The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering returned for its twenty second yr on the manicured lawns of The Quail Golf Membership, the place a 1996 Ferrari F50 GT1 claimed the coveted Better of Present title. Owned by famous collector Artwork Zafiropoulo, the F50 GT1 rose above a curated subject of greater than 200 entrants, acknowledged for its groundbreaking design, craftsmanship, and historic significance.
The successful Ferrari was inducted into the Rolex Circle of Champions, a revered custom honoring the head of automotive excellence. Zafiropoulo additionally acquired a specifically engraved Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36, introduced by Luca Bernasconi, president and CEO of Rolex USA.
A Uncommon Ferrari Prototype
The 1996 Ferrari F50 GT1 stays considered one of Maranello’s rarest and most excessive creations. Conceived to deliver the F50 into GT1 racing, chassis quantity 001 is the solely factory-assembled prototype. It includes a 750-horsepower evolution of Ferrari’s 4.7-liter V12, built-in right into a carbon-fiber monocoque with purposeful aerodynamics and Components 1-grade race {hardware}.
Although constructed for the worldwide GT1 class, Ferrari in the end shelved this system in 1997, leaving the prototype because the lone instance. With its uncooked carbon bodywork, black Speedline wheels, and hanging proportions, the F50 GT1 has develop into a holy grail amongst Ferrari lovers.
Different Award Highlights
Along with the Better of Present winner, The Quail acknowledged different distinctive automobiles:
Spirit of The Quail – 1967 Shelby EXP500 Prototype Coupe, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Craig Jackson
Hagerty Drivers Basis Award – 1967 Sunbeam MK2, owned by Richard Thompson
A full record of award winners might be discovered by means of The Quail’s official channels.
International Debuts and Featured Courses
As all the time, The Quail served as a stage for the way forward for the automotive trade. Eighteen of the world’s most notable producers and designers introduced international debuts, together with:
· Corvette CX Idea and CX.R Gran Turismo Ideas
· Corvette ZR1x Silver Quail Version
· Gordon Murray Vehicles GMSV Le Mans GTR and GMSV S1 LM
· Ringbrothers 1971 Aston Martin DBS
This yr’s 4 featured courses introduced particular celebrations to the present subject:
· thirtieth Anniversary of the Ferrari F50 – winner: 1995 Ferrari F50, Museo Carde
· sixtieth Anniversary of the Shelby Mustang GT350 – winner: John Dwyer’s 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R #98
· sixtieth Anniversary of Iso Grifo – winner: Peter Wilde’s 1963 Iso Grifo A3/L Prototype
· Liveries of F1 – winner: J.R. Amantea’s 1997 Ferrari F310B
Eight conventional courses additional showcased icons spanning many years, manufacturers, and design actions.
The Quail Expertise
“From esteemed collectors displaying the rarest automobiles on the earth on the sphere to sponsors debuting the newest in automotive artwork and know-how, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering is the epicenter of automotive tradition,” mentioned Kai Lermen, Senior Vice President of The Peninsula Signature Occasions. “The variety of our present subject, our deal with providing a enjoyable, backyard get together environment and the unimaginable variety of international debuts that make this occasion really distinctive. We thank our sponsors, company, and the motoring group for his or her continued help making The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering essentially the most unique impactful occasion of Monterey Automotive Week.”
This yr additionally marked an unprecedented reunion of IROC legends. Greater than 20 historic IROC vehicles and a lineup of champion drivers – together with Jeff Gordon, Jenson Button, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Danny Sullivan, Ken Schrader, Invoice Elliott, Zak Brown, and Bruce Canepa – took half in a celebratory parade lap and fan showcase.
Friends additionally loved 5 distinctive culinary pavilions, award-winning wines, and Reside leisure. The annual Fireplace Chat featured comic and automobile collector Adam Carolla, whereas Bonhams hosted the twenty eighth version of The Quail Public sale, Monterey Automotive Week’s longest-running and most prestigious sale.
Wanting Forward To 2026
The Quail continues to outline the usual for automotive excellence, mixing heritage, innovation, and exclusivity in a single extraordinary gathering. Subsequent yr’s occasion is scheduled for Friday, August 16, 2026, promising one other celebration of the world’s most necessary vehicles and collectors.
Photograph Credit score: Kahn Media, MitoKino
