FF Corse GT Driver Academy 2024

Nine drivers selected for FF Corse’s inaugural GT Driver Academy

Silverstone, June, 2024: Internationally acclaimed Ferrari GT racing specialist FF Corse has confirmed the nine young names it has selected to be part of its inaugural GT Driver Academy in 2024.

FF Corse, a prolific race winner with Ferrari including 2023’s Finali Mondiali Trofeo Pirelli with Thomas Fleming at Mugello, has launched the Academy to help guide drivers specifically targeting a professional career path in GT racing.

Its selection was made following assessment of a high-quality list of candidates that included the winner and two other finalists from last year’s X30 Kart World Championship.

As part of the programme, the Academy’s drivers will have the opportunity to test FF Corse’s Ferrari Challenge car.

They will also receive media and commercial training, fitness assessment and engineering guidance, plus time on iZone’s state-of-the-art racing simulators.

In addition, FF Corse will evaluate each driver’s development in and out of the car, whilst providing on-going feedback and mentoring. Each Academy driver will demonstrate their ability within their own championships throughout 2024.

“We’ve launched the FF Corse GT Driver Academy to support and provide a credible path to a professional racing career, as drivers increasingly find single-seater budgets unrealistic,” explained Phil Bennett, Programme Manager.

“This is very much about discovering and nurturing the GT racing stars of tomorrow, and GT3 racing in particular has become a very interesting category, both commercially and from an engineering/sporting point of view. We want to help drivers gain a foothold by becoming involved early and shaping their careers.

“We have some very exciting talents amongst our first nine drivers and look forward to working with them in 2024 and helping them develop as athletes and individuals.

“Whilst our intake for 2024 is now closed, we would welcome expressions of interest for our Academy in 2025 which is very much open to drivers from all nations.”

FF Corse’s 2024 GT Academy drivers are:

Archie Clark, aged 15: competing in Ginetta Juniors (previous front-runner in British and international karting)

Harry Burgoyne Jnr, aged 16: second season of GB4 (finished P5 in 2023; former Jnr ‘O’ Plate karting Champion

Khali Atkins

Khali Atkins, aged 19: 2023 X30 World & European karting Champion

Gus Lawrence

Gus Lawrence, aged 25: competing in Senior British, European & World X30 championships (P4 in 2023 X30 worlds; twice British X30 & O Plate Champion)

Marcus Littlewood

Marcus Littlewood, aged 19: competing in Radical SR1 Cup (P3 Senior X30 karting championship [P11 in worlds] & 2023 Motorsport UK Academy Young Driver of the Year)

Thomas Merritt, aged 14: competing in BRSCC Fiesta Juniors (2023 P2 GKL Junior karting championship)

Archie Owen

Archie Owen, aged 12: competing in British & European Junior X30 karting (graduated from Mini X30 in 2023)

Leo Robinson

Leo Robinson, aged 14: competing in Ultimate Karting Championship

Deacon Russell, aged 15: competing in British, European & UKC kart championships (Senior Rotax category)

Finali Mondiali at Mugello

24th – 29th October – Finali Mondiali

The Ferrari World Final is a spectacular event to close the season, featuring the final round of Challenge Europe. The World Finals sees the Challenge Championships from each continent come together for Finali Mondiali, a one off race, to see who will be crowned World Champion.

In Trofeo Pirelli, Tom Fleming is currently sitting in 2nd place in the PRO championship standings, just 19 points behind the leader. A fantastic performance in his rookie season of car racing, having made the switch from karts. James Owen, also displaying his natural talent in his rookie season of racing with no previous experience under his belt, is currently 4th in the PRO-AM class championship standings, just 10 points behind 3rd place.

The two races of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe and North America will run on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th; Qualifying takes place on Saturday 28th, along with the new Superpole format to decide the starting grid for the Finali Mondiali, which will run on the morning of Sunday 29th, before the Ferrari Show.

Mugello once again hosts the big Ferrari event two years after the last Tuscan edition. Besides the 100 Ferrari 488 Challenge Evos entered in the racing competition, the programme includes the activities of the XX Programme, for cars not homologated for road use that are true technology laboratories, and F1 Clienti, which brings back on the track the single-seaters that competed in the World Championship with Scuderia Ferrari from the 1970s to the hybrid era. The two programmes include 57 and 19 cars, respectively, making 76 cars on the track, the highest number ever recorded for this event.

Thirty-nine production derivatives will feature in Club Competizioni GT, open to GT racing cars of the last thirty years, plus a model such as the 488 GT Modificata created specifically for this programme. All are due at Mugello in an event that also includes Club Challenge activities.

