by Brendan Bowers | May 11, 2022 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
EMS Race Team opened the 2022 racing schedule with a podium finish in Portugal. While battling through a wrist injury throughout the weekend, driver James Weiland was forced to miss the first qualifying session of the season. Despite that setback, he eventually qualified P4 on Sunday and executed the pass below to secure a P3 finish in Race 2 at the Portimao Circuit to open the year on the podium.
This week, Weiland and his crew from Rossocorsa, R3 Motorsports, and Ferrari of San Francisco will look to build on that success during the Ferrari Challenge in France. Round 2 of the European Ferrari Challenge Series will be held at the Paul Ricard Circuit during a jam-packed weekend of racing action. EMS last raced the Paul Ricard Circuit in 2017 and will try to leverage that experience during race weekend on May 13-15.
Constructed in 1970 by Paul Ricard at Le Castellet in the south of France, the circuit was the first of the modern autodromes. The track is characterized by its long Mistral straight (1.8 km) and elongated design built on a plateau. The length of the full track is 5.861 km (3.642 mi) and it’s known for its black and blue runoff areas known as the Blue Zone. It quickly became the premier venue for French motorsports upon opening, hosting its first French Grand Prix in 1971. After a hiatus, the track is now owned by Bernie Ecclestone and hosts the Formula 1 French Grand Prix.
“We’re looking forward to getting back on the track and competing against a talented field in France,” Weiland said. “Our reserve driver, Max, has won a couple of races already this year so he is definitely putting the pressure on us to deliver a strong result. We’re going to do the best we can to help raise awareness for PETA, Coach Sam’s, and Cornerstone of Hope and hopefully we can have the same success he’s been having.”
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 will continue to race to raise awareness for each of their important missions at Paul Ricard in France.
To stream the racing action throughout the weekend you can go here. You can also follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram all season long for the latest news and updates.
by Brendan Bowers | 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.
by Brendan Bowers | 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.
by Tara Pachmayer | Nov 24, 2021 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
EMS Race Team from Cleveland, Ohio earned second place in the 2021 Ferrari Challenge European Championship. The P2 finish for James Weiland is also believed to be the highest-ever for an American driver since the racing series began. Weiland—who won the North American Trofeo Pirelli ProAm title in 2016—entered the Finali Mondiali in Mugello, Italy this past weekend tied for the overall Coppa Shell lead. Unfortunately, he and his team from Rossocorsa, R3 Motorsports and Ferrari of San Francisco would not be afforded an opportunity to capitalize. On Saturday, a competitor’s car spun out on the track early in the race and came bearing down on ERIN the Electronic Merchant Systems Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo who had nowhere go to avoid the collision. While the driver was thankfully not injured in the crash, the impact resulted in severe damage to the car and frame and the championship bid was ended prematurely.
While the 2021 campaign did not ultimately end the way EMS had hoped, it was a memorable and successful season of racing nonetheless. Throughout the calendar year, Weiland and his team earned 11 podiums in 14 races along with three victories while competing at the most famous racing venues in Europe. They opened with P1 and P2 finishes in Italy at Monza before adding double-podiums at the Red Bull Ring in Austria and then at Brno in the Czech Republic. Weiland captured a podium at Valencia in Spain after that, before two victories in Germany at Nürburgring. The regular season concluded with a 10th podium at Spa in Belgium before securing the 11th of the year in Italy this past weekend at Mugello on Friday. These accomplishments were all achieved while racing to help raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle and Cornerstone of Hope.
“It was a great year overall and we really appreciate the support we received from everyone who followed along and encouraged us throughout the season,” Weiland said. “To be able to help raise awareness for PETA, Coach Sam’s and Cornerstone while competing throughout Europe is something that we’re really grateful for and look forward to doing again next year. Big thanks to Ferrari of San Francisco, R3 Motorsports, Rossocorsa, Conrad Grunewald, David Cameron and Ray Banda for all their hard work and dedication throughout the year.”
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than three million members and supporters. Products proudly displaying the bunny logo are cruelty-free, meaning that they were produced without testing on animals. Coach Sam’s Scholars’ mission is to provide educational support to at risk children through a combination of 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. Each mission was featured on EMS Race Team’s Ferrari Challenge car throughout the year.
For more coverage of the 2021 campaign, follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Some of those racing highlights from this season are also below.
ERIN the Electronic Merchant Systems Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo wins at Monza:
EMS Race Team Earns Second Podium of the Weekend at Brno Circuit:
Ferrari Races Move of the Day Helps Earn 7th Podium of Season in Spain:
ERIN wins at Nürburgring in Germany:
ERIN’s overtake for P2 at Spa:
Additionally, to keep up with the EMS Race Team Reserve Driver, check out Max Weiland Racing on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube along with visiting his website.
by Tara Pachmayer | Nov 16, 2021 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
EMS Race Team travels to Mugello, Italy this week to compete in the Ferrari Challenge World Finals. The Ferrari racing spectacular known as the Finali Mondiali will feature three highly competitive races while also determining the series champion. Drivers James Weiland (Rossocorsa) and Ernst Kirchmayr (Baron Motorsport) will arrive at the Mugello Circuit in a dead-heat atop the Ferrari Challenge Europe standings. Through six rounds of the 2021 campaign, each driver has compiled exactly 151 points with this final event of the season set to break the tie.
