5/12/2022, 10:21:13 PM cet

Nuerburgring, 8 September, 2002

The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli races
And the results ? – Double victory for ‘Linos’ and team Malucelli
The Shell Historic Ferrari Maserati Challenge
Sunday - The Schumania Racing Day
The new Maserati Trofeo in detail
Ferrari top model "Enzo Ferrari" presented by Michael Schumacher


More than 1.100 Ferraris painted the ‘Ring Red – Ferrari Red !
Only Rosso Corsa you may ask ? No, of course not, but red was definitely the dominant colour the whole weekend, only ”disturbed” by some spots of yellow, silver, black and so on.

For the sixth time since 1996 the so called ”Ferrari Racing days”  - organised by Ferrari Germany - invited everyone and everthing related to Ferrari to come and celebrate the most fascinating autmobile firm in the world – FERRARI !

Normally the last thing you would think of for a September weekend trip to the Nuerburgring would be sunscreen – but this time you really needed it.  It seems that even the weather god has become a Ferrari-tifoso – this can be the only explanation for this year’s delightful weather the whole weekend.

Ferrari Germany promised all spectators a rich package full of race action including races for the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, the Shell Historic Ferrari Maserati Challenge, and more than 15 Ferrari Formula 1 race cars to run a few demonstration laps.

But as the ultimate highlight Michael Schumacher, the 5 times F1-world champion, was announced to drive not only his actual 2001 world-championship winning F1 but the new street legal Ferrari supercar – The new Ferrari Enzo Ferrari !

I’ve no doubt that every one of the more than 35.000 spectators, who visited this event will agree:  It was a fabulous event which has nothing in comparison world-wide !
Where else can you see such a huge number of Ferraris in one place ? For example, 12 of the 448 Ferrari 550 Barchettas produced were present as well as at least twenty two F40s !

The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli races
The idea behind the Ferrari Challenge was to initiate a gentlemen drivers race series for Ferrari clients who weren’t satisfied cruising only on world famous boulevards or overcrowed highways, and to relive the spirit of Ferrari’s gentlemen customer racers of the 50’s and 60’s. Drive to work during the week, and race at the weekend with the same car was the concept.

It all began with the Ferrari 348 Challenge in 1993 and was continued with the Ferrari 355 Cahllenge between 1995 and 1999. Since 2000, the Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge is used.

Today, the initial concept is no longer valid. Both, the teams and the drivers are acting very professionally and a huge effort and considerable driving talent is necessary to bring yourself to a winning position.

Anyway, the 360 Challenge races in all the different classes were very interesting and thrilling to watch, though my main objective was the historic races.


Ferrari Challenge entrants list

Europe – class 1

#

0

1

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

15

16

21

23

25

34

35

42

43

51

59

62

66

73

80

98

99

Europe – class 2

11

12

13

17

18

20

22

24

26

27

28

33

36

41

44

46

48

49

50

52

53

54

56

57

58

60

61

67

69

77

78

79

And the results ? – Double victory for ‘Linos’ and team Malucelli
Luciano Linossi won both races in the Trofeo Pirelli class 1.  The Nuerburgring Challenge weekend was only his second race weekend in the European Challenge series, but before he was a regular competitor in the Italian Challenge series.

But the championship leader’s name is now John Bosch, the multi race talent who drove a Ferrari 512 M in the Historic Challenge as well as a Ferrari F1 in the demonstration runs. He finished 3rd on Saturday and 4th on Sunday giving him a small lead with 155 points in front of Javier Diaz with 148 championship points.

In the Coppa Shell category, René De Luigi won the race on Saturday from pole but was beaten by Jindrich Hudecek on Sunday who had started from ninth position on the grid.

The Shell Historic Ferrari Maserati Challenge
On the one hand, a regular Historic Challenge visitor could have been a little bit dissappointed this year because not all of the announced particpants found their way to the Eifel track, but this can easily explaned. On the same weekend, the Goodwood Revival Meeting took place, and therefore some competitors decided to try their luck at Goodwood.

On the other hand, there was more time to view every single racer in detail. My personal favourite was the Maserati 300 S s/n 3059 owned by premium car dealer Klaus Werner and driven engagingly by his son Max Werner. This particular car won the 1000km race at the ‘Ring in May 1956 with Taruffi, Schell, Moss and Behra at the wheel. Today it looks exactly like it should be with such a wonderful patina that one could forget the ”few” years between 1956 and 2002…

In the drum brake class Bill Binnie from Boston once more showed everyone that he’s a very talented race driver, and a hard nut for his competitors. He won both races with his Maserati 300 S s/n 3069 in front of Max Werner and Peter Heuberger in his 1956 Monaco GP winning Maserati 250 F s/n 2522/2526.

While David Franklin proved the fact that there’s no substitute for engine capacity in the disc brake class, John Bosch tried hard to match the pace with Franklin’s monstrous 712 CanAm s/n 1010 in his Ferrari 512 M s/n 1044 but he was unsuccessful. Some more 512 Ms would have been nice, and I’d love to see some 512 BB LMs racing against each other next year. Will this remain a dream ?

Ferrari F1 demonstration – Participants list

Type

500 F2

F1 87

641/2

642

F 92 A

412 T1/b

412 T2

F 310 B

F 310 B

F 300

F 300

F 399

Ciaran Caulfield

F1-2000

F2001

Sunday - The Schumania Racing Day
Michael Schumacher undoubtedly starred on Sunday. He alone would have attracted those 35,000 visitors. At half past two in the afternoon, Michael Schumacher landed with an helicopter directly on the race track. He jumped out and walked over to the pits just to take a seat in the all new Maserati Trofeo, a race car based on the Maserati 4200 Coupe.

White with blue stripes, an unusual paint scheme for race cars Michael Schumacher normally could be seen in !  He did some quick laps in it before he was interviewed by Kai Ebel who astonished the crowd not only with his questions but with his – let’s say – extraordinary shoes…..

Michael honestly  thanked all his fans for the support he has received in the past and he seemed to be really impressed by the applause he got. A great champion !

The new Maserati Trofeo in detail
There will be a new European race series in 2003 especially for Maserati clients to relive Maserati’s former glory– The Trofeo Maserati.  Based on the series production Maserati Coupe with Cambiocorsa transmission, the Maserati Trofeo is a real race car. Maserati has reduced its weight from 1.580kg to 1.370kg, tuned its engine to produces 403hp and fitted a huge rear spoiler.

Seven European races will be held. Unlike the Ferrari 360 Challenge, the Maserati Trofeo can’t be bought privately but can only be rented from Maserati for a fixed sum. Let’s hope that the Trofeo Maserati will be a successful and fascinating new race series !

Ferrari Enzo Ferrari presented by Michael Schumacher
Unfortunately the new Ferrari supercar – the Enzo Ferrari was inaccessible to the public for the whole weekend. It was presented on Saturday evening on the occasion of Ferrari’s gala dinner only to a selected gathering. On Friday and Saturday both cars – a red and a yellow one - stayed in the locked pits waiting for the big showdown on Sunday.

A really beautiful car which looks better in real life than in pictures was the main opinion on Sunday evening after Michael Schumacher had presented the Enzo, which will be officially launched in October at the Paris Salon.

With 660hp positioned in the heart of the Enzo, it was no surprise that the new Enzo seemed to be blindingly fast in the hands of Michael and everyone could see his smile after this new driving experience !

So, let’s sell everything we have and hurry to our nearest local Ferrari dealer – no way, this beau is already sold out.




Well done, Ferrari !

Bjoern Schmidt