The Filipino flag flew high at the fourth round of the 2017 Ferrari Challenge Asia-Pacific as Angie King placed second at the Fuji Speedway. Angie proved the mettle of the Filipino by outclassing 34 other drivers from 13 different nationalities at the 4.563-kilometer circuit.

“Angie King is well known for her passion for cars and racing and she has been a long-time friend,” said Wellington Soong, Chair and President of Autostrada Motore, the official distributor of Ferrari in the Philippines. “Having her represent the country this year in one of the most competitive non-professional series in the world is an honor, and her podium finish just solidifies the talent of Filipinos in the world of racing, powered by one of the world’s strongest car brands.”

King clocked in at 32’05.417 for the first race in the Trofeo Pirelli AM category. King, a newcomer to the race, recovered from a spin to hold track position and was just a little over 11 seconds behind first-placer Tiger Wu from Taiwan.


“Coming into the series as an amateur with little experience with professional racing, I was very nervous especially since I didn’t know the track or the car,” said King about her first Ferrari Challenge experience. “I had several challenges during the practice runs, and I wasn’t very confident about how I will do during race day.”

Most of the race contenders took to track the new Ferrari 488 Challenge, the first model in the 24-year history of the race equipped with a turbo engine. It’s the most powerful car at the Challenge series to date, thanks to 670 horsepower from the 3.9-liter V8 engine derived from the 488 GTB.

The Fuji Speedway Race was King’s first race in the season. She will once again carry the Philippine flag for the succeeding races in Sepang in August and Mugello, Italy, in October.


“To say that I was ecstatic is an understatement. I was in shock that I was able to garner a podium finish on my first race, gaining respect from my crew and the other drivers that day,” said King. “I am in love with the 488 Challenge and Fuji Speedway and I can’t wait to get to the next race in Sepang.”

The last Filipino contender to the Challenge, one of the only competitive Corse Clienti races and one of the most popular one-make series in the world, was Vicente Floirendo in 2015. He had quite a successful season with several podium finishes, which put the Philippines in the map as a country that has highly skilled racers.

Photos by Igor Maminta