The Ferrari World Finals 2005 are now well underway at the International Mugello Circuit. Tomorrow, the final day of the event, will feature the world debut of the FXX, a prototype destined for a select group of customers, with whom Ferrari has prepared an extremely innovative technical support package. This will involve them becoming part of Team Ferrari as "Test Driver" and their driving experience will be carried out under the guidance of the company's engineers and specialists.

Tomorrow, alongside the supercar, the F430 Challenge will also make its official track debut. This new competition car - which made its public debut at the Frankfurt IAA last month - is based on the 8 cylinder road going berlinetta which, as from the 2006 season, will take part in the Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy, alongside the 360 Modena Challenge, before becoming the sole eligible vehicle in 2007. The FXX symbolises the most advanced Granturismo car built at Maranello. It uses a 6262 cc V12 engine that puts out around 800 horsepower at 8500 rpm. The gearbox is based on a technology transferred over from Formula 1, with a gearchange speed of under 100 milliseconds, almost identical to the race cars which represent the height of today's technology.

Eagerly awaited tomorrow will also be the usual demonstration from Scuderia Ferrari, featuring Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello at the wheel of a pair of F2005 cars. For the Brazilian, this will be his final time at the wheel of a Ferrari single seater.
 

A totally new item at this event is the 1st Enzo Ferrari international rally, with 60 cars from all over the world taking part in a special touring rally (run to CSAI rules.) From the Fiorano track, the Enzos will head for Florence with stops at the magnificent piazzas of Signoria and Ognissanti (this afternoon) and then on to Mugello, before they parade together in front of the spectators tomorrow lunchtime.

Mugello this weekend is also hosting the final rounds of the season in the Italian, European and American series of the Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy, along with the traditional final race to decide the overall world champion. Also on the card at the Tuscan track, the grand final of the Shell Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge which also features historic cars carrying the Trident colours. Completing the busy programme, there will be a display of the single seaters prepared by the F1 Clienti of Maranello department, including the 1953 ex-Alberto Ascari 500 F2, the 1975 ex-Niki Lauda 312T, the 1979 ex-Gilles Villeneuve 312 T4, the 1991 ex Alain Prost F1-91 and the ex Schumacher F2001.

The programme got underway in earnest yesterday and featured qualifying sessions for the Shell Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge and Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy, followed by the first races for the series featuring the 360 Modena Challenge cars. In the Italian Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy, victory went to Michele Maceratesi (Motor/Malucelli,) who crossed the line ahead of Nicola Cadei (Rossocorsa) and Domenico Schiattarella (Motor,) second and third respectively. Salvatore Insigne (Maranello team) took top honours in the event for gentlemen drivers in the Shell Cup. Excitement and spectacle were on the cards when competitors in the European and USA series of the Challenge 360 took to the track alongside one another. First to pass under the chequered flag in the opening race was Robert Pergl (HP-Exclusiv,) ahead of Michael Cullen (Rossocorsa) and Paddy Shovlin (Rossocorsa.)