Major step up
Filipino racing driver Jose Antonio “Juha” Turalba is set to fly the flag in one of Europe’s most prestigious racing series at the upcoming Le Mans race weekend.
The young aerospace engineer and FAA-certified helicopter pilot, who is also vice president for sales and marketing of Philippine real-estate developer Active Group, has signed on with Swiss-based Emil Frey Racing for the 2026 Ferrari Challenge Europe.
Turalba’s debut will take place at Round 4 of the series on June 10 to 13, 2026 at the world-
famous Circuit de la Sarthe in France, which also hosts the 24 Hours of Le Mans. While he will not compete in the iconic endurance race, he will join Ferrari Challenge support races during one of the biggest weeks in international motorsport.
A former Asian karting champion and 2023 Mazda Miata Spec Series champion, Turalba has steadily progressed through increasingly competitive levels of racing. He was crowned 2025
SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines SR1 Champion and Rookie of the Year, winning nine out of 11 races during that season.
The opportunity to join Ferrari Challenge Europe followed strong international performances in Ferrari race cars, where his pace, technical feedback and data-driven approach drew attention from instructors and Ferrari racing personnel.
“Winning the Radical Challenge Philippines was important because it confirmed that I could compete consistently at the highest level currently available in Philippine circuit racing,” Turalba said in a press statement.
“Ferrari Challenge Europe is a major step up and there’s no bigger place to begin than Le Mans,” Turalba said. “I know the competition will be extremely strong, but I’ve prepared seriously for this opportunity and I’m proud to represent the Philippines on this stage.”
One-make series
The Ferrari Challenge was established in 1993 and serves as the Italian automaker’s official one-make racing series globally, often held alongside some of the most important events and circuits in global motorsport.
Ferrari Challenge Europe is one of the most competitive regional Ferrari Challenge series in the world, featuring professional racing teams and elite amateur drivers. Other series include Ferrari Challenge North America, Ferrari Challenge UK, Ferrari Challenge Japan and Ferrari Challenge Australasia.
Turalba will race the Ferrari 296 Challenge, which uses a modified version of the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter, twin-cam, 24-valve V6 gasoline engine from the 296 GTB supercar, sans the hybrid system. It produces 690 horsepower and is capable of speeds of exceeding 300 km/h on the legendary straights of Circuit de la Sarthe.
Other race-specific components include a carbon-ceramic braking system with CCM-R Plus rotors (408-millimeter front and 390-millimeter rear) and ABS EVO Track brake-by-wire control, model-exclusive Pirelli racing tires and a new rear wing that produces up to 18 percent more downforce than the preceding 488 Challenge Evo.
After Le Mans, Turalba’s 2026 campaign will continue through Round 5 in Portimao on July 16 to 19, Round 6 in Budapest on Sept. 10 to 13 and Barcelona on Nov. 18 to 22 for the Finali Mondiali, which is Ferrari’s annual world championship event that brings together Ferrari race teams and drivers from across the globe.
