Ferrari Challenge
| Ferrari Challenge | |
|---|---|
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| Category | GT racing |
| Region | International |
| Established | 1993 |
| Championships | Italy Europe North America |
The Ferrari Challenge is a single-marque motorsport championship that was created in 1993 for owners of the 348 Berlinetta who wanted to become involved in racing. It now encompasses three official championships in the United States, Italy, and Europe.[1] Competitors from each series are brought together at the annual World Finals event. Since 2007, the Ferrari Challenge exclusively used the Ferrari F430 model. However, a Challenge version of the brand new 458 Italia was recently announced.
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[edit] Series
Currently there are three distinct series, but in 2001, the number of championships peaked at five, with three in Europe, one in the United States, and one in Japan.[2] Since 2001, the Ferrari Challenge is managed by Ferrari's newly created Corse Clienti department ("customer racing").
[edit] Ferrari Challenge Italy
The Ferrari Challenge Italy uses a two-class format in which distinguishes between professional competition drivers in the Trofeo Pirelli (lit. "Pirelli Trophy") and amateur "gentleman drivers" in the Coppa Shell (lit. "Shell Cup").[3] It was originally launched in 1993, with backing from Pirelli. Its popularity has resulted in a 2007 entry list of ten teams represented by 37 drivers.[4] It includes six events, plus the World Final, and shares some venues with the European series.[5]
[edit] Ferrari Challenge Europe
Like the Challenge Italy, the European series is a two-class championship.
[edit] Ferrari Challenge North America
The North American series has just one class.[6] This championship was inaugurated in 1994. It is organised by Ferrari North America and sanctioned by Grand Am.[7]
[edit] Unofficial series
The Ferrari Challenge has inspired other national club-level championships that are not directly affiliated with Ferrari itself. The Ferrari Scandinavia Challenge is an unofficial championship with events in Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. It was created in 2001 and is not exclusive to the latest Challenge cars.[8] The UK has a similar unofficial series comprising three championships for older cars that is organised by the Ferrari Owners' Club.[9]
[edit] One-make racing
The Ferrari Challenge uses a single model from the manufacturer's road car range, suitably modified to make them safe for competition use. The lineage began with the 348 Berlinetta in 1993, followed by its successor, the F355 Berlinetta, and the 360 Modena was introduced in 2000. The F355 remained eligible during 2000 and 2001.[2] The 360CS (Challenge Stradale) version was the first competition-orientated version to be marketed to the public. The new F430 Challenge was phased in during a transitional year in 2006 and is now used exclusively.[10] The F430 introduced carbon-ceramic brake discs for the first time and gained 80bhp over the 360CS, which has reduced lap times to approximately three seconds shy of the F430 GT2.[3]
[edit] Ferrari Challenge racers
The F430 Challenge was the most recent in a line of Ferraris used in the Ferrari Challenge series. A Challenge version of the brand new 458 Italia was recently announced. The lineage is as follows[11]:
- Ferrari 348 Challenge (1993–1995)
- Ferrari F355 Challenge (1995–2000)
- Ferrari 360 Challenge (2000–2006)
- Ferrari F430 Challenge (2006-2011)
- Ferrari 458 Challenge (2011-)
All the cars used in the series are track only. The 360 Challenge used in the series should not be confused with the 360 Challenge Stradale, which was a road-legal, track day oriented version of the 360, similar to the F430 Scuderia.
[edit] Racing simulators based on the series
In 1999, Sega's producer Yu Suzuki created Ferrari F355 Challenge: Passione Rossa, a video game based on the Ferrari F355 Challenge series.
In 2008, System 3's Mark Cale created Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli, the official game of the Ferrari Challenge featuring the licensed Ferrari F430 Challenge Italian, European and North American 2007 series.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Driver and Team Listings From shell.com. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
- ^ a b 2004 Ferrari Challenge From shell.com. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
- ^ a b Straw, Edd. "Ferrari Challenge", Autosport magazine, November 16, 2006, pp.63.
- ^ Driver and Team Listing - Italy From shell.com. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
- ^ 2007 Ferrari Challenge Calendar From shell.com. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
- ^ 2007 USA Standings From shell.com. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
- ^ "An insider's look...." From autospectator.com, published July 7, 2007.
- ^ Ferrari Scandinavia Challenge From ferrarichallenge.dk. Retrieved September 4, 2007.
- ^ Events From ferrariownersclub.co.uk. Retrieved September 4, 2007.
- ^ 2007 Trofeo Pirelli From shell.com. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
- ^ 360 Challenge
- ^ [1]
[edit] External links
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