Donington Park, Saturday 20 July 2024
The penultimate round of the 2024 Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli UK race series commenced today at the renowned Donington Park race circuit. This fast, undulating track is a favorite among Ferrari Challenge UK drivers, promising thrilling races. Despite an early threat of rain, conditions remained dry, allowing Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell drivers to push their Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo race cars to the limit.
Qualifying 1
Consistency was key in the qualifying sessions for both classes. In Trofeo Pirelli, Gilbert Yates (Charles Hurst) quickly found his form, securing the fastest lap with a time of 1:06.317. This marked his fifth consecutive pole of the season. In Coppa Shell, Gary Redman (Graypaul Nottingham) demonstrated his prowess with a best time of 1:08.291, securing his third consecutive pole.
Trofeo Pirelli
A turn one incident on the first lap brought out the red flag, delaying proceedings by 30 minutes. Upon the restart, Yates capitalized on his pole position, building a 9-second lead over Andrew Morrow (Charles Hurst). Morrow, starting in third, seized an opportunity at Redgate to move into second place, passing Pranav Vangala (HR Owen).
Further back, Lee Frost (Graypaul Birmingham) and Haymandhra Pillai (Jardine Colchester) made significant progress, narrowing the gap between second and fifth to just 3 seconds. However, Morrow and Vangala’s improved lap times eventually spread the pack.
Yates converted his pole position into a dominant race victory, his third of the season, crossing the line 14 seconds ahead of Morrow, thus climbing to the top of the Trofeo Pirelli championship table.
Coppa Shell
In the Coppa Shell race, Robert Rees (Dick Lovett Swindon) showcased his reflexes, moving up the grid swiftly. However, a turn one incident led to a red flag and the subsequent retirement of Mike Dewhirst (Dick Lovett Swindon), Darren Howell (JCT600 Leeds), Peter Hunter (Stratstone Manchester), and Gary Redman (Graypaul Nottingham).
The restart featured a head-to-head battle between Rees and season debutant Steve Dopson (Dick Lovett Swindon). Dopson pressured Rees initially, reducing the gap to less than 0.5 seconds. A mistake at the Craner Curves, however, saw Dopson lose pace. Rees secured the win, with Dopson finishing second.
Donington Park, Sunday 21 July 2024
Racing continued under sunny skies, adding to the excitement of the fourth round of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli UK series. The return of Lucky Khera (Graypaul Birmingham) thrilled fans, setting the stage for an exhilarating final race of the weekend.
Qualifying 2
In Trofeo Pirelli, Yates continued to dominate, posting a fastest time of 1:06.027, nearly 1 second ahead of Khera. In Coppa Shell, Dopson, buoyed by his Saturday performance, achieved pole with a time of 1:07.934.
Trofeo Pirelli
Yates replicated his Saturday success, establishing a 2.5-second lead over Morrow, who impressively passed Khera at Redgate. However, a faulty wheel speed sensor forced Morrow to retire mid-race, benefiting Khera and Vangala.
Despite a late-race issue slowing him down, Yates’s lead was sufficient to maintain first place until Khera seized the opportunity to overtake, claiming his first win of the 2024 season. Vangala and Haymandhra Pillai completed the podium.
Coppa Shell
Rees again demonstrated his racing skills, taking the lead by turn one. Dewhirst followed, passing Dopson early on. Contact between Rees and Dewhirst damaged Rees’s car, causing him to lose pace and allowing Dewhirst, Hunter, and Redman to overtake.
Dewhirst built a significant lead, crossing the finish line first, redeeming his Saturday misfortune and ending the weekend on a high note.
Next Race
The final round of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli UK series will take place at Silverstone on 13–15 September 2024, with live coverage available on live.ferrari.com.
