Meverin and Eureka Competition participate in Ferrari Challenge Europe Trofeo Pirelli with Max Mugelli
Max Mugelli’s weekend at Le Mans ended with a significant podium finish. The circuit hosted the fourth round of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe, held against the prestigious backdrop of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which saw no fewer than 62 F296 Challenge cars from all the international series take to the track.
The Eureka Competition team driver secured third place in the Pirelli Trophy in Race 2, a result which, combined with his fourth-place finish in the first race, sees him move up to second place in the overall championship standings at the end of one of the most demanding and competitive rounds of the season.
“Le Mans is a unique experience, a legendary circuit with an atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else. The parade through the town, with the streets closed off and people celebrating, is something truly special and gives you an incredible boost,” our Max Mugelli told us.
On the legendary 13.6-kilometre French circuit, known for some of the highest speeds on the calendar – with peaks exceeding 320 km/h – Max had an intense weekend, which he tackled with clarity and determination despite some technical difficulties that arose right from the start.
The driver from Ronta had in fact opted to use an upgraded gearbox, which had been tested during a shake-down at the Modena circuit just a few days before the car set off for France. However, during the Le Mans weekend, a hydraulic problem arose, becoming particularly evident during periods of heavy deceleration (which had been impossible to test at Modena), and this compromised his qualifying performance.
Forced to start from the back of the grid (12th and 13th on the grid), the Tuscan rider adopted a cautious approach in the first race, not least given the uncertainties surrounding the gearbox’s performance.
“In Race 1, I preferred to play it safe,” said Max. “We knew we had a problem, so my main focus was on getting the car to the finish line without taking too many risks.”
In the second race of the weekend, once the car’s reliability had been confirmed thanks to the team’s excellent work, Mugelli was able to show his full potential, adopting a decidedly more attacking approach.
“In Race 2, once I realised the gearbox wasn’t causing any more problems, I decided to push as hard as I could. I got off to a good start, then on the third lap there was a spectacular crash involving the British rider Morrow and the Belgian rider Ide, and the race was, of course, neutralised. I avoided the debris by braking and moving to the left: those were some frantic moments, to say the least!”
The race was marked by several incidents, including a 25-second penalty imposed on the Czech driver Viol and a 5-second penalty on the Spaniard Monje, which allowed Mugelli to claim third place on the podium in the Pirelli Trophy standings.
This is a highly significant result, achieved on one of motorsport’s most iconic circuits and in a highly competitive field, confirming the Italian driver’s consistency and reliability – he has become a regular on the podium this year.
“On such a fast circuit, the challenge is also to avoid making mistakes that could cost you dearly, and to stay within the track limits to avoid incurring penalties. I’m very pleased with the result: we had to navigate a tricky weekend due to hydraulic problems with the gearbox, but my team managed to find the cause and sort it out. Thanks to this, even though I started from the back, I managed to bring home some important points. Racing at Le Mans in this setting, with over 300,000 spectators, is a unique, spine-tingling experience!”
Thanks to this podium finish, Mugelli has therefore moved up to second place in the overall standings, cementing his position amongst the championship’s leading contenders. The next round of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe is scheduled to take place at Portimão, on a circuit particularly favoured by the Tuscan driver.
“Now let’s turn our attention to Portimão, a circuit I really like: the aim is to keep going in this direction and try to do even better.”
Photographs by ROBERTO VIVA