As usual, the Finali Mondiali Ferrari provides a unique opportunity to discover first-hand the latest additions to the road range, thanks to the static display of the Maranello manufacturer’s current models, and to celebrate success on the track.

After all, 2023 has already entered the history of the company founded in 1947 thanks to the overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Nürburgring with two cars, the Hypercar 499P – presented during the 2022 Finali Mondiali – and the 296 GT3, both of which will be on display in the paddock.

FF Corse x Caffeine & Machine

On Monday FF Corse welcomed Caffeine and Machine 313 club members again, only this time we were trackside, running numerous customer cars on a trackday. This exciting gathering brought together car aficionados, track enthusiasts, and Ferrari lovers for a day of adrenaline-pumping action, a simulator challenge, delectable catering, and the mesmerizing sight of seven Ferraris blazing around the iconic Silverstone circuit.

Caffeine and Machine are a community of car enthusiasts and petrolheads who share a passion for everything automotive. Members were invited try their hand on the simulator in a bid to post the fastest time to be in with a chance of winning tickets to the United States Grand Prix! The Blade simulator, kindly supplied by Fenz Racing, was a massive hit and in constant use all day.

Guests were able to watch the track-action from the pitwall, or venture off to watch from popular viewing points around the iconic Silverstone circuit. Spending the day with us in the pitlane garages also gave members the opportunity to speak to the various drivers and coaches who joined us for the day. There was also free tea, coffee and snacks available all day, a lounge area with sofas to relax in, and lunch provided by the wonderful Bread and Butter Catering.

Image Gallery

Photos by Charlie B Photography

Interested in being involved? Get in touch to learn more:


Supercar Driver Secret Meet wows guests with billion-pound hypercar parade

The Supercar Driver Secret Meet returned to Donington Park this week, bringing together a world-class gathering of supercars and hypercars. The event, which is only open to SCD members, event partners, and select guests, is a celebration of motoring like no other.

This year’s event saw a record number of cars on display, with over 500 supercars and hypercars from all over the world. The line-up included some of the most iconic and rare cars ever made, such as the Ferrari F40, McLaren F1, Mercedes AMG CLK, TVR Cerbera Speed 12, Maserati MC12, Lamborghini Diablo, and Porsche 911. There were also a number of new and upcoming models on display, including the new 750S supercar and the new hybrid sportscar, the Artura, from McLaren Automotive.

In addition to the static displays, the Secret Meet also featured a number of track activities, including a billion-pound hypercar parade, motorsport demos and demonstrations from Ignition GP, and the event was rounded off with a timed shootout. The event was also a chance for supercar owners to meet and greet each other, and to share their passion for cars.

FF Corse were situated in garage 21, where we demonstrated our race and trackday garage setup with garage boarding, TV, kitchen, and sofa for guests to relax. On display were two of our Ferrari 488 Challenge Evos, one of which was our hire car which is available for test drives, track days and even for racing. Learn more here. Fenz Racing also joined us with Base Performance Simulators’ Blade simulator, which offered guests the opportunity at trying their hand around the Silverstone GP circuit in a bid to set the fastest time of the day to win a bottle of champagne and two tickets to Ferrari Racing Days at Silverstone in September. The garage also offered the perfect place to shelter when the British weather inevitably tried it’s best to dampen our spirits!

The Supercar Driver Secret Meet is one of the most exclusive and sought-after events in the automotive calendar that is sure to appeal to any fan of supercars. If you are lucky enough to be invited to the event, be sure to make the most of it!

Live Stream

Image Gallery

Click an image to enlarge it. Separate Hypercar gallery to follow shortly!

Coffee Morning with Caffeine and Machine

 

Last week we had the pleasure of welcoming Caffeine and Machine 313 Club Members to visit our workshop for a coffee morning, with a wonderful breakfast provided by Bread & Butter catering.

We look forward to seeing the 313 members again on 24th July, where they will not only join us for breakfast in the workshop but will also be invited trackside to spectate the trackday  taking place here at Silverstone, where we have seven cars running! Click here to learn more.

Ferrari Challenge at Le Mans

Round 4 of Ferrari Challenge Europe took place at the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe, in support of the Le Mans 24 hour race. This was an incredible opportunity for our drivers to race Le Mans circuit, with a total of 71 Challenge cars from all around the globe.

The chances to race at Le Mans are few; saved only for the annual 24 hour race, the Le Mans Classic or featuring in a support race to the 24 hours, as we were. There is no option to conduct testing as the circuit is largely set out on the local roads of the town. Circuit de la Sarthe is the pinnacle of motorsport – a dream for any racer and a mecca to motorsport fans worldwide. It’s a special event to witness and a true privilege to drive.

