Ferrari of Seattle’s Scuderia 1999

STORY | KARL NOAKES

PHOTOGRAPHY | KARL NOAKES & OLGA HEILAGR

Ferrari of Seattle’s (FoS) Roberto Perrina strides into the temporary race car paddock built in the shadow of the Wynn Las Vegas hotel and casino. He pulls up his race suit and laces his driving shoes purposefully because he’ll soon be roaring through the illuminated streets of Las Vegas. And each gear shift will write another chapter in he and his brother Tino’s Book of Dreams for Scuderia 1999, the dealership’s official race team.

The “1999” moniker was chosen to pay homage to the year the Perrina family began their journey with the Ferrari brand. Twenty-five years later, Roberto still exhibits a nervous energy as the reality of tackling Las Vegas Boulevard at 300 km/h (186 mph) looms large. He’ll strap in behind the wheel of the latest iteration of the Ferrari Challenge race car, the 690-horsepower 296 Challenge that was introduced for the 2024 season. Unlike its road-going hybrid counterpart, the racer is powered solely by a twin-turbo V6 combustion engine that promises to make an incredible sight and sound as it powers down the Vegas Strip!

In 1999, the idea of the Perrina brothers’ fledgling race team sharing a track with 20 Formula 1 drivers seemed like a long shot—almost unimaginable. Back then, the Ferrari Challenge series was based on the F355. The current 296 is the ninth model to race in the championship (and the fifth model campaigned by Scuderia 1999). It is also the fi rst V6-engined entrant as all previous Challenge race cars featured V8 power. The 296’s V6 propelled the Ferrari 499P Hypercar to victory at Le Mans in 2023 and 2024 after a 50-year hiatus so its credentials are above reproach.

Enzo Ferrari uttered many celebrated quotes during his lifetime. One of the most famous, attributed to him in 1960, is: “Aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines.” Today’s V6 turbo powerplants are far from the monster V12s that originally defined Ferrari. The Ferrari 296 that Roberto would soon race represents many advancements in aero design, delivering incredible performance that will soon be witnessed along The Strip.

Scuderia 1999, from left to right: Brent Holden, Roberto Perrina, Brian Cook and Yahn Bernier

PERRINA FAMILY GOES ALL-IN ON FERRARI

Scuderia 1999 was born out of the Perrina brothers’ desire to experience the essence of Ferrari’s racing spirit while fulfilling a lifelong passion and a quest for personal achievement. The catalyst for forming the racing team is credited to one of the Perrina’s clients, Kevin Marcus, who purchased an original F355 Challenge car that initially raced five or six times in the early Ferrari Challenge series and was featured in the Forza Xbox game. The F355 now resides in Seattle with master collector Peter Gleeson who acquired it via famed artist Dale Chihuly, who painted the hood during his ownership.

Kevin Marcus’ F355 Challenge Car, the catalyst of Scuderia 1999

It’s no secret track days can be addictive and lead to bigger and better things. Scuderia 1999 is a case in point. “Originally, I attended a track day run by Ferrari of Seattle and ended up deciding that I liked driving cars fast,” recalls Kevin. With a wry smile he adds, “Without any thought, I went online to see if I could find a used Ferrari Challenge race car, and I did—on eBay!” Kevin’s bet paid off. What could have been folly became the first Challenge car in the FoS racing team stable. The car proved to be legitimate and well-maintained from a genuine source.

The Ferrari Challenge is the top tier of competitive racing among club racers so the team needed a solid plan to get there and run up front. The FoS racing program started with an investment in a fully-fledged ‘arrive and drive’ offering for clients who wanted to experience Ferraris competing on the track. Procuring previous-generation Challenge cars was easy; however, servicing finely-tuned race cars, sourcing evolution parts, and managing storage and transportation was less straightforward. The overall effort needed structure, which led to the formation of the Ferrari of Seattle Club Challenge program.

Summing up the formation of Scuderia 1999, Roberto proudly states, “Our desire to go racing led to the desire in others so we went racing with Ferrari.” He says more than 50 clients have realized their racing dreams through the FoS program.

WINNING BEHIND THE WHEEL

At the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2024, three graduates from the FoS racing program—Yahn Bernier, Brian Cook, and Brent Holden—competed alongside Roberto and 34 other racers in a prestigious Ferrari Challenge end-of-season race. Scuderia 1999 racers treat their racing with the same seriousness, passion, and commitment as their Formula 1 peers. Professional coaches Marc Miller, Daniel Mancinelli, and Colin Braun, all accomplished sports car drivers in IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship, were on hand to provide support. Furthermore, MG1 Motorsports brought years of racing pedigree to guarantee that the four Ferrari 296 Challenge race cars were in peak condition for tackling the streets of Las Vegas.

“To help prepare the drivers for Las Vegas, we did a lot of work on the simulator beforehand,” explained Mancinelli, who coaches Yahn and Roberto. “We set up an online server for all the drivers to join, allowing them to learn the track layout, develop specific racing lines, and identify brake markers.”

