Ferrari Challenge 2026 Opens at Paul Ricard, France
The Paul Ricard circuit in France hosts the opening round of the 2026 Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe this weekend. This event also marks the first round of the regional Ferrari Challenge UK series.
More than 50 drivers will contest two rounds in each championship. They will race the 296 Challenge, the ninth car to appear in the long history of Ferrari’s prestigious one-make series, on the 5.842-kilometre Le Castellet circuit. This year, the Ferrari Challenge reaches its 34th edition.
The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe returns to the French circuit two years after its last visit. The grid includes drivers from 23 nations and entries from 26 Ferrari dealers. The 2026 field features many familiar names from last season, with 34 confirmed drivers, plus several new entrants, including three from the Ferrari Club Challenge programme.
The European series features four classes. In Trofeo Pirelli, Belgian driver Gilles Renmans of Francorchamps Brussels Motors, American Dylan Medler of The Collection and experienced racer Max Mugelli of CDP – Eureka Competition return with clear ambitions for overall success. They will battle Sergio Paulet of Ineco – Reparto Corse RAM, the 2021 Trofeo Pirelli Am champion. They will also measure themselves against Hendrik Viol of Scuderia Praha Racing, who won the Am class in 2025 but will miss this weekend in France.
Michael Verhagen of Ferrari Warszawa starts as the leading contender in Trofeo Pirelli Am. He built strong form throughout the 2025 season and secured the class title at the Finali Mondiali. He will still face a deep field that includes many returning drivers and several new names.
In Coppa Shell, experienced drivers Tibor Valint of Rossocorsa and Fons Scheltema of Kessel Racing lead the entry. They will race against German driver Sven Schömer of Penske Sportwagen Hamburg, who steps up after winning Coppa Shell Am in 2025, returning driver Eric Cheung of Formula Racing, who makes a welcome comeback after a year out with injury, and newcomer Alexandre Lima of FBO – NACentE Racing.
Coppa Shell Am, the class for gentleman drivers, again brings a packed field. Returning competitors, comeback stories and new drivers all add depth to the grid.
Ferrari Challenge UK opens its 2026 season in France after last year’s opening event in Navarra, Spain. The series arrives with several new features and a landmark first appearance by a female driver, Manuela Gostner of Ineco, who won the Coppa Shell title in the European series in 2025. In Trofeo Pirelli, reigning champion Gilbert Yates of Charles Hurst will face his team-mate and son Bradley, with whom he shared the podium in the final race of last season at Silverstone. Mike Dewhirst of Dick Lovett Swindon, winner of the 2025 Coppa Shell title, also moves up a class. Joseph Dean of Stratstone Colchester begins his second year in the category.
In Coppa Shell, Peter Hunter of Stratstone Manchester commands attention after finishing runner-up in 2025. The grid also includes returning drivers Darren Howell of JCT600 Leeds, Huseyin Sert of Maranello Sales and “Sean Ran” of HR Owen. William Bolster of Charls Hurst, John Thurner of Stratstone Manchester, Christopher Beighton of Graypaul Nottingham, Ian Morris of Maranello Sales and Italy’s Andrea Seminara of HR Owen will all make their Ferrari Challenge UK debut at Le Castellet.
The race weekend begins with tests and free practice on Thursday and Friday. Qualifying follows on Saturday, 14 March. Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell Am Europe will start qualifying at 9.00 a.m. Trofeo Pirelli and Trofeo Pirelli Am Europe will follow at 9.40 a.m. Ferrari Challenge UK will begin its session at 10.20 a.m.
The afternoon programme starts with the Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell Am Europe races at 2.00 p.m. The Trofeo Pirelli and Trofeo Pirelli Am Europe races will take place at 3.15 p.m. Ferrari Challenge UK will take the track at 4.30 p.m. Organisers will repeat the same schedule and times on Sunday. All times are local.
Ferrari will stream all qualifying sessions and races from the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli live and free with English commentary on live.ferrari.com and Ferrari’s official YouTube channel.