As the Ferrari F430 Challenge gears up for its Frankfurt IAA debut next month, Ferrari reveal that a GT2 contender will arrive in 2006. Already, the new F430 Challenge has been seen testing at Italian tracks all summer, and the new car - which has been engineered in conjunction with long time Ferrari tuner Michelotti - will be introduced into the 'Corse Clienti' targeted racing series' across the globe next year, running alongside the existing 360 Challenge racers.

Considerable weight savings have been made, and the new car has been consistently quicker than the 360 Challenge during the test programme. With 483bhp from the re-tuned 4.3-litre V8 engine on tap, it will be a 'sensory' racing drivers' car, as it does away with most of the electronic driver aids, including the electronic differential (E-Diff), the integrated steering column switch that governs the car's dynamics (known to the Scuderia's F1 drivers as the "Manettino") and the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP). The prototypes which have been sighted - while betraying very little in the way of bodywork modifications - do however offer glimpse of a host of detailing differences. These changes a full roll protection cage, race seats equipped with multi-point harnesses, Perspex door glass with a slide-opening aperture, front tow hook, and bonnet release pins. At the rear, a new performance exhaust system is featured, with two single pipes replacing the quad-outlet affair featured on the standard F430. A quick release fuel cap, finished in aluminium, is now located on the C-post, whilst the wheels have been upgraded to single central nut attachment type.

At the same time that development has been going on with the F430 Challenge, a second programme has focused on creating an international GT racer, designed to FIA GT2 class rules, a car that can give 'Corse Clienti' customers a machine suitable to take the fight to the all-conquering Porsche hordes.

This weekend sees the seventh round of the FIA GT championship, at the Oscherleben circuit in Germany. With the Prancing Horse marque represented on-track by the Ferrari 575 GTC Evo 2005 and 550 Maranello (in the GT1 class) and the 360 GTC (in GT2), Ferrari Corse Clienti took the opportunity to announce earlier today that it will produce a racing version of the F430 "built to compete in national and international Grand Touring races. The new car, based on the road going 8 cylinder sports car, will make its competition debut in the 2006 season."
 

Meanwhile, on the German track, the two Ferrari 575 GTC Evo 2005 racers - entered by the GPC Sport and crewed by Jaime Melo and Jean-Phillipe Belloc (no 3 car) and Jean-Denis Deletraz and Andrea Piccini (no 2 car), are fitted for the first time with a revised rear wing and a specific new construction of Pirelli tyre.

Also on the Oschersleben card this weekend is the fifth round of the European series of the Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy. There are three favourites for top honours in the main class of the championship: Ireland’s Michael Cullen (124 points), France’s Ange Barde (101) and the other Irishman, Paddy Shovlin (98). Heading the points table in the Shell Cup for gentlemen drivers is the Englishman, Peter Sowerby (98 points) ahead of Germany’s Freddy Kremer (96). After today’s first practice session, the event - fough out by Ferrari 360 Challenge cars - steps up a gear tomorrow, with qualifying and the first races.