Last year at the Finali Mondiali EMS Race Team made history. Competing in the 2016 Ferrari World Finals at Daytona International Speedway, driver James Weiland and the crew from Boardwalk Ferrari clinched the Ferrari Challenge season championship in the North American Pirelli AM class. This year, the marquee Ferrari Challenge event will be held at the Mugello Circuit in Italy on October 26-29. During their trip overseas, EMS Race Team is hoping to lead Erin the ems+ Ferrari 488 Challenge to another memorable weekend.
“We know that your best effort is required at the Ferrari World Finals if you hope to have a chance at a podium,” Weiland said. “We’ll be racing against the best drivers from around the world and we know we need to execute as a team to be successful. Over the last few races we’ve built some momentum, and hopefully we’ll carry that into the Finali Mondiali. The Mugello Circuit is a track we’ve raced before so we know how challenging it can be to drive. But if we are prepared and focused collectively we’ll be willing to live with the results.”
Road races were first held on public streets around Mugello in the early 1920s. The present-day closed Mugello Circuit was constructed in 1973 and opened in 1974, just east of the original road circuit. Measuring 5,245 km in length, the Mugello Circuit stands out from other fast tracks thanks to the drastic elevation changes and the high-speed chicanes. The main straight, at 1.141 km, is followed by a blind rise into the tight turn one, San Donato, where speeds drop quickly. The front straight is the fastest part of the track, with the rest an exciting mixture of quick direction changes and long corners without any tight hairpins or stop-and-go sections to break up the flow.
“We’re excited to race Mugello again and have a chance to compete against the best Ferrari Challenge drivers in the world,” Weiland added. “But we’re especially proud to be representing Cornerstone of Hope, PETA Cruelty-Free, and Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation at an event with people gathered from so many different countries throughout the world. It will be a great chance to spread the word about those three missions and we’re hoping to make each foundation proud of our effort on the track. We’re especially excited for Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation who successfully kicked off another school year recently and we’re dedicating the weekend to them.”
Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation’s mission is to provide educational support to at-risk children through a combination of literacy, personal development and health and fitness programs designed to develop the whole child. Since 2009, Coach Sam’s has been successful in reaching hundreds of children and motivating them to believe in themselves, leading to improved academic performance and self-confidence, setting them on the path toward a brighter future. To learn more about Coach Sam’s watch the video below.
For more on Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and how you can support their effort you can visit their website. You can also visit PETA Cruelty Free and Cornerstone of Hope to learn more about how they are helping our communities. To follow along with behind-the-scenes coverage throughout the 2017 Finali Mondiali, visit EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The great Ayrton Senna once said, “Racing, competing, it’s in my blood. It’s part of me, it’s part of my life.” During Senna’s life, he would become one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all-time. A life that was cut much too short on the same track that hosted the 2017 Ferrari Challenge in Italy. During Race 1 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola, EMS Race Team unfortunately lost control of ERIN the ems+ Ferrari 488 Challenge on a slick track at 111 mph in the famous Tamburello Corner where the legendary Senna tragically crashed and passed away on May 1, 1994. ERIN’s collision with the inside wall was softer than expected, fortunately, damaging only the car. After the race, driver James Weiland visited a nearby memorial commemorating the life and legacy of Senna and shared a collection of those pictures on Facebook.
“ERIN ran pretty well in practice and qualifying so we were feeling good heading into the race,” Weiland said after qualifying P4 of 22. “Unfortunately, we lost control in the corner. It had been a long time since I lost ERIN like that. It usually takes about three mistakes to have a crash, and unfortunately, I checked all the boxes in Tamburello. But the damage could’ve been much worse. We spent time visiting the memorial to Senna after the race, and feel grateful to have not sustained any injuries. Hopefully we can use this as a learning experience.”
After paying tribute to Senna, Weiland did the same thing Ayrton would’ve done when he got back in the car for Race 2. While the damage to ERIN was too extensive to be repaired in time for Sunday’s race, EMS Race Team used a backup car. As a result of using a new car, Weiland was forced to start in last position—P22 of 22. But EMS Race Team would finish the weekend strong by charging hard during Sunday’s race, picking off 10 cars over 18 green flag laps to finish 12th overall.
“It was great to get back on the track and continue raising awareness for Cornerstone of Hope, PETA Cruelty Free and Coach Sam’s Inner Circle here in Italy,” Weiland said. “Considering we had only one flying lap to set her up, it really was a magnificent job from the team to put us in a position to compete. Big thanks to our European Team Rossocorsa for providing a brand new, three-day old car with one kilometer on the clock for us to drive. Also, special thanks to David Cameron, Ray Banda, Gianluca and others who were in the garage until 3am getting new ERIN prepared.”
The next stop for EMS Race Team is the Mugello Circuit in Italy for the Finali Mondiali on October 26-29. Stay tuned for more coverage previewing that race in the days ahead. For more on Cornerstone of Hope, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and PETA Cruelty Free you can visit their websites. To check out behind-the-scenes coverage from the weekend at Imola visit EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
EMS Race Team’s worldwide tour continues October 6-8 at the Ferrari Challenge in Imola, Italy. Fresh off a podium finish at Silverstone Circuit in England—which followed a victory at Circuit of the Americas in Texas—driver James Weiland and the crew from Boardwalk Ferrari is now set to compete in their fifth country outside the United States this season. With races in Canada, Hungary, France and England already in the rearview, Weiland and company will now focus on raising awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and Cornerstone of Hope with a podium effort in Italy.
“We had a great trip to England and really enjoyed competing at Silverstone,” Weiland said. “Our goal is to build on that experience and keep making progress as a team while we’re in Imola. We’re also looking forward to spreading the word about PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle and Cornerstone of Hope while we are in Italy as well. Hopefully we can maximize that exposure by doing everything in our power to finish the weekend on the podium.”
Erin the ems+ Ferrari 488 Challenge will be racing the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari when she arrives in Italy for Ferrari Challenge weekend. The track is located roughly 50 miles east of the Ferrari factory in Maranello. The circuit is named after Ferrari’s late founder Enzo and his son Dino who had died in the 1950s. Before Enzo Ferrari’s death in 1988 it was called Autodromo Dino Ferrari. Imola, as it is colloquially known, is one of the few major international circuits to run in an anti-clockwise direction. The track has hosted several Formula One Grand Prix races which featured wins by Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and others.
“We’re excited to compete against all of the terrific drivers in Italy and to race an historic track like Imola,” Weiland added. “We will be racing against some of the best Ferrari Challenge drivers in the world so we know the competition will be stiff. We also know that Imola will be a fun but challenging course and we’re looking forward to the test. We’re dedicating the trip to Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation who begins their tutoring work for the school year this week throughout the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The support they provide for third graders in our community is always inspiring so we’re hoping to honor that with a strong performance.”
Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation’s mission is to provide educational support to at risk children through a combination of literacy, personal development and health and fitness programs designed to develop the whole child. Since 2009, Coach Sam’s has been successful in reaching hundreds of children and motivating them to believe in themselves, leading to improved academic performance and self-confidence, setting them on the path toward a brighter future.
For more on Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and how you can support their effort to help at-risk third graders visit their website. You can also visit PETA Cruelty Free and Cornerstone of Hope to learn more about how they are helping our communities. To follow along with behind-the-scenes coverage throughout race weekend in Italy, visit EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Recent Comments