The single qualifying session, which saw a 70-strong field of Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo entries on the track in Le Mans for the fourth round of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe, gave pole position to Thomas Neubauer (Charles Pozzi GT Racing) in the Trofeo Pirelli and Manuela Gostner (CDP - MP Racing) in the Coppa Shell.
In the Trofeo Pirelli Am, the best performance came from Matt Kurzejewski (Ferrari Beverly Hills), star of the North American series of the Prancing Horse single-marque series, while in the Coppa Shell Am, the fastest lap was claimed by Motohiko Isozaki (Cornes Motors Shiba).
Trofeo Pirelli. An Italian-French battle in the main Ferrari Challenge class, with Thomas Neubauer, reigning world champion in the class, getting the better of current European leader in the standings Eliseo Donno (Radicci Automobili) by 792 milliseconds. The session, which was interrupted for a few minutes when Danilo Del Favero (Penske Sportwagen Hamburg) went off-track, without consequences, in the Trofeo Pirelli Am, saw a steady improvement in performance, with Thomas Fleming (HR Owen - FF Corse) taking third, ahead of Bence Valint (Rossocorsa - Ferrari Budapest) and Szymon Ladniak (Gohm - Scuderia GT).
In the Trofeo Pirelli Am, American driver Matt Kurzejewki was the only one to go below the four-minute mark with a lap of 3:59.430, clinching pole position in the class. Behind him will start Yudai Uchida (Scuderia Rossocorsa), class winner of the APAC 2022 series and one of the protagonists in this year’s new Japanese series of the Prancing Horse single-marque series. The top protagonist in the European championship is David Gostner (CDP - MP Racing), who will start from third place.
Coppa Shell. There was also a closely-fought battle for pole position in the Coppa Shell. Italy’s Manuela Gostner came out on top with the best time of 4:04.422. Second best on the 13.626-kilometre Circuit de la Sarthe was the leader in the overall standings Axel Sartingen (Lueg Sportivo - Herter Racing).
In the Coppa Shell Am, the Japanese driver Motohiko Isozaki will head off from the first position, determined to reduce the gap at the top of the standings, led by Kirk Baerwaldt (Kessel Racing), who will start from third. Ahead of him is Martinus Richter (MERTEL Motorsport), just 267 milliseconds behind the leader.
Programme. The single race of the fourth round of the Ferrari Challenge Europe season will kick off on Saturday 10 June at 9.30 a.m. and will last 35 minutes. The 70-strong field of drivers in the various classes will be on the track together just hours before the start of the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.