The first European season took place in 1993, with Pirelli as the founding sponsor. A North American series was added in 1994. The original Ferrari Challenge Italy used a two-class format distinguishing professional competition drivers in the Trofeo Pirelli and amateur gentleman drivers in the Coppa Shell. The series is managed by Ferrari's Corse Clienti department.
The European series is a four-class championship: Trofeo Pirelli, Trofeo Pirelli Am, Coppa Shell, and Coppa Shell Am. This format was inherited from the now-defunct Ferrari Challenge Italy.
The North American series was inaugurated in 1994, organized by Ferrari North America and sanctioned by IMSA. It also features the Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell class system. In 2024 the series was run at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit as a support race to the Las Vegas Grand Prix Formula 1 event.
Starting with the 2019 season, a regional Ferrari Challenge UK series was launched, contested at tracks including Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, and Snetterton.
Starting with the 2023 season, the Ferrari Challenge Japan was launched as the second regional series, comprising five rounds at Fuji (two rounds), Autopolis, Suzuka, and Sugo.
The Asia-Pacific series was organised from 2011 to 2022, inaugurated alongside growing Ferrari interest and sales in Asia. Seasons included events in Japan, China, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore, also using the Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell class system.
In 2025, an Australian-based series launched with five rounds held at Australia's four largest motorsport venues, featuring a mix of 296 Challenge and 488 Challenge Evo cars.
Announced at the 2025 Finali Mondiali, a new regional series for the 2026–27 season will run at Bahrain International Circuit, Lusail International Circuit, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, and Yas Marina Circuit.
From 2013, the major Ferrari Challenge series combined to host a World Final common event. The culminating race brings together as many competitors from all series in both Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell classes as can fit, with Ferrari declaring the winners "world champions."
The Ferrari Challenge has always used a single model from the manufacturer's road car range, suitably modified for competition. The lineage began with the Ferrari 348 Challenge (1993–1995), followed by the Ferrari F355 Challenge (1995–2000), the Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge (2000–2006), the Ferrari F430 Challenge (2006–2011), the Ferrari 458 Challenge (2011–2013), the Ferrari 458 Challenge Evo (2014–2016), the Ferrari 488 Challenge (2017–2020), the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo (2020–present), and the Ferrari 296 Challenge (2024–present).
The 360 Challenge was the first competition-oriented version marketed to the public. The F430 Challenge introduced carbon-ceramic brake discs for the first time and gained 80 hp (60 kW) over the 360CS, reducing lap times to approximately three seconds shy of the F430 GT2. The 458 Challenge was the first to feature driver-controlled aids such as traction control, stability management, and adjustable ABS brakes.
All cars used in the series are track-only, although some 360 Challenges have been made road-legal in Australia with extensive modifications; new legislation has since made this practice impossible. The 360 Modena Challenge should not be confused with the road-legal 360 Challenge Stradale.
In 1999, Sega's producer Yu Suzuki created Ferrari F355 Challenge: Passione Rossa, a video game based on the F355 Challenge series. In 2008, System 3's Mark Cale created Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli, the official game of the Ferrari Challenge featuring the licensed Ferrari F430 Challenge for the 2007 Italian, European, and North American series. In 2012, the Ferrari Challenge appeared in Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends. In 2024, iRacing added the Ferrari 296 Challenge car to its Ferrari Challenge Series, replacing the 296 GT3.
This article is based solely on the supplied corpus. No external sources were consulted; claims that could not be substantiated against the corpus were omitted under the drop-the-claim rule.
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