Ferrari fans have a rare treat in store tomorrow. Dublin driver Michael Cullen brings the glorious sounds of Maranello to Mondello Park when he demonstrates a Formula One F399 at the MG Car Club's National Championship Meeting, which also marks the debut of the new Formula Ireland.
The Ferrari F399 was raced in 1999 by Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine, and was also used in testing by Mika Salo and Rubens Barrichello. Irvine drove this car in the last two grands prix that year, winning in Malaysia and finishing third in Japan, but the Irish driver missed out on winning the World Championship by just two points to Mika Hakkinen.
The car is owned by a consortium headed by Ferrari UK and is valued at $2 million. It has covered a phenomenal (for a racing car) 11,000 kilometres, and is in full race tune with a power output of up to 800 horsepower.
Three more racing Ferrari GT's will be driven by Paddy Shovlin, Ciaran Caulfield and Michael Cullen's "veteran" racing father Des Cullen. Anyone who turns up in a Ferrari road car will be given free admission.
The 10 drivers competing in the opening round of the new Dunlop Formula Ireland are: Robby Coleman, Eugene Heary, Peter LeBas, Brendan Murphy, Emmett O'Brien, Kieran O'Carroll, Paul Sammin, Mark Smith, Peter Walsh and Barry Waugh. John O'Hara is also expected to race one of the 2.0 litre Ford-powered cars.
WEEKEND FIXTURES - Saturday: International North-West 200 Motorcycle Road Races, Portstewart - Coleraine-Portrush Circuit, roads close 11.0 am; Co Kildare MC, 4x4 Trial, Dualla, Cashel, Co Tipperary, 11.0 am. Sunday: Munster MC & CC, Forestry Stages Rally, Midleton, Co Cork, 9.0 am; 4x4 Trial, Dualla, Cashel, 11.0 am; MG Car Club, Motor Racing, Mondello Park, 1.45 pm; Connacht MC, Autocross, Ballisodare, Co Sligo, 2.0pm.
