Approximately 2000 spectators revelled in high-octane action this weekend as the first round of the 2025 Ferrari Challenge UK Trofeo Pirelli race series kicked off at Navarra Circuit, Spain. Ferrari official driver Miguel Molina served as Race Advisor across the weekend for the first round, which saw four unique winners in the Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell classes in Gilbert Yates (Charles Hurst), Paul Simmerson (Graypaul Birmingham) and Mike Dewhirst (Dick Lovett Swindon) – as well as a first ever win for Pranav Vangala (HR Owen).
Qualifying 2: Fair conditions favoured the drivers on the second day of racing at the circuit. In the Trofeo Pirelli, Gilbert Yates (Charles Hurst) continued his fine form to secure pole with a fastest lap of 1:44.670. In Coppa Shell, Mike Dewhirst made a significant step forward, posting the quickest time of 1:45.800 to secure pole by over half a second.
Race 2: Trofeo Pirelli: Leading the pack, Yates and Vangala went side-by-side into turn one – with the Charles Hurst driver bravely holding his position to maintain P1. Further back in the order, Fedor Samorukov (HR Owen) made an excellent start, and leapt three places up the order to net fourth position. Further back, contact between Dean and Ryndziewicz forced the Stratstone Colchester rookie to retire from the race under yellow flag conditions. Ryndziewicz, despite sustaining damage to his rear quarter, soldiered on and closed the gap to Samorukov as the pair battled upon the restart.
As the race entered the midpoint, Sidhu rose up the rankings into fifth. Behind him, John Marcar (Graypaul Birmingham) gave no reprieve and overtook to capture the position. Marcar kept pushing and, with seven minutes to go, found a way past Samorukov to secure fourth. Upfront, Yates fought hard to manage the car which was losing grip as the race wore on. Close behind, Vangala sensed the opportunity and relentlessly pushed to close the gap. With just three minutes left, Vangala pounced and slipped his 296 Challenge up the inside as Yates ran wide into a corner. The move stuck, and Vangala powered home to secure his first ever victory in the Ferrari Challenge UK race series. Yates came home second, whilst Leathem secured the final podium position to cap a remarkable racing debut for the 19-year-old.
Coppa Shell: The sun’s emergence improved track conditions as the race quickly livened. Simmerson showed immediate focus and demonstrated excellent race-craft to pass Dewhirst around the outside and secure P1. Dewhirst did not take his demotion willingly and kept the Saturday winner firmly in sights to sustain pressure on his rival. A few laps later, Simmerson overshot turn one, which gifted Dewhirst the lead of the race. It also meant that Simmerson had dirty tyres from leaving the racing line, which caused a spin dropping him to fourth place.
As the race entered the midpoint, Dewhirst masterfully solidified his position with a comfortable lead. Behind him, Peter Hunter kept it together and defended P2 well from his rival Simmerson, who had quickly made it past Dopson in third. Simmerson managed to catch Hunter with a few laps to spare, but time was not on his side. As the chequered flag fell, Dewhirst secured his first win of the season. Hunter finished in P2, followed by Simmerson in P3.
Next Round: The Ferrari Challenge UK Trofeo Pirelli race series returns to the UK for the round 2, with the race action resuming at Oulton Park, Cheshire on 16-17 May 2025.
