Tim Schenken is still Australia’s only Ferrari factory driver. Hopefully we will see others in the future
Ferrari has announced that Australia’s only ever Ferrari factory driver, Tim Schenken, Schenken will lead a parade of more than 100 Ferraris from Albert Park, Melbourne’s home of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix, on Tuesday 10th October.
He will be at the wheel of a Ferrari 70th Anniversary limited edition LaFerrari Aperta as part of the famed Italian marque’s official 70th anniversary celebrations.
Tim Schenken’s Ferrari racing career began in 1971 when he was signed up by Enzo Ferrari in a Monza hotel (where else!) to driver Ferrari sportscars. The deal was that he would drive nine long distance races piloting the Ferrari 312P.
His first race win for Ferrari was the Buenos Aries 1000 kilometre in January 1972. That year he also won the Nurburgring 1000 km, finished second in the Daytona 6-hour, Sebring 12-hour, Brands Hatch 1000 km and the Watkins Glen 6-hour, and finished third at the Monza 1000 km and Zeltweg 1000 km races. The next year saw him finish second at the Vallelunga 6-hour and Monza 1000 km races.
Though Tim Schenken is probably best known for being the race director for the Virgin Australia Supercars, he also has major international racing connections. He is currently the director of racing operations with CAMS (the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport) and the chairman of the organising committee and clerk of the course for the Australian Grand Prix.
He oversees CAMS’ relationship with the FIA and is a long standing member of the FIA Touring Car Commission.
“It is an incredible honour to be asked to participate in Ferrari’s official 70th Anniversary celebrations in Melbourne,” said Mr Schenken. “My race deal with Ferrari was an significant milestone in my career. In some ways that 1971 meeting with Enzo Ferrari seems just like yesterday.
“I’m really looking forward to reliving and celebrating that history in this way, behind the wheel of the LaFerrari Aperta.”
