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11/10/2023, 11:25:04 PM cet

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Ferrari World Finals 2000
Autodromo Nacionale di Mugello, 28 & 29 October 2000
Packed Programme – Packed Roads
Triumph And Tragedy
Ickx + 312 Pb = Dominance
F1 Variety – The Spice Of Life

The main reason for the massive crowds on Sunday was the presence of the Formula 1 team drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barichello, together with Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, Jean Todt, and test driver Luca Badoer, with Fiat supremo Gianni Agnelli also making an appearance. The crowds went wild when they appeared with fireworks exploding, horns blowing, flags waving and tumultuous applause, as they walked up and down the track acknowledging the passionate celebration of their successes this season by their die-hard supporters. After the walkabout, the three drivers provided the unique sight of three Ferrari F1 cars running on the track at the same time. They circulated together at high speed after a line astern wheelspin start, until Luca Badoer pitted leaving the two F1 team mates, who have brought so much success to the Scuderia this season, to bask in the adulation of the crowd. The piercing sound of the three V10 engines at x thousand rpm, as they passed between the pit complex buildings and the grandstands opposite was phenomenal, a high octave (and octane) symphony. Schumacher and Barichello each then made a tyre change pit stop on consecutive laps, before circulating once more to perform a doughnut duet finale on the pit straight. They burned so much rubber that they were completely engulfed in the acrid cloud that lingered in the still air, from which they eventually emerged to rapturous applause and more horn blowing from the ecstatic crowd. A great spectacle, that made the long queue to get into the circuit worthwhile, then you remembered that you had to do it all over again to get out! Overall it was still worth it, after all it is 21 years since the last double.














Keith Bluemel

With Michael Schumacher having won the F1 Drivers’ Championship three weeks before, and with Ferrari having clinched the F1 Constructors’ title the previous weekend, there was no doubt that the end of season Challenge final meeting was going to be something quite spectacular, and it was!

The event featured final rounds of all the European, plus USA and Pacific region F355/360 Challenge series, a pair of races for each of the three Shell Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge groups. On top of this race programme there were Historic F1 demonstrations and a current F1 team track display, together with aerobatics displays, so it was a very full programme for the entire weekend. There were estimates of more than 60,000 attendees on Sunday, although this figure seems conservative, based on the massive crowds along the main straight and on the hills beyond, in Italy who knows the true size of the paying public at any event! Although I have been to this event at Mugello a number of times, and circuit access is not one of its strong points, I have never experienced such enormous traffic jams as those on Sunday morning trying to get to the circuit. A thirty minutes journey under normal conditions took three hours, and some drivers even missed their races because of what was a virtual gridlock. Such is the fanaticism for Ferrari in Italy, that the public flocked to the circuit in tens of thousands to celebrate the Ferrari F1 World Championship double, and to catch a glimpse of the new hero of all Italy, Michael Schumacher.

The action throughout the weekend was fast and furious, unfortunately a little too furious in the second Challenge race on Saturday morning. On the first lap, the third place runner Daniel Kunzli spun off the track hitting a protective barrier, the impact threw the car back into the centre of the track in front of the pursuing pack. Most managed to avoid the stationary car, but in the ensuing pandemonium Ulrich Plattenhardt from Germany was completely unsighted and ploughed into it, suffering critical injuries from which he later succumbed. The accident cast a sombre tone over the day’s proceedings, and the drivers later held a one minute silence on the starting grid in respect for their colleague. As a further mark of respect, the organisers cancelled all podium celebrations for the remainder of the meeting, presentations being made in a low key manner on the grid at the end of each race. Fortunately there were no other serious incidents to mar what should have been a joyous occasion, damage being mainly confined to bent panelwork and mechanical components.

The F355/360 Challenge races produced competitors from the all the European series, together with contingents from the USA and Pacific regions, whilst the Historic Challenge races had the largest grids of the year coupled to some exciting racing. The Grid C entry featured Jacky Ickx in the Modena Motorsport 312 PB that he occasionally raced for them last season, as a bonus to the regular series contenders. David Franklin had his second outing in the 712 CanAm belonging to Carlos Monteverde, who drove his 365 GTB/4C in the same race and his 250 Testa Rossa in the Group B race.

Jacky Ickx won both Group C races convincingly, although David Franklin led the second one for a while, until Jacky Ickx drove serenely round the outside of the ”wide” 712 in the first bend after the start/finish straight never to be headed again. With the 512 S of Jean Guikas suffering from gearbox problems causing its retirement, there was only Patrick Stieger in the 512 M left to challenge the leading duo, taking third place in both races. His brother Christoph in the 312 PB seemed off the pace, not having driven the car in anger for some time, to take fourth place on each occasion.

The Group A and B races were both Maserati benefits, with William Binnie taking both single seater races in his 6 CM, and Burkhard von Schenk in his 300 S just taking the drum brake sports racing and GT car races from the 250 Testa Rossa of Carlos Monteverde on each occasion.

Apart from the racing there was a splendid half hour track display of historic Formula ! cars, ranging from Jo Vonlanthens 4 cylinder 500, through flat and vee 12 cylinder examples, like the 312 T, 641 and 412 variants, to the 1998 V10 engined F300 of Michael Gabel, that produced a wide variety of orchestral sounds to please the ear of the enthusiast.

Maserati Party
Schumacheeeeeeeeeer
Forza
Luca Cordero di Montezemolo
David Franklin, Jean Todt, Jacky Ickx and Patrick Stieger
Saluti
Shell Historic Ferrari Maserati Challenge
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
360 Spider
1974 - 312 B3 formula 1
Beppe Schenetti (ITA), Andrea Beluzzi (RSM)
F1-2000 formula 1
1974 - 312 B3 formula 1
712 CanAm
512 M - 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competizione
312 P
250 TR Spider Scaglietti
Maserati 300 S
Maserati 6 CM
1974 - 312 B3 formula 1
312 B3 "Spazzaneve"
1984 - 126 C4 formula 1
360 Spider
360 Spider
360 Spider
360 Spider
360 Spider
360 Spider
Luca Cordero di Montezemolo
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