Weather impacts Ferrari Challenge action at Mont-Tremblant

Emmanuel Anassis has claimed double victories at Mont-Tremblant in the North American Ferrari Challenge, piloting the Ferrari 458 EVO. The Canadian round of the 2015 championship was held this past weekend at the picturesque Circuit Mont-Tremblant sited in the Laurentians, a one-hour drive north of Montreal.

Inclement weather

After a warm day under the sun Friday, things became rather ugly on Saturday – and for the rest of the meeting - with rain showers, grey skies and slick track conditions. The qualifying session for Race 1 was eventually cancelled, and the starting grid was set on the current championship positions. Ferrari Quebec’s Emmanuel Anassis dominated race 1, easily pulling way from the rest of the field despite the treacherous and slippery conditions.

Fellow Canadian competitor, Wei Lu (Ferrari of Vancouver) drove a strong race, but lost a few places and finished 4th. John Farano (Ferrari of Ft. Lauderdale) and Ryan Ockey (Ferrari of Ontario) finished second and third on the podium. The No. 8  (Ferrari of Ft. Lauderdale) claimed victory in the Pirelli Am category.

Former ice hockey player, Patrice Brisebois (Ferrari Quebec) finished second after driving an inspired race, beating Marc Muzzo (Ferrari of Ontario). Heavy rain showers also heavily hampered Sunday’s race action. Qualifications were (again) cancelled and the starting grid was set based on Saturday’s championship points. The appalling conditions forced the organisers to move the race ahead of schedule.

But when the cars lined up on the track for the start, the skies opened and forced a delay. Moments after the start at 2:30pm, Anassis again began to pull away from the rest of the field, en route to his second victory of the meeting. He now stands first at 226 points, 90 points ahead of the second place contender, John Farano. Wei Lu came in third place in the race.

The No. 8 Ferrari of Ft. Lauderdale entry also clinched its second consecutive victory this weekend in the Pirelli Am class.

Anthony Imperato (Ferrari of Long Island) finished second, and Steve Johnson (Ferrari of Ft. Lauderdale) third. Jean-Claude Saada (Boardwalk Ferrari) scored two victories in the Coppa Shell. The penultimate round of the championship, the last on American soil of the 2015 season, will be in conjunction with Ferrari Racing Days, held at NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans, on October 2-4.

Rene Fagnan