Pin, Engstler and Nussbaumer champions at Mugello

The thirtieth edition of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe crowned its champions in the penultimate round ahead of the Finali Mondiali at Imola at the end of October. Ange Barde (SF Côte d’Azur Cannes – IB FAST) won again in Race-2 after mathematically sealing the Trofeo Pirelli Am yesterday. Today, Doriane Pin (Scuderia Niki – Iron Lynx) claimed the Trofeo Pirelli title, despite John Wartique (FML – D2P) winning the race. Franz Engstler (Scuderia GT) took victory and the 2022 Coppa Shell title, while Alexander Nussbaumer (Gohm Motorsport - Herter Racing) did likewise in the Am. 

In the third round of the APAC, Yudai Uchida (Rosso Scuderia) triumphed in the Trofeo Pirelli Am, Kazuyuki Yamaguchi (Cornes Osaka) in the Coppa Shell and Baby Kei (Cornes Osaka) in the Coppa Shell Am.

Trofeo Pirelli Europe. Doriane Pin was crowned 2022 champion in front of teammate Michelle Gatting, whose name precedes hers in Ferrari Challenge Europe roll of honour. The young Scuderia Niki – Iron Lynx driver’s third place in Race-2 concluded an extraordinary debut season. She amassed eight wins and ten pole positions, the last in Race-2 at Mugello. However, the Frenchwoman was anticipated at the start by Thomas Neubauer (Charles Pozzi - Courage) and John Wartique, who made an excellent sprint to try and keep the championship battle alive. After the entry of two Safety Cars, the first for Nicolò Rosi (Kessel Racing) in the Am class, who went off the track but with no damage, and the second for Eliseo Donno (CDP - Best Lap), who did likewise, Pin tried to attack her compatriot. However, she eventually had to settle for third place behind Neubauer in second and the winner John Wartique, who also set the fastest lap of 1’51’’423.

In Am class Ange Barde celebrated his fifth Ferrari Challenge title with another victory. He was joined on the podium by an excellent Alessandro Cozzi (Formula Racing), now fourth in the standings, and Nigel Schoonderwoerd (Scuderia FMA), who set off from pole thanks to a morning qualifying time of 1’51’’606. Barde also took the bonus point for the fastest lap of 1’54’’075.

Trofeo Pirelli standings. John Wartique climbed to 37 points behind newly crowned champion Doriane Pin. His victory repelled the onslaught of Luka Nurmi (Formula Racing), 62 points behind in third. Behind Barde in the standings, Italian Marco Pulcini (Al Tayer Motors) was unable to start today after a crash in Race-1. He is 17 points ahead of Swiss Nicolò Rosi.

Coppa Shell. With his sixth win of the season, plus the seventh fastest lap and third pole position earned today at the Tuscan circuit, Franz Engstler was crowned the 2022 series champion on his Ferrari Challenge debut. The German crossed the finish line first under the Safety Car, after a harmless collision between Ash Patel (Kessel Racing) and Giuseppe Ramelli (Rossocorsa – Pellin Racing) a few minutes from the end. This followed an initial one between Am class drivers Joakim Olander (Scuderia Autoropa) and Christian Herdt-Wipper (Saggio München). The new German champion celebrated ahead of Race-1 winner Ernst Kirchmayr (Baron Motorsport) and Roman Ziemian (FML – D2P), who produced an excellent performance after a challenging morning qualifying session. He made up seven positions from the starting grid.

In the Am, with Herdt-Wipper his closest pursuer out of the picture, Alexander Nussbaumer, who started from pole and posted the fastest lap of 1’55’’080, mathematically sealed the championship with victory in the weekend’s second race. Second place at the Scarperia circuit went to the returning Henrik Kamstrup (Formula Racing), while Andreas König (Scuderia GT) was third.

Coppa Shell Standings. Engstler is on 166 points, 47 points ahead of Axel Sartingen (Lueg Sportivo – Herter Racing), 56 points in front of Roman Ziemian and with 72 point advantage over Manuela Gostner (CDP – MP Racing), who will compete at Imola for the final podium. In the Am class, only two points separate Christian Herdt-Wipper in second from Martinus Richter (MERTEL Motorsport Racing), third, both behind Nussbaumer. 

Ferrari Challenge APAC. The Trofeo Pirelli Am winner’s laurels went to Yudai Uchida, starting from pole ahead of his teammate Nobuhiro Imada. Uchida maintains a four-point lead in the overall standings. In the Coppa Shell, Kazuyuki Yamaguchi had a clear run with a win and the fastest lap in qualifying and the race. He pulled away in the standings from Cornes Osaka’s partner Kanji Yagura, now second. The Coppa Shell Am saw a repeat of yesterday’s podium with Shigeru Kamiue (European Version) and David Dicker (Continental Cars Auckland) behind Baby Kei, and Kamiue taking advantage of the concurrent absences in Tuscany of Andrew Moon (FMK) and Ryuichi Kunihiro (M Auto) in the title race.

Next round. All eyes are now on the Finali Mondiali at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola from 25 to 31 October, which will also host the last two rounds of the European series.