Free practice on Wednesday and Thursday started out very strong for both drivers, who quickly adapted to the circuit, with Tom topping the timesheets both days and James a very respectable 13th in class (26th overall) from the 71 cars field.

Qualifying

As qualifying begun on Friday morning, the team was hopeful for pole given Tom’s pace in free practice and despite improving on his times he finished P3 overall. Tom was hoping for more, but as with so many of the qualifying sessions this season, yellow flags and slow zones meant he couldn’t hook a clean lap together and ultimately a red flag ended the session early.

James qualified a solid 16th in class (32nd overall) but was frustrated to not get a clean lap in too and being blocked by a slower car ahead. Clearly there was more out there for both but luck wasn’t on our side.

The Race

As the 71 Ferrari 488 Challenge Evos passed through the Ford Chicane to take the start of the race, it was almost inevitable there would be incidents throughout the 35 minute race, so capitalising on the start was crucial. James didn’t waste any time, with a fantastic first lap he made up 5 places showing his superior speed and racecraft over those around him. Tom had a less fortunate start, getting squeezed into turn one to drop to P4.

Lap two and as predicted, safety car. A large incident lower down the field littered debris over the track and heavily damaged the Armco barriers. Ultimately, too much damaged to be repaired and send the race green again. The safety car came in with just one racing lap left but a slow zone remained in place for the damaged barrier. This didn’t give Tom any opportunity to fight back for a podium place, finishing P4. Although James did manage to pick up another place to finish a superb 10th in class and 16th overall.

Tom said, “what a privilege to race here at Le Mans – it’s such a special event. I felt we lacked a bit of top end speed compared to our rivals but it’s something we can work on moving onto Estoril next month. I’ve had an amazing week”. James commented “This is the best circuit ever. It’s amazing and I can’t believe I’ve just raced at Le Mans. An incredible weekend I will cherish forever.”

Tom and James sit P2 and P8 in their respective classes for the championship. The team is proud of what they have achieve so far and the results are quite incredible given they are both in their rookie seasons.

Next up, Estoril – 14th and 15th July. Stay tuned!

Photography: Jakob Ebrey and Ferrari

Ferrari Challenge at Spielberg

 

Ferrari Challenge Europe headed to Austria’s Spielberg circuit a few weeks ago, for the season’s third round. Between the Tropheo Pirelli and Coppa Shell classes, over 50 Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo cars lined up on the grid for what was a thrilling weekend in very changeable conditions.

While other competitors had the benefit of multiple days testing, diary clashes resulted in both Tom and James having had no running prior to the weekend. Less than ideal, but both are always able to quickly learn a new circuit, pick up the skills required and provide essential feedback to the team.

Ferrari Challenge Spielberg

Race 1

James put in a very impressive qualifying result, putting him 6th in class on the grid for the start of race one. He felt like he had more to give and we were certain this may be his time to pick up his first podium. Having to take avoiding action into turn one at the start, James dropped back 4 places, sadly making a podium unlikely this time. The ‘comeback king’ was on fine form and managed to pull off a series of impressive manoeuvres, the last of which was on the last corner of the last lap to bring him home to finish 5th in the PRO-AM class.

Tom qualified 4th on the grid and managed to steer clear of the first corner incident which forced the pack to scatter to avoid a spinning car. Tom came out the other side of the chaos in P3, and soon managed to build a gap between himself and P4. Another podium and great points haul for Tom’s championship fight in the PRO class.

Following the race, Tom said “It was a tough race, especially for tyre management. Apart from a small collision, I made a good start. In general, I think I can say that the race was challenging for everyone, especially to not exceed the track limits and, because of this, our times were a little higher than usual. Anyway, it’s a positive day, with more points won for my team.”

Race 2

James again qualified 6th in the PRO-AM class for race 2, perhaps now he can bag a podium place… Tom also repeated his race 1 qualifying performance, starting P4. Qualifying, as is now a theme of this years’ championship, was plagued by yellow flags and stoppages, ultimately cutting short both Tom and James’ session with both feeling they could have extracted more from the session.

The heavens opened for race 2, and James started the race from P6 in class but he dropped a few places initially.  However, he skillfully picked his way through the pack to return with another 5th place in the PRO-AM class.

Tom made an excellent start from 4th on the grid, immediately making up a place round the outside of the first corner to put himself ahead of former Formula One driver, Adrian Sutil. Tom pushed hard to gain on the car in P2 when the safety car came out due a car in the gravel. On the restart, Tom was again challenging for P2 but try as he may, he couldn’t find a way past. Tom then came under pressure from Sutil, after doing a sterling job to hold him off for several laps, Sutil eventually managed to pass Tom. In the closing stages of the race, Tom kept his tyres fresh and mounted an attack on Sutil to reclaim third. But he just couldn’t quite find a way past to secure that final podium place, so had to settle for 4th. A fantastic performance against a vastly more experienced driver!

