Commanding victories from Tabacchi and Scheltema

Ferrari announces new venue for Finali Mondiali With a fifth win of the season Emanuele Maria Tabacchi increases the leadership in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli edging further away in the table from Fabienne Wohlwend – a fine second place also in Race 2, while in Trofeo Pirelli Am, Matús Vyboh sealed the triumph over Frederik Espersen thanks to a fine overtaking manoeuvre in the final stages of the race. In Coppa Shell, Fons Scheltema was back on the top step of the podium, while in Am class “Alex Fox” bagged a third victory in 2020. The day also saw the official announcement of the new venue to host the Ferrari Finali Mondiali: the Misano World Circuit.

Trofeo Pirelli. Emanuele Maria Tabacchi (Rossocorsa) confirmed his place atop the highest step of the final podium in a race that seemed a virtual carbon copy of yesterday’s event. The Italian driver, after having passed Fabienne Wohlwend (Octane 126), who had produced a notable pole position earlier this morning, took control of the race and eventually crossed the finish-line with more than two seconds of advantage over his rival. Tabacchi, who also recorded the fastest lap of the day, takes his overall points haul to 123 compared to the 97 of the rival from Liechtenstein who out-raced Florian Merckx (Baron Motorsport) who likewise turned out a fine showing on the day. In Trofeo Pirelli Am, Matús Vyboh (Scuderia Praha) managed to pip Frederik Espersen (Baron Motorsport), overtaking in the dying seconds of the race. The Danish driver, who set off from pole position, defended his leadership with authority from the attacks made by the Slovak who, in doing so, closed the gap from leader in the general standings Frederik Paulsen (Formula Racing) to just a single point. Paulsen was third across the finish-line on the day. The victor also registered the fastest lap of the race.

Coppa Shell. After having secured the first pole position of the season, Dutchman Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing) claimed a well-deserved place on the top step of the podium. Scheltema commanded the race throughout, without hindrance from the two race restarts due to the Safety Car which had been called out to remove two cars stranded in the run-offs. The Kessel driver, who produced the day’s fastest lap, crossed the line ahead of a fine Thomas Gostner (CDP – MP Racing) and the leader of the general standings Roger Grouwels (Race Art Kroymans), who did a great job of overtaking Race 1 winner Ernst Kirchmayr (Baron Motorsport) in the final stretches of the race. The top four finished within two seconds of each other, confirming the parity of competitors in the class. In Coppa Shell Am, “Alex Fox” (SF Grand Est Mulhouse) took a third season victory, taking advantage of the loss of speed of Michael Simoncic (Baron Motorsport), who had earlier snatched the pole position and had led the early stages of the race. “Alex Fox” crossed the finish-line ahead of Miroslav Vyboh (Scuderia Praha) on the podium for the first time in the single-marque series and Matthias Moser (Scuderia Gohm). The result sees the Frenchman lengthen his lead at the head of the general standings, now holding a 37-point advantage over Michael Simoncic.

Ferrari Finali Mondiali at Misano. Official confirmation was today made of the decision to hold the Ferrari Finali Mondiali at the Misano World Circuit rather than the originally planned Yas Marina venue. The high-point of the Ferrari GT Sporting Activities season will be held from 5-8 November 2020.

Ferrari Racing Days, an on-track exhibition. It was also a third and final day for the cars from the XX Programmes and F1 Clienti single-seaters. The troublesome morning weather conditions failed to dampen the spirits of the 599XX Evo, FXX Evo and FXX-K Evo who tackled the Tuscan track, while three models from F1 Clienti programme sat out the morning session in the garage. In the afternoon, thanks to the clear improvement in conditions, the sound of the engines of the F2001 and the F333 SP reverberated around the 5-kilometre-plus raceway.

Forthcoming dates. Models from the XX Programmes and F1 Clienti, as well as the protagonists from Ferrari Challenge Europe will be back on track in two weeks time in Belgium for the third meeting of the Ferrari Racing Days, the fifth of the Ferrari Challenge, to be held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.