The 33rd edition of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe, the Maranello-based company’s historic and prestigious series, the racing program for Prancing Horse customers that represents an ideal starting point for a career in motorsport, kicks off this weekend from the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.
On the revamped Brianza circuit, the 700-horsepower de-hybrid V6 engines of the 296 Challenge, the ninth star car in the history of the championship, will fire up.
Eight events are scheduled for the busy European calendar that will bring the more than 70 entrants, with more than a quarter new faces, representing 22 countries around the world and 30 dealers, to vie for the title in the traditional four classes-the Trofeo Pirelli, Trofeo Pirelli Am, Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell Am-before the World Finals scheduled for late October at Mugello.

Pirelli Trophy. The main class of the championship will once again be the privileged showcase for young drivers, ready to retrace the footsteps of Nicklas Nielsen, champion in 2018 and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024, of Thomas Neubauer, champion of the 2021 World Finals and today official driver of the Prancing Horse in the endurance series or the more recent ones of Eliseo Donno and Giacomo Altoè, the last to impose themselves in the continental series and today protagonists on the world motorsport scene. Great expectations and anticipation accompany, therefore, the championship debuts of Vincenzo Scarpetta (Radicci Automobili – Sanasi Racing Team), Felix Hirsiger (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM), Gilles Renmans (Francorchamps Motors Brussels) and Jasin Ferati (Emil Frey
Racing) who will join the 2024 Trofeo Pirelli 488 World Champion, Qwin Wietlisbach (Emil Frey Racing), Luigi Coluccio (Rossocorsa) and Dylan Medler (The Collection) – also starting in the American series – as well as the more experienced Max Mugelli (CDP – Eureka Competition) and Bjorn Grossmann (B.I. Corse – Octane126). Twenty are the pretenders to the title in the Trofeo Pirelli Am, which will see many of the protagonists of the hard-fought previous edition lined up at the start, starting with Hendrik Viol (Scuderia Praha Racing), Marco Zanasi (Motor Service – Pinetti Motorsport) and UK 2023 series champion Andrew Morrow (Charles Hurst) who will be joined by the winner of the last Coppa Shell, Frenchman Henry Hassid (Kessel Racing).

Shell Cup. Moving up in class are both the European and world champions of the 2024 Shell Am Cup, Zois Skrimpias (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM) and Eric Cheung (Formula Racing), who are joined by confirmed protagonists and debutants. If among the former we find the ambitious John Dhillon (Formula Racing), Manuela Gostner (Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM) and Rey Acosta (The Collection) alongside series veterans Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing), Thomas Gostner (CDP – MP Racing) and James Weiland (Rossocorsa), among the latter stands out Cristiano Maciel (FBO Motor Sports), recent winner of the GT Winter Series – with the Ferrari 296 Challenge – in the Iberian Peninsula. As per tradition, record numbers of participants in the Coppa Shell Am, a class dedicated to the purest gentleman drivers that will see as many as 25 drivers at the start.

Schedule. The Temple of Speed will see the 296 Challenge cars on the track as early as Thursday, March 27 and Friday, March 28 for testing and free practice, while Saturday, March 29 will see the first day of competition with qualifying sessions in the morning: the Coppa Shell Am at 9 a.m., the Trofeo Pirelli at 10 a.m., the Trofeo Pirelli Am at 10:25 a.m. and the Coppa Shell at 11:15 a.m. Race 1 in the afternoon with the Coppa Shell Am round at 2 p.m., the one combining Trofeo Pirelli and Trofeo Pirelli Am at 3:15 p.m. and Coppa Shell at 4:20 p.m. Same program and schedule for Sunday, March 30, when the second rounds of the first round will be held.

Qualifying and races from Monza will be streamed on live.ferrari.com and on Ferrari’s official YouTube channel with English-language commentary.

Entry for the public is free, while entry to the paddock will be reserved exclusively for Ferrari customers and guests. On Saturday and Sunday, parking lots P8 and P9 will be available for the public at the following rates, payable directly on site: cars 15 euros per day; motorcycles 5 euros per day; minibuses and buses 30 euros per day.

Sunday’s races will be introduced by striking choreography.

The entrances for the public will be Gate A (Vedano al Lambro) and Gate B (Santa Maria alle Selve, Biassono). People with disabilities will have access to Room 112 of the Building Hospitality and will be able to use the dedicated parking lot located in front of the Monza Circuit Shop, near the Fangio Statue.

(Ferrari Source)