Tabacchi and Kirchmayr protagonists in Race 1 at Mugello

Emanuele Maria Tabacchi and Ernst Kirchmayr came out victorious from the first Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell races held today at the Mugello circuit in the fourth round of the Ferrari Challenge. Despite several interventions by the Safety Car, the two nevertheless thrilling contests saw the Italian and Austrian drivers get the better of their nearest rivals in the championship standings. Frederik Paulsen and Giuseppe Ramelli won elsewhere in the Am category, on a day where the weather played no great part, despite persistently threatening clouds colouring the Tuscan landscape.

Trofeo Pirelli. Emanuele Maria Tabacchi (Rossocorsa) clinched a fourth win of the season ahead of a tenacious Fabienne Wohlwend (Octane 126) who had claimed the pole position ahead of the Italian earlier in the morning. The race, interrupted by the Safety Car triggered when John Dhillon’s (Graypaul Nottingham) vehicle ended up shored up in the gravel, hinged around the battle between Tabacchi and Wohlwend, who at no time stopped pressuring the Rossocorsa standard-bearer, producer of the best performance over the thirty minutes. The two ran a parallel race with Florian Merckx (Baron Motorsport) not too far from the escapees, who took a fine third place at the finish-line. Fourth, in sixth overall position, was John Wartique (Francorchamps Motors Luxembourg). Frederik Paulsen (Formula Racing) celebrated his first race at Mugello in the best of fashions, taking the chequered flag five tenths-of-a-second ahead of Matús Vyboh (Scuderia Praha) at the end of a heated confrontation that rewarded the Dane, who had produced both the pole position and the day’s fastest lap. Frederik Espersen (Baron Motorsport) was once again on the podium after getting the better of Roman Ziemian (Octane 126), turning out his best showing so far in the series.

Coppa Shell. Ernst Kirchmayr (Baron Motorsport) claimed victory at the end of a hard-fought race despite three Safety Car incursions over the course of the scheduled thirty minutes, due to incidents without significant consequences for the drivers involved. Kirchmayr, starting out from pole position, demonstrated dextrous management of each of the restarts and fended off some intense final phase attacks from the leader of general standings Roger Grouwels (Race Art Kroymans), who had recorded the day’s fastest lap. Rounding out the podium was Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing), who was able to climb the rankings thanks to some excellent overtaking manoeuvres, first against Thomas Gostner (CDP - MP Racing) and then the returning Christian Kinch (Formula Racing). In Coppa Shell Am Giuseppe Ramelli (Rossocorsa – Pellin Racing) crossed the finish-line ahead of “Alex Fox” (SF Grand Est Mulhouse) who had secured pole position this morning. Behind finished Dusan Palcr in the Scuderia Praha colours, taking a third podium finish of the season.

Ferrari Racing Days second act. It was also the second day of free practices for the cars from the XX Programmes and the F1 Clienti single-seaters. Among the models on track was a splendid F333 SP which has gone down in the history of American motorsport competition. In the various sessions on the Tuscan track alternated twelve models from the XX Programmes including the FXX-K Evo, the 599XX Evo and the FXX Evo. The program is scheduled to continue tomorrow.