The 2024 Finali Mondiali concluded at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, returning to Imola two years after the last edition, where the 499P made its track debut. A parade in tribute to the victories of the Maranello Hypercar passed through the town centre, featuring the 499Ps, number 50 and number 83, which won two races in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, repeating the victory in the 2023 Centenary edition.
In the morning, thrilling and closely contested Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli races crowned the 2024 world champions, with Bence Valint (Ferrari Budapest – Rossocorsa) claiming the Trofeo Pirelli title and James Owen (Meridien Modena) winning the Trofeo Pirelli Am. World titles also went to Henry Hassid (Kessel Racing) in the Coppa Shell, Eric Cheung (Formula Racing) in the Coppa Shell Am, and Qwin Wietlisbach (CDP – D&C Racing) in the Trofeo Pirelli 488.
After the most anticipated races of the weekend, the much-awaited Ferrari Show at the Imola circuit also took place. Despite the severe weather that afflicted Emilia-Romagna, 33,000 Prancing Horse fans and supporters turned out over the weekend. The new F80, presented at Saturday’s gala evening, and all the models from the exclusive Corse Clienti non-competitive programmes, paraded alongside the 499P and 296 GT3 stars of the season. The cars from the XX Programme, F1 Clienti, Sport Prototipi Clienti featuring the 499 Modificata, and Club Competizioni GT were joined by those from the Ferrari Challenge, with over 120 drivers who competed in the world championship races.
Finale Mondiale Trofeo Pirelli. The heavy rain that resumed halfway through the Trofeo Pirelli and Trofeo Pirelli Am race made the competition even more intense and unpredictable, with tyre change strategy playing a decisive role. James Owen (Meridien Modena – Engstler) was the first to cross the line under Safety Car conditions following an off-track excursion in the middle of the field. He was among the first to change tyres during the red flag period, which was required to restore the track after a mid-field collision, with no harm to the drivers involved. The British driver was crowned world champion of the Trofeo Pirelli Am, ahead of Giammarco Marzialetti (Radicci Automobili – Sanasi Racing Team), who also finished runner-up overall. On the third step of the class podium was Ofir Levy (Ferrari of Silicon Valley).
Crossing the line in third place overall secured Bence Valint (Rossocorsa – Ferrari Budapest) the world title in the Trofeo Pirelli. Behind him was Roberto Perrina (Ferrari of Seattle), one of the key figures in the North American series, who finished second in class. European champion Giacomo Altoè (Emil Frey Racing) had to settle for third place. The young Italian, who started from pole position and fell back during the pit stop, was unable to fully recover his lead, partially due to the Safety Car, which neutralised the final minutes of the race.
Finale Mondiale Coppa Shell. Henry Hassid (Kessel Racing) added the world title to his European crown. Starting sixth on the grid, the Frenchman made a brilliant start to take the lead, which he held until the race was prematurely ended by a red flag following a collision, again with no consequences for the drivers involved. Andreas Ritzi (CDP – D&C Racing) finished second, and Ernst Kirchmayr (Kessel Racing), who started from pole position, completed the podium.
After winning both races of the final European round at the Romagna circuit, Eric Cheung (Formula Racing) also triumphed in the Finale Mondiale, to become world champion of the Coppa Shell Am. Behind the Canadian, who started from pole position, were Jan Sandmann (Kessel Racing) and Zois Skrimpias (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM).
Finale Mondiale Trofeo Pirelli 488. In the class dedicated to the 488 Challenge Evo, marking the conclusion of its era in the Ferrari Challenge with the races at Imola, the world title went to young Qwin Wietlisbach (CDP – D&C Racing), who finished ahead of Sven Schömer (Ferrari Katowice) and the European season's dominant driver, Fabrizio Fontana (Formula Racing).
Ferrari Show. The Ferrari Show, the traditional highlight of the Finali Mondiali, took place simultaneously on the track and in an unprecedented off-track activity. Two of the three 499Ps competing in the FIA WEC World Championship paraded through Imola town centre. The Hypercars (number 50 driven by Nicklas Nielsen, who paraded along the road course with Antonio Fuoco and Miguel Molina to the applause of the public, and number 83 with Yifei Ye) made their way through the streets to enter the circuit before lapping alongside the other Prancing Horse cars. Spectators and fans in the stands were also excited by the F80 (a new supercar previewed in the display area during the gala dinner), along with five 296 Challenge cars representing the various Prancing Horse series (Europe, North America, the UK, Japan, and Australasia). The public also appreciated appearances from 296 GT3 that triumphed in this year’s 24 Hours at Daytona, driven by Daniel Serra, and the 296 GT3 that finished as runner-up at the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Spa on the Ardennes track, with Davide Rigon at the wheel.
As always, the passage of Scuderia Ferrari’s Formula 1 single-seaters—two SF71Hs driven by Giancarlo Fisichella and Andrea Bertolini, along with an SF21 driven by Olivier Beretta—met with enthusiastic applause.
The final line-up on the main straight, which also featured cars from Club Competizioni GT, the XX Programme, Sport Prototipi Clienti, and F1 Clienti, was further embellished by the display of the trophy from the recent 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 499P number 50 won the race, with Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen, who were present at the circuit along with the drivers of number 51, Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi. The show also featured a flyover by a performance helicopter from the Ninth Air Force Wing, displaying the Italian flag, along with the Italian national anthem, Inno di Mameli, sung by the “Il Grillo d'Oro” choir, accompanied by young violinist Giovanni Saracino from the Imola International Academy Foundation.
Prizegiving. On Saturday, there was also a gala evening in the display area, where some of the cars that have made racing history for the Maranello manufacturer were on show. During the event, the F80, the new supercar produced in a limited series of 799 examples, was unveiled to the public, along with the trophy won at the last edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans by the Ferrari 499P number 50, driven by Fuoco, Molina, and Nielsen (repeating the triumph of the 2023 edition with Hypercar number 51). Joining the drivers and the car on stage were Benedetto Vigna, Ferrari Chief Executive Officer; Enrico Galliera, Ferrari Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer; Antonello Coletta, Ferrari Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti; Ferdinando Cannizzo, Ferrari Head of Endurance Race Cars; Gianmaria Fulgenzi, Chief Product Development Officer; Alessandra Todeschini, Head of Ferrari Endurance and Pista di Fiorano; and Amato Ferrari, AF Corse Founder.
The winners of the 2024 Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe, North America, Japan, and UK series also received their awards during an evening that featured the announcement of the venue for the 2024 Finali Mondiali, which will take place from 16 to 20 October at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola.
“Marco Vitali” Memorial. During Finali Mondiali week, a photo competition was held in memory of the recently deceased Marco Vitali, who chronicled the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli with his photography for over 30 years. Maira Innocenti won the plaque for the first edition with her photograph entitled “Il ricordo della tua luce” (“The memory of your light”).