The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari will host the last races of a long season for the Prancing Horse one-make championship’s two international series, contested on some of the most iconic circuits in motorsport history. With the grand debut of the 296 Challenge, a record number of drivers have battled for titles across the various classes. With some championships already decided, the remaining ones will be awarded at Imola ahead of the highly anticipated Finali Mondiali.
Europe. The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe’s final act is at Imola, with four out of five titles already assigned. The first, in chronological order, came at the end of July at Paul Ricard, when, after a triumphant outing, rookie Fabrizio Fontana (Formula Racing) secured the Trofeo Pirelli 488 class title for 488 Challenge Evo drivers.
The 296 Challenge’s first title came on the opening day of the Nürburgring round in early September. Another rookie, the Greek driver Zois Skrimpias (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM), clinched the Coppa Shell Am trophy after delivering increasingly convincing performances to overcome his rivals’ resistance. The Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell titles were decided in the second race of the German weekend. Eliseo Donno’s successor in the Prancing Horse one-make series' main class is another Italian, the young Giacomo Altoè (Emil Frey Racing). Meanwhile, Henry Hassid (Kessel Racing) brought the Coppa Shell to France, using all his track experience to overcome a determined Manuela Gostner (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM), his most formidable challenger. The Trofeo Pirelli Am title is still up for grabs at Imola, with Claus Zibrandtsen (Formula Racing) favourite. However, he must withstand a last challenge from Hendrik Viol (Scuderia Praha Racing).
North America. We must wait until the Finali Mondiali at Imola to discover the winners of the various driver classes in the Ferrari 296 Challenge, where the competition remains wide open. In the Trofeo Pirelli, Dylan Medler (The Collection) holds a narrow four-point lead over Roberto Perrina (Ferrari of Seattle), while in the Am category, the contest is still open between Brian Cook and Tony Davis. Eric Marston (Ferrari of Westlake) is currently the favourite over Yahn Bernier (Ferrari of Seattle) in the Coppa Shell, although other drivers remain mathematically in contention. In the Coppa Shell Am, Roger Monteforte (Ferrari of Central New Jersey) is the leader but will need to be wary of a large group of rivals vying for the overall victory.
For the competitors who raced the 488 Challenge Evo, the championship has already concluded, with the Indianapolis round marking the season’s last race. In the 488 Trofeo Pirelli class, Massimo Perrina (Ferrari of Seattle) claimed victory by over 70 points thanks to nine wins and ten pole positions. The Coppa Shell for the 488 Challenge Evo was decided on the last lap of the final race, with Matthew Dalton (Ferrari of Long Island) securing the title, beating fierce rival Gerdas Venslovas, who was unlucky to see his race end prematurely following a collision.