In just a few days, the wait for the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe 2025 will be over. From 27 to 30 March, the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza will host the opening round of one of the longest-running and most renowned single-marque series, returning to the historic circuit four years after its last appearance. The championship serves as an ideal springboard for a career in endurance racing with production-derived cars.
Now in its 33rd edition, Ferrari Challenge Europe will feature eight rounds at some of the most iconic and captivating circuits on the Old Continent, culminating in the spectacular Finali Mondiali, scheduled for October at Mugello.
Engines will roar once more at the Temple of Speed, as the 296 Challenge cars take to the track – already protagonists of the 2024 season – then alongside the 488 Challenge Evo: the ninth model in the history of the championship and the first to feature a de-hybridised V6 engine delivering 700 horsepower, striking a balance between the passion of gentlemen drivers and the competitive spirit of young emerging talents. As with all cars in Challenge history, they will be fitted with Pirelli tyres, specifically developed for this model to enhance cornering grip, reduce wear, and ensure greater consistency over the race distance.
Once again, record-breaking numbers are expected for the European series, which will see 72 drivers on the starting grid, 21 of them making their debut this season. Representing 22 countries worldwide and 30 Ferrari dealerships, they will battle for titles across the championship’s four traditional categories.
In Trofeo Pirelli, the main class, the title race is on, following Giacomo Altoé’s triumph in 2024. Now a regular competitor in endurance racing with the Ferrari 296 GT3, Altoé recently secured fourth place in the 12 Hours of Sebring in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, in the GTD Pro class.
In Trofeo Pirelli Am, 20 drivers will compete to succeed Claus Zibrandtsen, last year’s champion. Among them is Henry Hassid, who claimed victory in Coppa Shell.
In Coppa Shell, the 2024 Coppa Shell Am champion, Greek driver Zois Skrimpias, will be on the starting grid alongside 19 other competitors, bringing the total to 24 in the class more specifically dedicated to gentlemen drivers.
Following the testing and free practice sessions on Thursday, 27 and Friday, 28 March, the schedule at the recently renovated Monza will see qualifying sessions on the morning of Saturday 29, followed by three 30-minute races in the afternoon, with separate races for Coppa Shell Am, Coppa Shell, and a combined grid for Trofeo Pirelli and Trofeo Pirelli Am. The same format will be repeated on Sunday, 30 March, for a high-adrenaline weekend of race action. The event will be open to the public with free access to select grandstands at the Monza circuit.
