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EMS Race Team Earns Podium in Portugal to Start New Season

EMS Race Team Earns Podium in Portugal to Start New Season

by | Apr 5, 2022 | EMS Ferrari Challenge

The Portimao Circuit in Portugal was packed with racing excitement during the opening weekend of the 2022 Ferrari Challenge season. ERIN, the Electronic Merchant Systems Ferrari 488 Challenge EVO, was among the 46 cars that competed in the year’s first race. Despite starting the weekend with a wrist injury that prevented driver James Weiland from participating in Q1, Electronic Merchant Systems closed strong with a podium finish in Race 2.  

During the second race in Portugal on Sunday, Weiland and his team from Rossocorsa, R3 Motorsports, and Ferrari of San Francisco qualified P4. At the 16-minute mark of the race, Weiland made his move into a podium position for good. The Ferrari broadcast team discussed the pass that put ERIN into 3rd place.

Race 1 began with Weiland missing qualifying due to a wrist injury. A regimen of ice and rest helped the wrist get into good enough shape for the race on Saturday. But the team was forced to start in the last position because of the missed qualifying session. The 118 car made 16 overtakes in Race 1 to go from 29 to 13 overall.

“Portugal was a gorgeous country and we really enjoyed visiting,” Weiland said. “The racing was great throughout the weekend, and it was exciting to be back with our team competing. Our next goal is to race the best we can while raising awareness for PETA Cruelty-Free, Coach Sam’s Scholars, and Cornerstone of Hope during the Ferrari Races in May.”  

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization globally. Products proudly displaying the bunny logo are cruelty-free, meaning that they were produced without testing on animals. Coach Sam’s Scholar’s mission is to provide educational support to at-risk children through literacy, personal development, and health and fitness programs designed to develop the whole child. Cornerstone of Hope, meanwhile, is dedicated to providing support, education, and hope for the grieving. 

EMS Race Team’s official schedule for the 2022 campaign is listed below.

2022 Ferrari Challenge Europe Season Schedule:

  • April 1-3 – Portimao
  • May 13-15 – Paul Ricard
  • June 17-19 – Budapest
  • July 22-24 – Hockenheim
  • September 16-18 – Silverstone
  • October 7-9 – Mugello
  • TBA – Finali Mondiali

Follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram all season long for the latest news and updates. To stream the races live throughout the season bookmark this link: https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/corse-clienti/live.

The 2022 Ferrari Challenge Season Starts in Portugal


The 2022 Ferrari Challenge Season Starts in Portugal


by | Apr 1, 2022 | EMS Ferrari Challenge

EMS Race Team enters the Ferrari Challenge season as the defending P2 finisher in the European Championship. Driver James Weiland and his team from Rossocorsa, R3 Motorsports, and Ferrari of San Francisco secured 11 podium finishes during 14 races last year. They also notched three victories while competing at the most famous racing venues in Europe. Electronic Merchant Systems opened with P1, and P2 finishes in Italy at Monza before adding double-podiums in Austria and the Czech Republic.

Weiland captured a podium at Valencia in Spain from there, before two victories in Germany at Nürburgring. The regular season concluded with an 11th podium at Spa in Belgium. EMS raced to raise awareness for PETA Cruelty-Free, Coach Sam’s Scholars, and Cornerstone of Hope along the way and will continue to do the same in ’22 when race weekend begins in Portugal.

The P2 finish for Weiland is among the highest-ever for an American driver since the European racing series began. But second place won’t be good enough for EMS Race Team this year. According to Ferrari.com, Weiland and his team enter the season as the favorite to finish P1.

“In the Coppa Shell, in the absence of reigning champion Ernst Kirchmayr, his 2021 rival, the experienced American James Weiland (Rossocorsa), is the clear favourite.”

Favorite or not, the journey towards a Ferrari Challenge Europe championship begins at the Portimão Circuit on April 1-3. ERIN the Electronic Merchant Systems Ferrari 488 Challenge EVO will be among the 46 cars competing in the year’s first race.

“It’s exciting to be racing again,” Weiland said in advance of the Portugal trip. “It’s been a while since our team was together and we’re looking forward to competing. Hopefully, we can raise awareness for Coach Sam’s, PETA Cruelty-Free, and Cornerstone of Hope along the way.”

When asked about being called the clear favorite to win the championship this season?

“That is nice to hear,” Weiland said. “But considering the field is quite large this year with many fast drivers from last season, along with lots of new fast ones, we certainly don’t consider ourselves the favorites. We will try to do our best every race as a team and we will see where that sorts out at the end of the year.”

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization globally. Products proudly displaying the bunny logo are cruelty-free, meaning that they were produced without testing on animals. Coach Sam’s Scholar’s mission is to provide educational support to at-risk children through literacy, personal development, and health and fitness programs designed to develop the whole child. Cornerstone of Hope, meanwhile, is dedicated to providing support, education, and hope for the grieving.

EMS Race Team’s official schedule for the 2022 campaign is listed below.

2022 Ferrari Challenge Europe Season Schedule:

  • April 1-3 – Portimao
  • May 13-15 – Paul Ricard
  • June 17-19 – Budapest
  • July 22-24 – Hockenheim
  • September 16-18 – Silverstone
  • October 7-9 – Mugello
  • TBA – Finali Mondiali

Be sure to follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram all season long for the latest news and updates. To stream the race live go here https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/corse-clienti/live.