Tag Archives: 458

Ferrari Friday – Niello At Serrano Concours d’Elegance

Today’s blogs looks at some of the Ferrari’s at Niello at Serrano Concours d’Elegance, digitally captured by Geoffrey Horton for us.

Ferrari 458 Italia, Niello Serrano Concours d'Elegance

The 458 Italia is as stunning graceful today as it was the day it was launched in 2009.

Ferrari 250 GTE, Niello Serrano Concours d'Elegance

Of the two 1962 Series 2 Ferrari 250 GT/E’s present the older by default was chassis #3509GT above ….

Ferrari 250 GTE, Niello Serrano Concours d'Elegance

… since the last of the Series Two 250 GT/E’s to be built was chassis #4089 seen above.

Ferrari 500 Superfast, Niello Serrano Concours d'Elegance

I doubt one can ever see enough photograph’s of the Ferrari 500 Superfast chassis #8019SF that formerly belonged to hanging Judge Samuel Simon Leibowitz.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his Concours d’Elegance photographs this season which I hope he will continue to share with us next year.

Thanks for joining me on this Ferrari Friday edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psychoontyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at the complicated story of a Chevron B16. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

Ferrari Sports Car Racers – Goodwood Festival Of Speed

Today’s post will be looking at some of the Ferrari Sports Racers at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed some of which will be familiar and others not.

Ferrari 312 P, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Former British Hill Climb champion David Franklin was celebrating his first fifty years in motorsports driving Arnold Meiers svelt 1969 Ferrari 312 P Coupé chassis #0872 with which I first became familiar on my first visit to Goodwood in 2009.

Ferrari 512 M, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

I have seen Nathan Kinch’s Ferrari 512 M #1030 once before at Silverstone Classsic, but have yet to write about it, maybe next year.

Ferrari 712, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Perhaps the ultimate variation of the Ferrari 512 S is Paul Knapfield’s chassis #1010 which was fitted with a 7 litre / 427 cui V12 and open spyder body work for Jean Pierre Jarier to drive in a couple of Can Am races in 1972.

Ferrari 250MM, Holly Mason Franchitti, Goodwood, Festival of Speed,

In 2012 Anette Mason had the privilege of driving the 1.2.3 liveried Ferrari 250 MM chassis #0353 MM (# 0239 EU) her daughter Holly Mason Franchitti had the honour this year…

Ferrari BB 512, Anette Mason, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

… while Mum was kept busy driving the period correct British Racing Green 512 BB previously owned and raced by her husband’s former band management EMKA and raced by former band manager Steve O’Rourke.

Ferrari 458 GT3, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Finally I believe the f.f. Course Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 above is or has been raced in British GT and or Britcar championship events, though I have yet to pin down it’s precise history or who was driving the car at Goodwood, if you can help please do not hesitate to chime in below.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ferrari Sports Car Racers” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Formula Jr open wheel racer. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

No Cigars – Le Mans Ferrari 458 Italia GT2’s

As we saw on Wednesday four of the eight Ferrari 458 Italia GT2’s entered in this years 24 Hours of Le Mans raced finished on the GTE Pro and GTE Am podiums, for the last of this month’s Ferrari Friday’s I thought it might be interesting to look at the four remaining Italia’s, all GTE Am entries, that did not get a cigar at this years race.

Ferrari 458 Italia GT2, Duncan Cameron, Alex Mortimer, Matt Griffin, Le Mans

The only Italia to retire was the AF Corse #55 entry crewed by Duncan Cameron, Alex Mortimer and Matt Griffin which ran out of fuel out on the circuit in the early morning after completing 241 laps from 47th on the grid.

Ferrari 458 Italia GT2, Kuba Giermaziak, Michael Avenatti, Abdulaziz al Faisal, Le Mans

Last classified Italia was the JMW Motorsport #66 entry shared by Polands Kuba Giermaziak, American Michael Avenatti, and Saudi Abdulaziz al Faisal which completed 320 laps, 12 short of the GTE Am winner, and finished 36th overall from 51st on the grid.

