Ferrari: Fabienne Wohlwend chases first victory

ONLY P1 IN QUALI Fabienne Wohlwend has been on the podium in all eight Ferrari Challenge Europe races so far. Most recently, she started from the very front twice in Mugello - only she has never been at the finish. Unfortunately, in the Trofeo Pirelli, which features drivers from the top Pro and Pro-Am categories, [...]

Editorial - September 2, 2020

Introductory lap at Mugello. Fabienne Wohlwend started from the very front on both race days (Photos: Ferrari).

Unfortunately, there are never more than ten to fourteen cars in the Trofeo Pirelli, which features drivers from the top Pro and Pro-Am categories. But there is still a fierce battle for places - with Fabienne Wohlwend, who drives for Team Octane 126 from Wallisellen, right in the middle. The men don't give her any presents.

Not optimal in Barcelona
After finishing second and third in the season opener at Imola at the beginning of July, the Liechtenstein native had to settle for two third-place finishes two weeks later in Barcelona. Although she was second on the grid in both races in Spain, she failed to bring the tires of her Ferrari 488 Challenge up to temperature quickly enough in the first run. As a result, she lost a position that she was unable to make up.

After a better start, Fabienne was able to put the leader under pressure for 20 minutes in the second race. When her tires degraded a bit, she slid once slightly into the gravel, whereupon she was caught by her pursuer and relegated to 3rd place.

Good end after difficult start
At the third round on the first weekend in August on the Algarve Circuit of Portimão, which was unfamiliar to her, technical problems initially caused her problems. So a fourth and a second place among all competitors and two second places in class in Portugal were more than just damage limitation.

The Liechtensteiner proved her speed with two pole positions at Mugello, each of which earned her an extra point.

The fastest of all at Mugello
Fabienne Wohlwend showed what she is capable of last weekend in Mugello, where she has felt almost at home since winning the 2018 Women's World Championship title. In the first qualifying session in the dry, she set the fastest lap of all Ferrari Challenge drivers that weekend with 1'50.655 (170.6 km/h).

On Sunday morning in the second qualifying session, she also achieved the best time in the rain at virtually the last second, nine hundredths ahead of championship leader Emanuele Maria Tabacchi. This earned her the highest praise from the team manager.

Jannick Bardy: "She crossed the finish line nine seconds before the end of practice, after which we pushed her to the fastest time. That was a masterstroke, because in the wet it's the driving that counts, not primarily the car."

At the start of the two races in Tuscany, the Italian Tabacchi immediately pulled into the lead. Behind him Wohlwend lined up.

Twice second
Unfortunately, Fabienne lost both starts to the Italian and his optimal car. The latter then celebrated season wins 4 and 5 in eight races, whereupon Ferrari pulled in the ECU for inspection.

At least the professional racer from Schellenberg, who started well, was able to keep all other opponents at bay.

Fabienne Wohlwend: "My pace was very good in both races, so I was able to build up pressure on the leader. Unfortunately, the lap times are so close together that an overtaking maneuver would only have been possible at high risk. But it was great to race in Italy again."

Final spurt with a big goal
In the absence of Barcelona double winner Thomas Neubauer (F), Fabienne Wohlwend thus consolidated her second place in the standings. With three race weekends left - Spa (September 12/13), Misano (September 26/27) and Finali Mondiali Misano (November 4-7) - theoretically anything is still possible for her.

Her main goal is undoubtedly to win the premier class for the first time, having already celebrated several successes in Am and Pro-Am in 2018.