Ferrari: Fabienne aims for world final podium 🎥

DELAYED END OF SEASON The postponed finals of the 2020 Ferrari Challenge will be held at the Misano circuit this weekend. The highlight is the World Final, of which Fabienne Wohlwend has good memories. For the first time since 2002, the Finali Mondiali will be held at the Misano Circuit from March 4 to 7. Back then, the Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge [...]

Editorial - March 3, 2021

For the first time since 2002, the Finali Mondiali will be held at the Misano Circuit from March 4 to 7. At that time the Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge was in fashion.

The upsurge of the second Corona wave prevented the staging of the final races for the Ferrari Challenge Europe and the Finali Mondiali 2020 in Italy at the beginning of November. So the Italians - hoping for an improvement in the health situation - decided to make up for the event in the spring of 2021.

Proven concept
With the public excluded and strict protective measures for all involved, as was already the case in 2020, the races can now take place this Friday, Saturday (one race each for the European classification) and Sunday (world final) at the Misano World Circuit on the Adriatic Sea.

Fans can watch the always action-packed goings-on of the Ferrari drivers at this Link or follow them on social media (Link).

This week Fabienne Wohlwend can swap her winter clothes for a racing overall again. With top results, she also wants to put herself in the best light on the track.

Fabienne's good memories of 2018
Fabienne Wohlwend may be from Liechtenstein, but she has always driven with an ASS license and started her racing career in Swiss kart races. In terms of language, too, she is something of a Swiss figurehead in the Ferrari one-make cup, especially since she drives for Team Octane 126 from Wallisellen.

She has the best memories of the Finali Mondiale. In November 2018, Fabienne managed to take class victory in the Trofeo Pirelli in the Pro-Am category, and also secured the unofficial title of Ferrari Ladies' World Champion and second place overall in the Ferrari Challenge Europe.

Runner-up title
In the meantime, the 23-year-old professional racer belongs to the top Pro category, where the stakes are even higher. Last year, she took pole three times at the wheel of the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo and scored the associated bonus point. The only thing that didn't work out was a victory.

She wants to make up for that this week, with the competition stronger than at any previous race with seven professionals from Europe and the USA plus 17 from the Pro-Am category. Second place overall in the 2020 Trofeo Pirelli behind Italy's Emanuele Maria Tabacchi is practically in the bag.

If Belgian Florian Merckx manages a hat-trick of pole position, victory and fastest lap in both races, the extra point credited for participation alone will be enough to secure the runner-up title.

Fabienne, her team and the new Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo are ready for the first race weekend of the 2021 season.

New Ferrari from Octane 126
So it's a mere formality. Because the reliability of her sports car was not going to be a problem. Octane 126 was able to sell its three Challenge cars and purchase a brand-new car for Fabienne, which will already be available to her in Misano. She will then also drive this car in the 2021 Challenge.

Technical Director Jannick Bardy: "Your previous 488 had already been in operation since 2017. With the new one, reliability should no longer be an issue. Last year we were able to test at Misano and thus work out a good basic setup. Now we just have to refine that on site. I think it will be fine."

The Zurich team will only use a car for their driver, as the Pole Roman Ziemian has to pass due to the consequences of a Corona illness.

The participants of the Finali Mondiali 2020. Due to travel restrictions, e.g. of Asians, practically only drivers from Europe and the USA are at the start (Photo: Ferrari).

Kessel Racing may also celebrate soon
With several customers Kessel Racing is present at the postponed season finals and the world finals. The hottest iron in the Coppa Shell for drivers from the S (Silver) and S-Am (Silver Amateur) categories is Dutchman Fons Scheltema.

In the Challenge Europe, won early by compatriot Roger Grouwels, he is only six points behind Austrian Ernst Kirchmayr. In the only world final race, another podium for Scheltema is the goal.