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The Thrilling Ferrari Challenge Unleashes its Power at Sonoma Raceway

Sonoma Raceway, nestled amidst the picturesque hills of California’s wine country, recently hosted one of the most exciting and prestigious motorsport events on the planet—the Ferrari Challenge. As the legendary Italian automaker’s single-make racing series, the Ferrari Challenge showcases the iconic brand’s powerful machines, incredible driving skills, and the sheer thrill of competition. Let’s delve into the captivating world of the Ferrari Challenge at Sonoma Raceway, where speed, precision, and passion collide.

Ferrari has been synonymous with excellence in motorsport for decades, with an illustrious history in Formula One and endurance racing. The Ferrari Challenge was born out of the desire to provide passionate Ferrari owners and racers with an exclusive platform to unleash the true potential of their vehicles. Since its inception in 1993, the Ferrari Challenge has grown into a global phenomenon, captivating racing enthusiasts worldwide.

Situated in the heart of Sonoma Valley, California, Sonoma Raceway is a world-class racing facility renowned for its challenging twists and turns, elevation changes, and breathtaking vistas. Its 2.52-mile (4.06 km) road course, known for its technical sections, high-speed straights, and hairpin bends, provides a thrilling canvas for drivers to demonstrate their skills and push their Ferrari machines to the limit.

The Ferrari Challenge at Sonoma Raceway spans an exciting race weekend filled with intense competition and adrenaline-pumping action. The event showcases multiple race categories, including Trofeo Pirelli, Trofeo Pirelli AM, Coppa Shell, and Coppa Shell AM, each tailored to suit the skill levels and experience of the drivers. These categories offer a diverse mix of seasoned professionals, talented amateurs, and passionate Ferrari enthusiasts, ensuring a captivating spectacle.

The heart and soul of the Ferrari Challenge lies in the race cars themselves. Impeccably engineered and crafted with precision, these machines are based on road-going Ferrari models but modified for track performance. Each category features distinct models, such as the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo and the Ferrari 488 Challenge, purpose-built to deliver blistering speed, exceptional handling, and an unparalleled racing experience.

The Ferrari Challenge isn’t just about raw power and speed—it showcases driving skill, strategy, and nerve. The drivers must navigate the demanding circuit, deftly maneuvering through hairpin turns, braking zones, and elevation changes, all while battling fiercely for position. With adrenaline coursing through their veins, competitors engage in high-stakes wheel-to-wheel duels, thrilling spectators with their bravery and precision.

Among the participants, one name stands out for his dedication and success in Ferrari motorsports: Ben Sloss. With his fierce determination and love for speed, Sloss has become a prominent figure in the Ferrari Challenge and FXX programs, leaving an indelible mark on the community.

Born and raised in the United States, Ben Sloss developed an early fascination with Ferrari from his father, who admired and respected the marque.   Sloss’s affinity for Ferrari blossomed when he acquired his first Ferrari in 2010. This began a profound connection that would shape his future endeavors. As his admiration for the Italian marque grew, Sloss became increasingly involved with the Ferrari community, attending events and immersing himself in the brand’s rich heritage. 

Motorsports have traditionally been male-dominated, but one remarkable individual is breaking barriers. Rossella Manfrinato, with her exceptional skills, serves as Ben Sloss’s race engineer.

Rossella Manfrinato’s journey in engineering began at an early age. Manfrinato’s father would take Rossella to Formula 1 races in Italy. Fascinated by the intricate mechanics of vehicles and their performance, she developed a deep passion for understanding how they functioned. With a drive to explore the intersection of science and technology, Manfrinato pursued a degree in mechanical engineering, laying the foundation for her future in motorsport engineering.  

The Ferrari Challenge isn’t solely focused on-track action. The event offers a comprehensive experience that includes exclusive hospitality, paddock access, and opportunities to engage with the Ferrari brand. Spectators can explore the paddock, get up close and personal with the race cars, and even interact with the drivers themselves. This immersive experience allows fans to delve into the world of Ferrari, fostering a deep appreciation for the brand’s rich history and unwavering passion.

