Ferrari Challenge

The now defunct Ferrari Challenge Italy used a two-class format in which distinguished between professional competition drivers in the Trofeo Pirelli (lit. "Pirelli Trophy") and amateur "gentleman drivers" in the Coppa Shell (lit. "Shell Cup").[3] This format has now been transferred to the Europe Challenge series. 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. The Challenge Italy series is now merged with the European Challenge-series.[4][5]

Like the Challenge Italy, the European series is a two-class championship. For the 2012 calendar it contains 7 races, with 4 of them being held on Italian circuits. This is done in sync with the Italian series now merged into the European. The remaining 3 races are held at Hungaroring, Spa-Francorchamps, and Silverstone.[6] The European Challenge is by far the largest series, with between 50–55 entrants for the 2012 season.

Ferrari F430 Challenge racer at New Jersey Motorsports Park, North American series (2008 season).

The North American also features the Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell class system.[7] This championship was inaugurated in 1994. It is organized by Ferrari North America and sanctioned by IMSA.[8][9] The 2012 season consists of 7 events in the US and Canada. The 2012 grid of the FCNA includes 20 drivers, making it the smallest Challenge-series worldwide in terms of entrants.

The Asia-Pacific is the most recent of the Challenge series since the 2011 season, inaugurated in combination with the growing interest and sales for Ferrari in Asia. The season encompasses events in Japan, China, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. The Asia-Pacific also features the Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell class system. Grid is made up of 35 to 40 drivers for the 2012 season.

The Ferrari Challenge has inspired other national club-level championships that are not affiliated with Ferrari S.p.A. itself. The 'Ferrari Scandinavia Challenge' is an unofficial championship with events in Sweden, and Denmark. It was created in 2001 and is not exclusive to the latest Challenge cars, with many classes so that models all the way back to the 348 are eligible for entry.[10] The UK has a similar unofficial series comprising three championships for older cars that is organised by the Ferrari Owners' Club.[11] In recent years, a club championship open to all Challenge cars har been organized in the US under the name of Ferrari Club Racing Championship/Association as an alternative to the Ferrari Challenge North America, which many competitors felt was too expensive. The FCRA hosts 6 rounds during a season.[12]

From 2014, the major Ferrari Challenge series (Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific) have combined to host a World Final common event for all championships. This event culminates in a race containing as many of the competitors across all series in both Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell as can fit. The following table represents the winners of each event:

Year	Circuit	Trofeo Pirelli	Coppa Shell	Source
2013	Mugello Circuit	Pro: Philipp Baron	Am: Giosue Rizzuto	[13]
2014	Yas Marina Circuit	Pro: Max Blancardi Pro-Am: Ricardo Pérez de Lara	Am: Massimiliano Bianchi	[14][15][16]
2015	Mugello Circuit	Pro: Matteo Santoponte Pro-Am: Alessandro Vezzoni	Am: Erich Prinoth	[17][18][19]
2016	Daytona International Speedway	Pro: Carlos Kauffman Pro-Am: Sam Smeeth	Am: Thomas Löfflad	[20]
2017	Mugello Circuit	Pro: Fabio Leimer Pro-Am: Jens Liebhauser	Am: Johnny Laursen	[21][22]
2018	Autodromo Nazionale Monza	Pro: Nicklas Nielsen Pro-Am: Fabienne Wohlwend	Pro-Am: Christophe Hurni Am: Ingvar Mattsson	[23]
2019	Mugello Circuit	Pro: Adam Carroll Pro-Am: Emanuele-Maria Tabacchi	Pro-Am: James Weiland Am: Ingvar Mattsson	[24][25][26]

The 488 Challenge is the most recent in a line of Ferraris used in the Ferrari Challenge series. The lineage is as follows:[111]

• Ferrari 348 Challenge (1993–1995)
• Ferrari F355 Challenge (1995–2000)
• Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge (2000–2006)
• Ferrari F430 Challenge (2006–2011)
• Ferrari 458 Challenge (2011–2017)
• Ferrari 488 Challenge (2017–)
• Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo (2020–)

All the cars used in the series are track only, although some 360 Challenges have been made road legal in Australia, with extensive modifications. However, due to new legislation, this is not possible anymore. The 360 Modena 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 430 Scuderia.