went to Laurent De Meeus (HR Owen) who stays in the chase for the title.