Double win for Hirsiger and first victory for Skrimpias at Misano

On day two of racing at the Misano World Circuit in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe – marked by intermittent light rain – Felix Hirsiger (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM) completed a double victory in the Trofeo Pirelli. Marco Zanasi (Motor Service – Pinetti Motorsport) did the same in the Am class. In Coppa Shell, Zois Skrimpias (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM) clinched his first win of the season, while in the Am category, the honours went to Andreas König (Emil Frey Racing).

Ferrari official driver Nicklas Nielsen served as Race Advisor during the second round of the Prancing Horse’s one-make series in Romagna. Next week, he will be back behind the wheel of the Ferrari 499P number 50 for the 6 Hours of Imola, the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Trofeo Pirelli. Felix Hirsiger made a strong start, immediately taking the lead. He steadily extended his margin on the damp track after light rain at the beginning of the race and set the fastest lap of 1'34"164. The Swiss driver maintained this lead through a Safety Car phase and crossed the line to repeat his Race-1 triumph. Behind him, Vincenzo Scarpetta (Radicci Automobili – Sanasi Racing Team) delivered a determined performance but received a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, dropping him to fifth. Joining Hirsiger on the podium were Qwin Wietlisbach (Emil Frey Racing) in second and poleman Luigi Coluccio (Rossocorsa) in third. After the Misano weekend, Jasin Ferati (Emil Frey Racing) – fourth in Race-2 – tops the standings, with a six-point advantage over Hirsiger and ten over Wietlisbach.

Marco Zanasi also completed a double win in the Trofeo Pirelli Am class. Starting from pole position, the Italian set the fastest lap in class, finishing ahead of Hendrik Viol (Scuderia Praha Racing) and Herbert Geiss (Maranello Motors – Pro Racing). Zanasi now leads the championship standings by two points over Michael Verhagen (Ferrari Warszawa) and seven over Viol. 

Coppa Shell. Zois Skrimpias secured his first win in the new class and his second season podium. The 2024 European Am category champion made an excellent start to take the lead. He successfully held off an early challenge from poleman Fabrizio Fontana (Formula Racing), who later dropped back following a spin. The Greek driver, representing Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM, also recorded the race's fastest lap (1’35”962) and gradually extended his margin over John Dhillon (Formula Racing), who finished runner-up. Manuela Gostner (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM) took third after a comeback, capitalising on a final-lap spin by Cristiano Maciel (FBO Motor Sports) to claim her first podium of the season. 

Fontana retains the lead in the overall standings, with a nine-point advantage over Skrimpias and 16 points over Christian Kinch (Formula Racing).

Victory went to poleman Andreas König in a thrilling Coppa Shell Am race that started behind the Safety Car due to rain. The Austrian finished ahead of Andrea Levy (Radicci Automobili – Best Lap), who claimed second place with a decisive last-corner overtake on Sven Schömer (Penske Sportwagen Hamburg), who finished in third. “Boris Gideon” (Autohaus Ulrich) – dominant in the Monza round – sees his lead in the standings cut to just three points over Schömer.

Next round. The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe returns for Round 3 from 23 to 25 May at Germany’s Hockenheim circuit.