Wartique and Laursen triumph in Race 2 at Paul Ricard

Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe sends round two of its 30th edition into the archives with two more gripping, spectacular races at the Le Castellet circuit. The Race 2 victors were John Wartique (FML - D2P) in the Trofeo Pirelli and Ange Barde (SF Côte d'Azur - IB FAST) wrapping up a perfect weekend with another win in Am class. Meanwhile Johnny Laursen (Formula Racing) sealed the Coppa Shell and Peter Christensen (Formula Racing) came first in the Am class.

Trofeo Pirelli. Starting from pole position, John Wartique withstood an attempted comeback from Adrian Sutil (Gohm Motorsport) to claim a win which gives the driver a new lease of life in the overall standings. After the opening stages of the race were neutralised by a Safety Car entrance, the pair edged away at the head of the field, but the former Formula 1 driver - yesterday’s winner - was unable to make the decisive attack and had to eventually settle for second place. The leader of the general standings Doriane Pin (Scuderia Niki - Iron Lynx), thanks to an astonishing comeback from last place on the class grid, reached and overtook Luka Nurmi (Formula Racing) in a thrilling head-to-head on the final lap to clinch the third step of the podium, thus partially redeeming a somewhat unfortunate weekend. For the young Frenchwoman there was also the satisfaction of the fastest lap time.

Having avoided the collision that, on the first corner, forced Christian Brunsborg (Formula Racing) and Nicolò Rosi (Kessel Racing) out of the race and obliged Arno Dahlmeyer (Scuderia Niki - Iron Lynx) into the pits, Ange Barde managed to transform his pole position into a second win of the weekend in Trofeo Pirelli Am. The domination of the experienced driver on home soil was topped off with the fastest lap time. Overall runner-up went to Nigel Schoonderwoerd (Scuderia FMA), ahead of Hanno Laskowski (Riller & Schnauck), third, taking his maiden Ferrari Challenge podium and Marco Pulcini (Al Tayer Motors), fourth.

Coppa Shell. On his return to Ferrari Challenge Europe, Johnny Laursen clinched the second round victory at Le Castellet, a race characterised by twin Safety Car entries following rear- field collisions. The Danish driver, who managed to keep hold of the lead as the race got underway, fended off Manuela Gostner’s (CDP - MP Racing) attempts to overtake, in a thrilling head-to-head between the pair which went down to the wire. Gostner, nonetheless, was able to celebrate her return to the Ferrari Challenge podium with the fastest lap time, replicating the feat from yesterday. Roman Ziemian, after his Race 1 win, posted the same third place position at the finish line as on the starting grid, leaving Ernst Kirchmayr (Baron Motorsport) off the podium, in fourth; Axel Sartingen (Lueg Sportivo - Herter Racing), fifth, and Franz Engstler (Scuderia GT), sixth. The result, nevertheless, remains pending due to an alleged technical irregularity found during scrutineering to the car of Roman Ziemian.

In the Coppa Shell Am, Peter Christensen built his success on an aggressive start that allowed him to slot in behind polesitter Joakim Olander (Scuderia Autoropa), who in the final stages also had to concede a place to Andreas König (Scuderia GT), grabbing his first podium after climbing ten positions up the order from the starting grid in a race which included 136 overtaking manoeuvres. Christensen, world champion in 2021, also claimed the bonus point for the fastest lap.

Trofeo Pirelli standings. Doriane Pin manages to retain the lead in the standings, but sees her advantage whittled down to just seven points over John Wartique, who thanks to first and second place at Paul Ricard overtakes Luka Nurmi, now third.

Coppa Shell standings. The head-to-head between Axel Sartingen and Franz Engstler at the end of the French round sees the former just one point ahead of the latter. Thanks to fourth and second place at Paul Ricard, as well as two fastest laps, Manuela Gostner now lies in third in the overall standings, 11 points behind the leader.

Next round. The third round of the Ferrari Challenge Europe Trofeo Pirelli is set to take place at the Budapest circuit in Hungary, from 17 to 19 June.