An update from Suzuka
Maranello, 25 April – There has been a slight improvement in the condition of Shigeru Terashima, the Ferrari Challenge driver who was injured in an accident at the end of the championship’s race at Suzuka on Sunday, though his situation remains serious.
The condition of the volunteer who was involved in the incident has also improved. Ferrari Japan is still helping the driver’s family at a hospital in a city close to Suzuka.
The accident has certainly cast a shadow over the Ferrari Racing Days event, which had been a major success in terms of the attendance both of the public and cars. There were in fact a total of 834 Maranello-made cars on show at the historic circuit, to the joy of more than 22,000 fans who packed out the paddock and the grandstands during the event. The star was Kamui Kobayashi, who took to the track as a guest star in the two Ferrari Challenge races and was warmly welcomed by the crowds. The Japanese driver put on a good show in both races, making his way up from the back of the grid to finish third in Race 1 and fourth in Race 2.
There were plenty of Ferraris in Suzuka, as we mentioned, starting with some extraordinary cars which were brought together for the occasion from the most important collections in Japan by the Supercar Chronicle: examples of the 288 GTO, F40, F50 and Enzo were on show to the delight of fans of these stupendous cars that were built as limited editions. The Suzuka event also featured the Ferrari California 30 Giappone, which bore a special livery celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Scuderia’s first success at the Japanese Grand Prix – won by Gerhard Berger at the same Suzuka track on November 1, 1987.
In a first for the Asia Pacific series, there were as many as thirty-four 458 Challenge cars taking part in the second round of the season. They came from a total of 14 nations, confirming the constant growth of this series in the region. In Race 1, victory in the Trofeo Pirelli went to Thailand’s Pasin Lathouras ahead of Japan’s Hisao Shigeta and Italy’s Philippe Prette. In the Coppa Shell Eric Cheung (Canada) won ahead of David Tjiptobiantoro (Indonesia) and Jacky Yeung (Hong Kong). In Race 2 the overall win went to Max Blancardi who, just as at Abu Dhabi, is competing in the International Cup category. The Trofeo Pirelli podium saw Shigeta reach the top step ahead of Prette and France’s Alain Li. In the Coppa Shell Australia’s Paul van Loenhout won from Japan’s Francis Hideki Onda with Cheung on the podium again, this time in third place.
After two rounds and four races, the battle at the top of the Trofeo Pirelli classification is very tight, with just three points separating leader Prette (64 points) from his nearest challenger Lathouras. The situation in the Coppa Shell is clearer, with Cheung leading on 70 points, 27 ahead of Tjiptobiantoro. The next date in the Ferrari Racing Days calendar is scheduled for the first weekend of June.
the crash part didn't bother me as you can see how the car "cab" if you will didn't crush although its a big impact. scary very scary.