For motorsport enthusiasts, attending the Ferrari Challenge at Sonoma, Raceway is an unforgettable experience. From the grandstands, fans can witness the intense battles unfold, hear the thunderous roar of the engines, and feel the ground shake as the Prancing Horses thunder past. The vibrant atmosphere, surrounded by the beauty of the Sonoma Valley, adds an extra layer of magic to the event, making it a must-attend for racing aficionados and Ferrari enthusiasts alike.

by Andrew Newton

3 June 2022

3 min read

Ferraris aren’t supposed to be cheap. Ever the high-performance status symbol, they evoke racing royalty like Schumacher and Surtees, or cologne ad fantasies like blasting down the Pacific Coast Highway with a supermodel in the passenger seat. For mere mortals like us, a Ferrari is a prohibitively expensive purchase and—thanks to sky-high costs for parts and specialized labor—ruinously expensive to own, too. That said, there are a few exceptions from Maranello that have historically let people live out Ferrari dreams on a Fiat budget.

The Mondial is the most well-known of these. For some time, it’s been the cheap Ferrari. So when one sold for $82,950 online this week (33 grand more than its #1 value in the Hagerty Price Guide), we sat up a little straighter in our seats and started asking questions. Is nothing sacred anymore? Is there even such a thing as an entry-level Ferrari these days? Is this much money for a Mondial a sign of peak market craziness?

Even when new, the Mondial was an entry-level model. Introduced in 1980 to replace the Dino 308 GT4, Ferrari used the French word for “global” as the car’s name, hinting at their desire to expand sales and reach into less exclusive territory. It wasn’t particularly fast or pretty, and as a 2+2, it could be derided as the family man’s Ferrari. In Ferrari math, 2+2 always equals less cool, and with Testarossas and F40s stealing the show, they just didn’t print many Mondial bedroom posters.

It nevertheless sold very well, with about 7,000 built over a 14-year production run. What’s more, it got consistently better over time. A more powerful four-valve “Quattrovalvole” (QV) version arrived in 1983, followed by a wind-in-the-hair cabriolet in 1984. In 1986, the engine grew to 3.2 liters, the interior improved, and the wheels got bigger. ABS came in 1987, and in 1989 the Mondial T came out with a new 3.4-liter engine now mounted longitudinally in the chassis to a transverse gearbox (hence the “T”).

Even with the constant improvement, the combination of poor image and plentiful supply has kept Mondials at the bottom of the Ferrari totem pole. Once they hit the used car market, they got cheap and stayed there. To add insult to injury, with expensive Ferrari maintenance as inevitable as death and taxes, subsequent Mondial owners frequently had a habit of deferring repairs. This further devalued the cars when they came to sale and didn’t do the Mondial’s market reputation any favors, either.

That’s why we put the Mondial on our list of the market’s most unloved Ferraris a few months ago. Since then, we’ve seen signs that it’s beginning to get some more attention, and indeed values have crept up a few percent. Even so, this week’s $83,000 car still seems well ahead of the curve.

It’s not perfect by Ferrari standards—the A/C needs a refresh and there appears to have been a minor rear-end hit in its past—but by Mondial standards it’s still very good. An 11,863-mile “T” model in classic colors represented with recent maintenance (timing belt, catalytic converters, radiator, hood shocks, brakes, control arm bushings), it ticks a lot of the right boxes. Not enough boxes, however, to justify the “perfect-plus” price point it achieved, at least in our eyes.

Back to our original question: is the cheap Ferrari an endangered species or is it downright extinct? Now, one sale doesn’t make the market, but this isn’t the only big-money Mondial sale lately. Six of them have sold for over 60 grand on Bring a Trailer alone in the past six months, and RM Sotheby’s sold a 5000-mile car for an eye-popping $100,100 back in March. Several have sold for surprisingly high results at European auctions this year as well. That other quintessential poor man’s Ferrari – the 400/12 – has seen its price guide value jump 28-43 percent over the past year, too.

Pretty much everything with a prancing horse badge, then, is now beyond what anybody would call “entry level.” What this means for the rest of the hobby isn’t clear, but it still seems like one of those end-of-an-era moments worth acknowledging. Let’s pour one out for the affordable Ferrari.