Throughout the calendar year, Weiland and his crew from Rossocorsa, R3 Motorsports and Ferrari of San Francisco have earned 10 podiums in 12 races along with three victories. They opened the ’21 campaign with P1 and P2 finishes in Italy at Monza before adding double-podiums in Austria and the Czech Republic. EMS captured a podium in Spain next, before two victories in Germany and a podium at Spa. Rounding out the top-4 drivers heading into the world championships is Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing) with 100 points and Christian Kinch (Formula Racing) with 94.
The last time EMS Race Team competed at the Mugello Circuit was in 2019 during a memorable weekend of racing. While measuring themselves against the best Ferrari Challenge drivers in the world, Weiland and ERIN the Electronic Merchant Systems Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo secured three dominant victories in three consecutive races. The clean sweep began with a win on Friday and closed with a P1 finish in the World Championships on Sunday. The effort prompted Conrad Grunewald to describe Weiland’s performance as the most dominant one he’d ever seen in the Ferrari Challenge series. ERIN and her team may need a similar effort this weekend to distance themselves from the competition and capture another title.
“Mugello is a terrific track and the Finali Mondiali is a great event all around,” Weiland said. “So we’re excited this week and hopefully we can help raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Scholars and Cornerstone of Hope by doing our best to secure a championship.”
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than three million members and supporters. Products proudly displaying the bunny logo are cruelty-free, meaning that they were produced without testing on animals. Coach Sam’s Scholars’ mission is to provide educational support to at risk children through a combination of 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. Each mission will be featured on EMS Race Team’s car throughout the Ferrari World Finals at Mugello.
For behind-the-scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge Europe, follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Some of those racing highlights from the 2021 season are also below to help get you up to speed for the Finali Mondiali in Italy.
ERIN the Electronic Merchant Systems Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo wins at Monza:
EMS Race Team Earns Second Podium of the Weekend at Brno Circuit:
Ferrari Races Move of the Day Helps Earn 7th Podium of Season in Spain:
ERIN wins at Nürburgring in Germany:
ERIN’s overtake for P2 at Spa:
Additionally, to keep up with the EMS Race Team Reserve Driver, check out Max Weiland Racing on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
by Tara Pachmayer | Sep 15, 2021 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
Through six rounds of the 2021 Ferrari Challenge Europe, two drivers have earned 151 points and share P1 in the championship standings. Those drivers—James Weiland (Rossocorsa) and Ernst Kirchmayr (Baron Motorsport)—will ultimately determine a champion during the Finali Mondiali in November. The regular season concluded last weekend at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps with a littering of controversial officiating decisions that resulted in an overall tie for the lead between the two top Coppa Shell drivers.
While compiling 151 points, EMS Race Team earned 10 podiums in 12 races along with three victories. The team opened the ’21 campaign with P1 and P2 finishes in Italy at Monza before adding double-podiums in Austria and the Czech Republic. EMS captured a podium in Spain before two victories in Germany along with the latest results from Spa. Rounding out the top-4 drivers heading into Mugello is Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing) with 100 points and Christian Kinch (Formula Racing) with 94.
During the trip to Belgium, ERIN the Electronic Merchant Systems Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo made an overtake for P2 that was captured by the Ferrari broadcast team. After finalizing the textbook move from P3 to P2, the video cuts to the Rossocorsa, R3 Motorsports, and Ferrari of San Francisco team who were celebrating the move.
ERIN’s Overtake For P2 at Spa:
“As a competitor, I suppose there’s nothing better than being tied while heading into overtime,” Weiland said. “Ernst, Fons, Christian, Alex, all the drivers in this series, they are all great. We’re just going to focus on doing our best in Italy and we’ll see what happens.”
The last time Weiland and his team raced Mugello was in 2019 and it was memorable. While competing against the best Ferrari Challenge drivers in the world, EMS Race Team secured three dominant victories in three highly-competitive races. The clean sweep began with a Race 1 win on Friday and closed with a P1 finish in the World Championships on Sunday. The racing prompted Conrad Grunewald to describe Weiland’s effort as the most dominant performance he’d ever seen in the Ferrari Challenge series.
“Mugello is a special place,” Weiland added. “So we’re excited to be going to Mugello anytime, and for it to be the Finali Mondiali too, it’s always special. Hopefully, we can make PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Scholars, and Cornerstone of Hope proud.”
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than three million members and supporters. Products proudly displaying the bunny logo are cruelty-free, meaning that they were produced without testing on animals. Coach Sam’s Scholars’ mission is to provide educational support to at-risk children through a combination of 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. Each mission will be featured on EMS Race Team’s car throughout the Ferrari World Finals at Mugello in November.
For behind-the-scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge Europe, follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Additionally, to keep up with the EMS Race Team Reserve Driver, check out Max Weiland’s new Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages.
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