James, in his first ever season of racing, currently sits equal 6th in the PRO-AM class, and Tom P2 in the PRO class in his first season of ‘big car’ racing. The fight is on and next up, Le Mans!

Photo Credit: Ferrari

Winners in Misano!

 

Tom Fleming takes his maiden win in Trofeo Pirelli in Misano, and James Owen achieved a personal best result of 4th in the P-AM class and 8th overall.

The weekend got off to a solid start with Tom qualifying P2 on the Saturday, just 0.6 seconds off the pole sitter, and James qualifying 5th in P-AM.

In race one, James dropped down to 15th overall in the early stages of the race, but worked his way back up to cross the line in 12th. Importantly though, he kept his lines clean meaning that he steered clear of any track limit penalties, which were being picked up by many competitors throughout the race. This meant that once all penalties had been applied to other drivers, James was promoted to 8th overall and 4th in P-AM. Just one place off a podium finish! Despite James’ relative inexperience compared to his competitors, he is starting to bring back some impressive results, impressing the team and the championship with his pace. Regular podium finishes won’t be far away!

Ferrari Challenge Europe Misano

After dropping back to third position at the start, the pole sitter Donno started to break away at the front from Tom. An incident further back in the field on the first lap brought out the safety car closing the field back up again, but Donno pulled away at the front again once the safety car had pulled back into pitlane. It didn’t take long for Tom to make a superb move on Kral to retake second place. Donno had snuck a 3.6 second advantage but with Tom’s consistency and race craft, he managed to quickly close the gap up to 0.6 seconds. Tom put immense pressure on the leader who, by the end, was handed a post-race 5 second penalty for exceeding track limits. Donno was demoted to second place, so Tom took the top step of the podium!

Following the race, Tom said “I don’t think words can describe how I feel, it’s just an amazing achievement for me and the team. I stepped into my first race car 10 months ago and I have really been trying to build back the sort of experience that these guys at the front have. We absolutely deserve this after a shaky qualifying. I knew in my mindset that I’d got a chance to win this race and we executed it perfectly. I’d like to thank the team – FF Corse, my sponsors – HR Owen and Alvarez & Marsal, and most importantly my family because I could not have done it without them.”

View Tom’s interview here.

On Sunday, the qualifying results for Tom and James were a carbon copy of Saturday’s qualifying, but Tom got away well at the start of race two and maintained second position. The gap to first opened up in the early stages, but again Tom’s superior race management allowed him to close back up to Donno, again piling on the pressure. Tom’s race pace meant the overtake to P1 was inevitable. The gap came down to just 0.6 seconds when Donno crashed out of the lead with just 6 minutes remaining, meaning Tom brought the car home in a fantastic first place!

James produced another impressive comeback drive, finishing a solid 6th in P-AM after a battling for position with Gostner and Del Favero. Highly entertaining to watch!

Despite taking the top step of the podium unfortunately, due to a non-performance related technical infringement, Tom was cruelly stripped of his second win. But this does not take away from the fantastic performance that he put in on track – the team are incredibly proud of everything that he has already managed to achieve in such a short space of time, against far more experienced drivers.

The next round is at Spielberg in Austria, 13th and 14th May. Watch this space!

View Ferrari’s race report here.

Passione Ferrari Challenge Edition at Snetterton

The opening round of the Passione Ferrari Challenge Edition took place at Snetterton last weekend, alongside Ferrari Challenge UK. The event was a great success for us, with a total of six test drives in our white 488 Challenge Evo. Each test driver had 45 minutes on track with a professional driver coach, Miguel Faísca, alongside them to ensure they got the most out of their session – check out the glowing brake disks!

We were also running a customer in their own car, who made great progress throughout the six 45 minute sessions on track with Charlie Hollings coaching.

Ferrari customers brought along a fantastic array of cars which were a delight to see in the paddock, the Ferrari hospitality was excellent, and even the weather was kind to us!

The next round is at Oulton Park on 19th & 20th May, please get in touch if you’d like to join us.

Supercar Driver visit FF Corse

Last week we welcomed Supercar Driver into our workshop, and they also joined us trackside for a Silverstone trackday in which we were running four cars. Members enjoyed watching techs working on the cars in the garage and viewing the trackday action from the pit wall. Members also tried their hand on a Blade simuulator, developed by Aston Martin driver and three-time Le Mans winner Darren Turner. Thank you to Base Performance Simulators for providing the sim.

We thoroughly enjoyed meeting some SCD members and it was also a real pleasure to see their stunning collection of cars!

View more photos from the day here.