If the F1 team did not have the best of days in Bahrain last weekend, there was plenty to cheer about for Ferrari fans worldwide as a 360GTC won the opening round of the British GT championship, and in the USA the Shelton team won the first USA Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy for 360 Modena cars of 2005.

Doug Peterson winner at California Speedway in the USA Ferrari Challenge

Maranello, 5th April - Last weekend, the California Speedway in Fontana hosted the first round of this season’s USA Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy for 360 Modena cars. Doug Peterson, flying the Shelton team colours won both races on the card, starting from pole twice and never relinquished the lead.

In the first race, the runner-up was Kurt Buchwald (Ferrari of Washington,) with Joel Quaid (Auto Gallery) coming home third.

In the next race, Peterson took the flag ahead of Alex and Joel Quaid, making it the first time in the history of the one-make series that a father and son have celebrated together on the podium.

Also taking place at the Californian circuit was the second round of 2005 of the USA Shell Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge, for historic cars.

In the disc brake category, the Ferrari 512BB/LM were dominant, with Todd Morici taking the top spot in the first race and Jim Fuchs victorious in the second.

In the drum brake group, Peter Giddings (Maserati 250F) and Tom Price (Maserati 200 SI) shared the honours over the two races.

The next rounds of the Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy and the Shell Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge will once again take place at the same meeting, scheduled for the 14th and 15th May at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.



The Ferrari 360 GTC wins the opening British GT championship race

Maranello, 4th April - The Scuderia Ecosse’s Ferrari 360 GTC triumphed at the opening race of the British Gran Turismo championship. Nathan Kinch and Andrew Kirkaldy were the men in the driving seat at the Donington Park circuit.

The car, developed by the Ferrari Corse Clienti department in collaboration with Michelotto Automobili, was in top spot for the whole of the race after starting from pole position. The gap at the chequered flag over the second-placed Hughes/Pearce TVR was over forty seconds.

The Scuderia Ecosse’s other Ferrari 360 GTC, crewed by Niarchos/Mullen, also made it onto the podium. In fourth spot came the Porsche of Jones/Jones.

The next round on the calendar comes at the end of the month at Magny-Cours. Next weekend sees the start of the international FIA GT championship. The event at the Monza autodrome will see the Ferrari 575 GTC Evoluzione 2005 (shown below) make its eagerly awaited debut.



Text/Photos: Ferrari Media