PIRELLI MARANELLO FERRARI CHALLENGE

• In recent times the PMFC has been part of the all-Ferrari ‘Spa Ferrari Days’ event traditionally organised by Garage Francorchamps, the Belgian importer and attracted good fields. In 2004, Ferrari SpA took over the organisation and invited us to join the European Challenge, Shell Historic and Corse Clienti events. However it seemed unlikely that the factory would repeat this event in 2005 since the costs were “horrendous”. Swifty didn’t want to lose Spa from the calendar, so he agreed a deal for this meeting. It is ironical that at the beginning of March, Ferrari Maserati West Europe contacted him to say they were expecting us to take part in the 2005 Spa Ferrari Days! Despite all these efforts and significant expense, a mixed bag of just ten cars turned up - made up of two Category S 360 Challenge, four F355 Challenge (of which one was to be shared) in Category C, and four Ffc Ferraris.

• Pete Hopkinson had got the Pirelli truck installed in our paddock area in good time for all the action, which was pretty good considering that with typical Belgian organising skills, the paddock signs were all pointing in the wrong directions!
  

• Two of the many spectators on Sunday were our old FOC friends, Belgian Maurice Dantinne and his wife, Lulu. Maurice owns that famous red, white and green ‘308GTB/4’ (‘4’ because it was designated ‘Group 4’) first seen at Fiorano in 1976. When it appeared, the engine of Maurice’s car developed around 300bhp. These days, with wild fuel injection and careful Michelotto attention, the output is more like 400bhp. Maurice, whose home is quite close by, knows every blade of grass at Spa and was interested to hear about our classic series. When I explained that to take part, apart from anything else, he would have to ballast his car to over 1220kg, he cried “Mon Dieu! Quelle catastrophe! It only weighs 900 kilos!”

• Sunday morning saw some frenzied activity in the Ferrari paddock area. Rather than pack up and go home with their heavily damaged car, the Charneca/Nuttall team commendably got to work to try to repair the 355 to enable Les to take part in the second race, scheduled for 3.05 in the afternoon. There was much to do. The front end of the car had taken quite a beating and, with the aid of mysterious solutions and potions gleaned from a someone competing in the Dutch Supercar Challenge, Les Charneca was on a crash course learning all about the art of fibre-glassing. After a couple of smelly hours mixing and applying the brew, the 355’s bumper was a fair imitation of the original. Then there was the front wheel to persuade to point in the general direction of forwards, the electrics to sort out (the ignition key had broken off in the lock) and a replacement alternator to fit. Not to mention attempting to fix the ABS system to avoid doing the same thing again in R2. As the PMFC assembly time got nearer it was clear that all their endeavours had been in vain. The engine refused to start and then, after being pushed, it ran very roughly. The crew managed to get the car to the assembly area only to find the brakes didn’t work. It was pushed back into the paddock for its ignominious journey back to Harrogate. Maximum points for effort though!

• Charlie White's 355/Ch. needed new brake pads between races, but he made it to the finish both times. What a first year of competition he has had, from the Hillclimb Championship tution day at Curborough to Spa in the wet [much easier - Ed.]! We trust we'll see him in the PFHC & PFO next year.
  
  
• One of the nice things about Spa-Francorchamps is the enjoyment of some good food and wine in the company of friends. After a snack lunch in the paddock on Saturday many tucked into a splendid dinner at the nearby Hostellerie Roannay. On Sunday evening most enjoyed a pleasant dinner at Le Relais restaurant in Spa, when a delighted Mike Reeder was presented with the Wilkinson 'Driver of the Meeting' award in recognition of his competitive performances throughout the weekend.
  
  
• And so, with that, we've come to the end of the PMFC because from now on it will be no more. Not enough entries have put paid to it, with the Ferraris wandering off to other more highly-promoted series' like Britcar and British GT. Twenty years it lasted - not bad is it?

   

  Thanks to Anne & John Swift for the info.
  
  

Click here to return to the Pirelli Maranello Ferrari Challenge page.

The Club could only muster 10 racers for Spa

NP-B struggles to contain the reputed 400 horsepower!

Belgian Celebrities

The Charneca/Nuttall team got a '10' for effort

"You do realise that there's nothing in that can Meneer Reeder?"

Charlie enjoys the Spa Experience for the first time

Tired but happy, Swifty looks forward to his dinner

That's it folks - no more PMFC at Spa next year - or anywhere else

pics by Chris Schotanus