The Ferrari Challenge Europe 2025 gets underway in Monza

Maranello, 26 March 2025 - The 33rd edition of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe, the historic, prestigious series organised by the Maranello-based manufacturer starts at the Monza National Circuit at the weekend. The racing programme for Prancing Horse clients represents an ideal starting point for a career in motorsport.
The de-hybridised 700 HP V6 engines of the 296 Challenge will fire up on the modernised circuit in Brianza. This is the ninth car to play a leading role in the history of the championship, making its debut in the 2024 season.
Eight events are scheduled in the packed European calendar that will see over 70 participants, with more than a quarter of new faces, representing 22 countries from all over the world as well as 30 dealers, to compete for the title in the traditional four classes – Trofeo Pirelli, Trofeo Pirelli Am, Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell Am – before the Finali Mondiali scheduled for the end of October at Mugello.

Trofeo Pirelli. The main class in the championship will once again be a special showcase for young drivers, ready to follow in the footsteps of Nicklas Nielsen, 2018 champion and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024, Thomas Neubauer, 2021 Finali Mondiali champion and now Prancing Horse official driver in the endurance series, or the more recent Eliseo Donno and Giacomo Altoè, the last to win the continental series and now key players on the world motorsport scene. So great hopes and expectations accompany the championship debuts of Vincenzo Scarpetta (Radicci Automobili – Sanasi Racing Team), Felix Hirsiger (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM), Gilles Renmans (Francorchamps Motors Brussels) and Jasin Ferati (Emil Frey Racing) who will join the 2024 Trofeo Pirelli 488 world champion, Qwin Wietlisbach (Emil Frey Racing), Luigi Coluccio (Rossocorsa) and Dylan Medler (The Collection) – also competing in the American series – as well as the more experienced Max Mugelli (CDP – Eureka Competition) and Bjorn Grossmann (B.I. Corse - Octane126).

Twenty will be in contention for the title in the Trofeo Pirelli Am, which will see many of the protagonists in the hard-fought previous edition lined up at the start, beginning with Hendrik Viol (Scuderia Praha Racing), Marco Zanasi (Motor Service – Pinetti Motorsport) and UK 2023 series champion Andrew Morrow (Charles Hurst), who will be joined by the winner of the last Coppa Shell, Frenchman Henry Hassid (Kessel Racing).

Coppa Shell. Both the European and World Champions of the 2024 Coppa Shell Am, Zois Skrimpias (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM) and Eric Cheung (Formula Racing), are moving up a class and will be competing alongside established drivers and rookies. Among the former we find the ambitious John Dhillon (Formula Racing), Manuela Gostner (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM) and Rey Acosta (The Collection) alongside series veterans Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing), Thomas Gostner (CDP – MP Racing) and James Weiland (Rossocorsa), while standing out among the latter is Cristiano Maciel (FBO Motor Sports), recent winner of the GT Winter Series – with the Ferrari 296 Challenge – on the Iberian Peninsula.

In keeping with tradition, there are record numbers of participants in Coppa Shell Am, a class dedicated to the most consummate gentleman drivers, which will see no fewer than 25 drivers at the starting line.

Programme. The Temple of Speed in Lombardy will see the 296 Challenges on the track as early as Thursday 27 and Friday 28 March for free practice and testing, while Saturday 29 will see the first race day with qualifying sessions in the morning: Coppa Shell Am at 9 a.m., Trofeo Pirelli at 10 a.m., Trofeo Pirelli Am at 10.25 a.m. and Coppa Shell at 11.15 a.m. Race-1 in the afternoon with Coppa Shell Am at 2 p.m., the race that combines Trofeo Pirelli and Trofeo Pirelli Am at 3.15 p.m. and Coppa Shell at 4.20 p.m. The programme and times are the same for Sunday 30 March, which will see the second races of the first round. All times are local. Qualifying and races from Monza will be streamed on live.ferrari.com and on the official Ferrari YouTube channel with commentary in English.