As tradition demands, once again this year, the Monza circuit hosts the opening round of what is the twenty first season for the European Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli. Over forty drivers are entered, a testament to the success of a formula that provides excitement for participants and spectators alike. The format has been updated this year, raising the series level of competition still further, introducing a handicap, where the top three in each of the two races take a grid penalty after the two qualifying sessions for the following event. The European series continues to highlight the performance of the younger drivers, Under 30 years of age in the Trofeo Pirelli only, who get to compete for the Coppa Giovani. At the other end of the spectrum, there is a Coppa Gentleman for the over 55s.The racing, starting from this opening round, looks like being very interesting with a mix of new competitors and old faces returning. Moving up to the Trofeo Pirelli are Raffaele Giannoni (Motor/Piacenza,) Daniele Di Amato (CDP) and Giacomo Stratta (Forza Service,) great competitors from last years Coppa Shell. Among the new entry, we have Daniel Mancinelli, entered by Motor/Piacenza to go up against the Ukraina teams line-up of Tamrazov and Chukanov, the budding faces of the championship. Philipp Baron is a major name making a come-back, the Austrian having won the title in 2010 and then running strongly the following year. Now, the experienced racer is at the wheel of a Ferrari entered by newcomers Octane 126. The Coppa Shell looks like being very closely contested, with over 30 entries from 15 countries, with some real veterans on the entry list, including Vincenzo Sauto (Rossocorsa/Pellin) and Erich Prinoth (Ineco/MP,) as well as Giosu Rizzuto and Mario La Barbera, these two habituees of the Ferrari Challenge racing for Motor/Malucelli this year.
The European track action got underway today with the first two qualifying sessions, lasting thirty minutes each, to decide the grids for the first races on Saturday. In the Trofeo Pirelli, quickest in the first session was Stefano Gai (2.06.031). Starting alongside the Rossocorsa driver on the front tomorrow will be Lorenzo Cas (2.06.221), entered by Forza, followed by Philipp Baron (Octane 126-2.06.272). As for the Coppa Shell, the best time in the first session was set by Massimiliano Bianchi (Kessel Racing), who finished the session with a lap in 2.08.406, followed by Erich Prinoth (2.09.281) and David Gostner (2.09.359), both entered by Ineco/MP. The action continues tomorrow with the last two qualifying sessions at 10.20 (Race 1-Trofeo Pirelli) and 11.45 (Race 1-Coppa Shell.) Then come the first two races at 15.05 (Trofeo Pirelli) and 17.50 (Coppa Shell) which will be shown live on SKY Sport in Italy, with repeats throughout the week, while the racing will also be broadcast in sixty other counties.