Ferrari 458 Italia GT2, Peter Ashley Mann, Raffaele Giammaria, Matteo Cressoni, Le Mans

Starting from 48th on the grid was the AF Corse entered #61 driven by Peter Ashley Mann, Raffaele Giammaria and Matteo Cressoni which came home 31st overall after completing 326 laps.

Ferrari 458 Italia GT2, François Perrodo, Emmanuel Collard, Rui Águas, Le Mans

AF Corse also entered the #83 driven by François Perrodo, Emmanuel Collard and Rui Águas that started 40th on the grid thanks to the efforts of Emmanuel Collard and was classified 26th overall with 330 laps completed.

Thanks for joining me on this “No Cigars” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at an Aston Martin powered Le Mans challenger. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

Ferrari Friday – Danville Concours d’Elegance

To round out the week we will take another trip to Danville Concours d’Elegance where Geoffrey Horton took today’s photographs a couple of weeks ago.

Ferrari 500 Superfast, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Only 12 Ferrari 500 Superfast Series II’s were built and this 1965 example has been with the same owner for 45 years.

Ferrari 365 GTB/4, Danville Concours d'Elegance

For a while during the 1970’s and 1980’s it looked like front engined Ferrari’s, like the 1972 365 GTB/4 above, might disappear altogether they carried on building front engined 400 and later 412 models up to 1989, then there was a 3 year gap before the front engined 456 appeared in 1992.

Ferrari 512 TR, Danville Concours d'Elegance

The Ferrari 512TR replaced the Ferrari Testarossa in 1992, powered by the same flat 12 motor, but producing 30 more horsepower which increased the top speed from 180 mph to 195mph.

Ferrari Enzo, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Above the interior of a Ferrari Enzo, the gears are shifted using an electrohydraulic shift transmission operated by paddles on the steering wheel with LED lights advising drivers when to shift a transfer of technology from Ferrari’s racing programme.

Ferrari California, Danville Concours d'Elegance

The Ferrari California model above has now been replaced by the Ferrari California T, but it still looks timeless with the roof up or down.

Ferrari 458 Convertible, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Black sheep of this weeks Ferrari Friday post is the 199mph Ferrari 458 Spider above.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photos taken at Danville Concours d’Elegance.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ferrari Friday” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be visiting Castle Combe for the first 500 cc Formula 3 race run at the circuit in 50 years. Don’t forget to come back now.

Share

Lateral Acceleration 1.33g – Ferrari 458 Speciale

The Ferrari 458 Speciale was launched 2013 Frankfurt Motorshow with the strap line “Extreme technology
FOR SPECIAL EMOTIONS”.

Ferrari 458 Speciale, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Aimed squarely at owners looking for an even more focused sports car offering extreme driving emotions the 458 Speciale bristles with innovations on the 458 Italia from nose to tail.

Ferrari 458 Speciale, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The bodywork developed with Pinninfarina is tweaked with innovations carried over from Ferrari’s racing programmes to look marginally, I would say tastefully, more aggressive from every angle than the standard 458 Italia from which the model is derived.

Ferrari 458 Speciale, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Even the road wheels have been subtly restyled and in gold hark back to the Campagnola Competion Alloy’s used by the Lancia Stratos Team on some events in the mid 1970’s.

Ferrari 458 Speciale, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Speciale weighs in at some 90 kgs / 198lbs less than the Italia.

Ferrari 458 Speciale, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Speciale has 30 hp more than the Italia with total hp now quoted as 597 hp.

Ferrari 458 Speciale, Goodwood Festival of Speed

With the increased power to weight ratio the Speciale will reach 62 mph from rest in less than 3 seconds and can generate 1.33g lateral acceleration in a corner.

Of course this car does not just look great and deliver terrific performance it sounds like an orchestra on wheels check out the Official Video on this link, I’ll take mine with the North American Racing Team (NART) stripe please.

