Raffaele Marciello, the red lightening from Varese

A lot of racing talents have originated from the border area between Varese Province the Canton Ticino. One example is the young motorcyclist, Marco Colandrea, from Cremenaga, who is currently involved in the Moto 2 World Championships, and another is the racing driver, Raffaele Marciello. This Italian national lives in Switzerland (on the Swiss side of Ponte Tresa), but he  needs no borders to demonstrate his driving abilities. Raffaele (on the right in the photo, with the Ferrari engineer Luca Baldisseri) is one of three Italian drivers that are being followed directly by the Italian motor-racing commission CSAI, and that are attending the Ferrari Driver Academy, a program organized by Ferrari to train the new driving phenomena. Raffaele also holds a membership card of the Automobile Club of Varese, of which he was club champion. And so, for this young lad, who has still to see his 17th birthday, the “world of Ferrari” opened its doors. He lives five days a week in Maranello, with trials on the Fiorano circuit, and beside his school commitments, he continues with his a meticulous preparation, both in the car, and from a physical point of view. He also trains for hours on the same driving simulator used by Formula One drivers, which now is an essential tool for learning how to face the courses in the best way.

Consequently, results will not be late in coming. Next weekend, Raffaele will be on the track in Hockenheim, Germany, competing in the final race of the Formula 3 Euro Series. And there’s a chance he’ll win the absolute title, despite his being a newcomer. Raffaele is currently third in the ranking, with 188.5 points, behind just Juncadella (225) and Wehrlein (190), and he has a moderate advantage over the other drivers. Raffaele is also competing in the FIA European F3 championship, in which he is second only to Juncadella. So far, Marciello has won five races (three in every stage): two at Brands Hatch, one in Austria, one in Valencia and one (albeit with half the points) on the Norisring.

“We’re going back to Hockenheim to compete for the title; a few months ago, there weren’t many who would have bet on us,” said Raffaele, the day before he flew out to Germany, “But here we are; we’ve already shown we can drive fast and we’re not going to hold back. Whatever happens, I will always remember this year with pleasure, I hope to end it on a high.” For Raffaele, the car of the Prema Powerteam, from Vicenza (see photo) is ready: the 230 horsepower of the Ferrari engine will try to thrust him on to the title. And who knows where he might get to, next year.