John Marcar Enters the 2025 UK Ferrari Challenge Series
Driven’s own John Marcar is set to don his racing suit as he competes in the 2025 UK Ferrari Challenge Series.
The car he will be driving is a Ferrari 296C belonging to Paramex Chief Executive Officer, Phil Hands, which has been transformed from red to black and proudly displays the ‘Driven’ logo. The car, race number 16, will compete as part of Graypaul Ferrari Birmingham against other customer entries from other parts of the UK in 2025.
John will first make his way to Brands Hatch in Kent - one of the circuits on the 2025 calendar - to obtain his racing license where a week of driving awaits. This will include five races behind the wheel of a Mazda MX-5 in order to obtain the six signatures required to complete the National A license.
What is the Ferrari Challenge Series?
Created in Italy in 1993, the Ferrari Challenge initially provided owners of the 348 Challenge an arena to test their racing abilities. This expanded with the addition of a North American series in 1994, and has since spawned a UK, Japan, Asia-Pacific and Australasia series.
The UK Ferrari Challenge series is now in its seventh edition, having started back in 2019. It is reserved specially for British drivers and offers a condensed racing programme at some of the UK’s most iconic tracks.
There is also the Finali Mondiali (World Finals), a race which occurs annually and pits the best competitors from each series against each other.
Ferrari Challenge Australasia, Bathurst 2025
Which Ferrari models have been used?
Over the 30 plus years of series’ history, eight models from the Prancing Horse have been used.
Ferrari 348 Challenge, 1993 - 1994
Ferrari F355 Challenge, 1995 - 1999
Ferrari 360 Challenge, 2000 - 2005
Ferrari F430 Challenge, 2006 - 2010
Ferrari 458 Challenge, 2011 - 2013
Ferrari 458 Challenge Evo, 2014 - 2016
Ferrari 488 Challenge, 2017 - 2019
Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo, 2020 - 2025
Ferrari 296 Challenge, 2025 -
2025 UK Ferrari Challenge Series Calendar
Round 1 - Navarra (Spain), April 25-27
Round 2 - Oulton Park, May 16-17
Round 3 - Brands Hatch, June 20-22
Round 4 - Donington Park, July 27-27
Round 5 - Silverstone, September 5-7
There is also the potential of an optional final race at an undisclosed location in Europe.
Watch the video below where John visited Graypaul Ferrari Birmingham to see the Ferrari 296C before its recent transformation.
words: Mike Booth
pictures: Ferrari
video: Drivenonyoutube