The first-ever Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Superpole featured the six fastest drivers in each class in the morning qualifying session, determining the starting grids for the Finali Mondiali Ferrari. These races will decide the 2023 World Championships tomorrow at the Mugello circuit. Thomas Fleming (HR Owen – FF Corse), the fastest Trofeo Pirelli driver, will be joined by those in the Trofeo Pirelli Am, with Brian Cook (Ferrari of Seattle) starting from first place. Ernst Kirchmayr (Gohm – Baron Motorsport) turned in the best performance in the Coppa Shell, while Martinus Richter (MERTEL Motorsport) did likewise in the Coppa Shell Am.
Superpole. Thomas Fleming was among the six quickest drivers in the single Trofeo Pirelli and Trofeo Pirelli Am qualifying session, who qualified for the Superpole. He set the fastest time of 1'49"395 in dry track conditions after the rain of the past few days. European series champion Eliseo Donno (Radicci Automobili) was 299 thousandths of a second behind, with Bence Valint (Rossocorsa – Ferrari Budapest) third at 375 thousandths. Brian Cook will start from the front of the grid in the Trofeo Pirelli Am. Yudai Uchida (Rosso Scuderia) and Franz Engstler (Charles Pozzi GT Racing) will follow the American in that order.
Ernst Kirchmayr, the winner of the two races of the last European round of the series on the Tuscan track, took the Superpole in the Coppa Shell with a best time of 1’52”592. Thomas Gostner (CDP – MP Racing) will start behind him. The South Tyrolean driver escaped unharmed after his car came off, which led to the qualifying session’s temporary suspension to clear the track. Manuela Gostner (CDP – MP Racing) set the third-fastest time.
Martinus Richter was the quickest of the Coppa Shell Am drivers. He took pole position from Stefano Marazzi (Rossocorsa) at the very last attempt. Josef Schumacher (Eberlein Automobile) was third in a session interrupted for a few minutes to clear the track after the new European series champion Motohiko Isozaki (Cornes Motors Shiba) exited the track without consequences.
Special prizes. Pirelli presented Thomas Fleming, the fastest driver in the main class of the Prancing Horse one-make series, with the trophy prepared for Superpole, while Rotiform awarded the four poleman with Rotiform Gold Wheel Pole Winners, a miniature replica of the forged Technomesh™ racing wheel design.
Schedule. The 2023 Finali Mondiali Ferrari concludes tomorrow, Sunday, 29 October, at the Mugello circuit. The programme includes the races that will decide the destiny of the world title in each class: at 9 a.m. the Coppa Shell Am, at 10.10 a.m. the Coppa Shell, and at 11.20 a.m. the Trofeo Pirelli and Trofeo Pirelli Am, ahead of the traditional and eagerly awaited Ferrari Show, starting at 12 p.m.
The 30-minute races will be broadcast on live.ferrari.com and the official Ferrari Youtube channel with English-language commentary. The Sky platform will broadcast the three events live in Italy on the Sky Sport F1 channel, in the UK on Sky Sports F1 and in Germany on Sky Sport F1. All times are local.