Coming off an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victory at the Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta three weeks ago, Cooper MacNeil looks to continue his winning ways this weekend at the Ferrari Challenge Finali Mondiali in Monza, Italy.
MacNeil, who drives the No. 63 WeatherTech Racing Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GT3 in the WeatherTech Championship GT Daytona (GTD) class, will be competing in three races over the course of the weekend – two races wrapping up the 2018 Ferrari Challenge North America season and a World Final race on Sunday comprised of Ferrari Challenge series around the world.
Driving the No. 63 WeatherTech Racing Ferrari 488 Challenge for Scuderia Corsa Ferrari of Beverly Hills, MacNeil currently holds a 29-point lead in the top-tier Trofeo Pirelli class over Peter Ludwig in the No. 11 Ferrari for Wide World Ferrari.
Each Ferrari Challenge weekend offers a maximum of 45 points per competitor: 20 points per race, one point for entry, one point for a pole position and one point for recording a race’s fastest lap. MacNeil’s lead in the standings – despite missing the sixth round of the season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, which conflicted with the GTD race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in May – comes after accumulating eight race victories, eight pole positions and six fastest laps.
“I feel good,” said MacNeil. “The weather is a bit variable right now, but a little bit of rain spices things up. The competition is strong with the best Ferrari Challenge drivers in the world here competing, so we will have to be on our toes all weekend.”
To ensure that, MacNeil explains that his Motul Petit Le Mans victory at Road Atlanta is in the rearview mirror and has no lingering effects.
“Winning Petit was an amazing feeling because we were long overdue for that top podium step,” said MacNeil, who scored three additional podiums throughout the WeatherTech Championship season. “The WeatherTech/Scuderia Corsa guys worked so hard all year and they really deserved the win.
“This weekend is a new weekend with new competition at a new track. I’ve already turned the page from Petit and am looking forward to fighting for that top podium spot this weekend in three different races, including the World Final.”
Ferrari Challenge North America hit the track on Thursday for two practice sessions ahead of qualifying and Race 1 on Friday. Race 1 gets underway at 8 a.m. ET (1 p.m. local time), while Race 2 is scheduled for Saturday at 11:40 a.m. ET. The Ferrari Challenge World Final is slated for Sunday at 6:40 a.m. All three races are 30 minutes in duration and streaming is available via www.live.ferrari.com.
Photo Credit: WeatherTech Racing