Ferrari Challenge fully embraced the entire Las Vegas luxury lifestyle. Roberto, his drivers, friends, and family were all treated to the complete Formula 1 experience. Proceedings began with a leisurely luncheon with Ferrari executives at the Wynn, followed by meet-and-greets with current Ferrari F1 drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. This included a garage tour, after which all Ferrari Challenger drivers were assembled for a media photo shoot on the main straightaway. A fan-packed autograph session was held pre-race in the dedicated Ferrari Challenge Paddock area. This was certainly a first-class affair.

Race preparations began on a chilly Wednesday with the mandatory track walk during which drivers and coaches examine the finer details of the circuit, feel the curbs, assess the drainage areas, and gauge the condition of the tarmac. Free Practice 1 on Thursday evening was significant since it was the weekend’s only Ferrari Challenge practice session. Consequently, data collection, reviews with coaches, and car setup had to be spot on, with no further opportunity to fine-tune.

The debriefs after Free Practice 1 highlighted the common difficulties experienced by all the drivers. They needed help identifying their brake reference marks; the unprecedented combination of exceptionally high speeds and challenging lighting conditions contributed to these difficulties.

Coach Mancinelli stated, “We conducted an in-depth analysis of the onboard video to identify specific areas to monitor when approaching notoriously difficult braking corners.” He emphasized, “We guided drivers to focus on exact reference points, such as bridges or marshal flag stations.”

The pre-race preamble discussion among drivers, crew, and Ferrari staff focused on several milestones they will shortly experience: the longest straightaway, the highest top speed, and the first use of 7th gear! The nervous tension was palpable. Drivers were shuffling around, striving to stay focused and coaches were working to minimize distractions.

Due to a tight schedule that minimized road closures and accommodated global TV audiences, less time was available for usual pre-race routines. “In some ways, it was a blessing,” Yahn reflected. “There was a heightened excitement to get the race started.”

TIME TO RACE AND ROLL THE DICE IN VEGAS

A line of paired-up Ferrari 296 race cars seemed to stretch to the horizon, and as they came into view, anticipation of the green flag grew. Brian is on the front row, in the Red/Yellow No. 3, with Roberto just a row back in the Red/Blue No. 55. Further back in the pro-amateur classes are Yahn in the Orange/Blue No. 132 and Brent in the Blue No. 14. It was easy to spot the number 5, 55, and 132 cars because they’re wrapped in the eye-catching Scuderia 1999 livery.

The large crowd rose in unison, hoisting their iPhones, captivated by the spectacle unfolding before them. In contrast to the quiet sound of 20 hybrid-powered Formula 1 cars, the combined roar of 38 twin-turbo V6 296 Challenge cars created a powerful symphony as they accelerated from the rolling start. Las Vegas noise is typically chaotic, but during this 30-minute race, fans could sit back, and enjoy the harmonic sounds and feel the resonance bouncing off the stadium. No conductor is needed; the natural rhythm of the 38 race cars circulating sets the tempo perfectly.

After the race, the Challenge drivers gathered in the pit lane to celebrate with the winners and share their personal stories with fellow competitors, family, and friends. Yahn remarked, “I will always remember the exhilarating feeling of reaching 186 mph on the Las Vegas Strip before entering the heavy braking zone.”

Brian Cook, affectionately known as Cookie, achieved a well-deserved third place. He explained, “The lighting along the strip was inconsistent: it would alternate between dark and bright, which can be quite distracting at 186 mph!” He noted that the biggest challenge was seeing the brake markers, adding, “At that speed in the dark, I had to count the bridges to keep track.” Cookie celebrated in true F1 fashion, energetically spraying his jeroboam of G.H. Mumm champagne with wild abandon, dousing anyone who dared to get within range!

HITTING THE JACKPOT

Team Scuderia 1999 left Las Vegas filled with overwhelming joy, lifelong memories, and the buzz of sharing a historic moment with the crowning of the sixth four-time F1 world champion, Max Verstappen. Dinner conversations will be cherished for many years, and perhaps Roberto, Yahn, Brian, and Brent will become insufferable with their stories. All involved agreed, they had made the most out of every inch of the 3.8-mile, 17-turn circuit.

“The experience in Las Vegas was incredible,” recalled Roberto. “Not only because of the opportunity to drive the Vegas street circuit but also because it was another chance to live the racing dream with great friends on our team and continue to build the legacy of Scuderia 1999.”

“Many of our teammates didn’t know each other before joining Scuderia 1999,” says Roberto with an emotional pause as he reflects, “…now we are best friends, which is a testament to the team spirit and highly gratifying personally because it means we’ve impacted lives in such a meaningful way.” Yahn revealed, “This was one of the coolest life experiences I have had. It ranks right up there at the top of any experience I’ve had racing.”

The 25th anniversary of Scuderia 1999 proved to be a banner year. “I’m very proud of all the Scuderia 1999 drivers,” added Daniel. “We won the 2024 team championship again, adding to the win in 2022!” As the curtain fell on the 2024 Ferrari Challenge series, attention is slowly focusing on the 2025 season kick-off event at Sonoma Raceway in March. Enzo Ferrari once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” It seems the Perrina brothers and their Scuderia 1999 team have lived up to those words honorably. Their efforts certainly would have made the old Italian proud.