The Silverstone circuit in England is this weekend hosting the opening rounds of the FIA GT championship, the newly created European FIA GT3, and the continental series of the Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy.

In the inaugural FIA GT3 race, it was a case of clear cut victory for the Ferrari F430 Challenge of Allan Simonsen and Lester (JMB Racing) beating on track first time out its rivals from Maserati, Lamborghini, Dodge, Corvette, Porsche, Aston Martin and Ascari after some astute tyre choices. Simonsen and Lester won a tight race, finishing 2.368 seconds ahead of the second-placed Porsche 997 GT3 Cup of Deverikos and Edwards.

Most of the GT3 teams had their first experience of wet track running during the exciting inaugural race in the FIA GT3 European Championship. The Dodge Viper Competition Coupe cars dominated the beginning of the first race, with Duqueine ahead of Zonca and Ceccato, but after the driver change, when the track started to dry, everything was different. With slick tyres, no 34 JMB Ferrari 430 Challenge, no 9 Tech9 Motorsport Porsche 997 Cup and no 45 Ascari KZ1R put in an incredible end to the race, taking the chequered flag in this order.
 

 Therefore, JMB Racing Ferrari F430 Challenge-driving Allan Simonsen and Hector Lester became the first winners in the history of the FIA GT3 European Championship. When the rain falls, the British drivers appear to be in their element. Team-mates last year in the British GT Championship, Allan Simonsen and Hector Lester started the season very well by winning the opening race of the FIA GT3 European Championship. However, the race had not got off to a perfect start for the nr34 JMB Racing Ferrari 430 Challenge GT3, when Lester, in second position, spun after a misunderstood with Tech 9 Porsche driven by Deverikos. However, JMB Racing chose the perfect strategy when they decided to put slick tyres on, during the obligatory driver change.

"The team made the best decision, with slick tyres we were much faster than the others, and it was fun to overtake three or four cars per lap" declared Simonsen, very happy with this first victory. "This Championship is fantastic, with more than 40 cars on the grid, it is incredible. We started it by the best way, but tomorrow is another day…"

In qualifying for the opening FIA GT Championship event, held on a wet track, the crew of Bert Longin, Anthony Kumpen and Mike Hezemans (Corvette C6R) set the fastest time in the GT1 class, which did not feature any Prancing Horse cars. Next up were Sascha Bert and Jaroslav Janis (Saleen S7-R,) Jean-Denis Deletraz and Andrea Piccini (Aston Martin DBR9) and Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini (Maserati MC12.) In the very popular GT2 category, pole went to the Ferrari F430 GTC of the Nathan Kinch and Andrew Kirkaldy (Scuderia Ecosse) duo, beating the Porsche of Emmanuel Collard and Luca Riccitelli. The other F430 GTCs of Chris Niarchos and Tim Mullen (Scuderia Ecosse,) Tim Sugden and Iradj Alexander-David (JMB Racing, Mika Salo and Rui Aguas (AF Corse) and Matteo Bobbi and Jaime Melo (AF Corse) rounded off the places from third to sixth.

The race for the Ferrari continental one-make series was action packed and exciting with the new Ferrari F430 Challenge on centre stage. In the rain, France's Ange Barde (Modena Cars) took the win, after a great climb through the field, on the last lap, making the most of a mistake from John Bosch who was caught out by the extreme conditions. The Baron Racing-Kroymans team Dutchman had led for almost all the race and still finished second, crossing the line ahead of reigning series champion, Ireland's Michael Cullen (Rossocorsa.)

Victory in the class for the 360 Modena cars which are still allowed to compete for one final year, went to Italy's Sandro Mucelli (Ineco,) eleventh overall. In the first race of the Shell Cup for gentlemen drivers in the same Ferrari one-make series, Nicolas Misslin (Ferrari West Europe) won from Ettore Contini (Kessel Racing) and Coleman/Flux (Kessel Racing.)

Today, 7th May, is the main day of the Silverstone event with the single 3-hour race for the FIA GT series and the second FIA GT3 and Ferrari Challenge races.