Thanks for joining me on this “Lateral Acceleration 1.33g” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

199 mph Spider – Ferrari 458 Spider

To complement the Ferrari 458 Italia Berlinetta, first seen in 2009 and to replace the F430 Spider, Ferrari introduced the 458 Spider in 2011.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Mechanically identical to the 458 Italia the Spider can reach 62.2 mph from rest in the same 3.3 seconds.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

However the extra aerodynamic drag from the drop top configuration means the 562hp motor can only push the Spider to 199 mph ….

Ferrari 458 Spyder, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

… as against the 202 mph capability of the hard top 458 Italia.

Ferrari 458 Spyder, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

The 458 Spider features an aluminium top, weighing just 25 kgs / 55 lbs, which can be retracted in just 14 seconds.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

The aluminium retractable top is said to be lighter than the soft top of it’s predecessor the F430 Spider.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

When launched Ferrari were hoping to build up to 2,000 458 Spiders, like the one seen here at Sherborne’s Classics at the Castle, a year.

Thanks for joining me on this “199 mph Spider” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share

2014 WEC LMGTE Ferraris – Ferrari 458 Italia GT2s

Seven entries in the 27 car field for the 6 Hours of Silverstone on Easter Sunday were GT2 spec Ferrari 458 Italias, 3 of which were running in the LMGTE Pro class and the remainder in the LMGTE Am class, here is a quick overview of how they fared.

Ferrari 458 Italia, 6 Hours Of Silverstone, 6 Hours Of Silverstone

Fastest of all seven was the AF Corse entered #51 driven by Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander which secured class pole position, but could not keep pace with the Porsche RSRs during the race when the conditions turned damp and were completely outclassed when the track was completely soaked. Gianmaria and Toni eventually finished 4th in class, 10th overall, behind the two works RSRs and an Aston Martin Vantage V8.

Ferrari 458 Italia, 6 Hours Of Silverstone, 6 Hours Of Silverstone

AF Corse team mates Davide Rigon and James Calado driving the #71 Italia followed the # 51 home in 11th place overall.

Ferrari 458 Italia, 6 Hours Of Silverstone, 6 Hours Of Silverstone

RAM racing were making there WEC debut, with entries in the LMGTE Pro and Am classes having run a GT2 spec Italia to win the European Le Mans series in their first full season of competition last year. 2013 ELMS drivers co champion Matt Griffith was paired with Alvaro Parente in the Pro #52 Italia seen above and they came home 12th overall and 6th in class.

Ferrari 458 Italia, 6 Hours Of Silverstone, 6 Hours Of Silverstone

Pole in the LMGTE Am class was also won by AF Corse with Stephen Wyatt, Michele Rugolo and Sam Bird at the wheel of the #81 Italia. However they could not keep pace with the Aston Martin Vantage V8s during the race and so finished 3rd in class 17th overall.

Ferrari 458 Italia, 6 Hours Of Silverstone, 6 Hours Of Silverstone

The RAM racing LMGTE Am entry was driven by 2013 ELMS drivers co Champion Johnny Mowlem, Mark Patterson and Ben Collins who finished 19th overall and 5th in class.

Ferrari 458 Italia, 6 Hours Of Silverstone, 6 Hours Of Silverstone

The second AF Corse LMGTE AM entry was driven by Luis Perez-Companc, Marco Cioci, Mirko Venturi it finished 20th last of the cars still running at the end.

Ferrari 458 Italia, 6 Hours Of Silverstone, 6 Hours Of Silverstone

The races only ‘recorded’ retirement was filed by 2013 LMGTE Am debutants and champions 8 Star Motorsports who’s #90 Italia was driven by Vicente Potolicchio, Gianluca Roda, Paolo Ruberti. After attracting three penalties for speeding in the pit lane, due to a faulty rev limiter, a drive shaft broke just over half way through the race and the #90 recorded 118 laps. For some as yet unknown reason none of the six other unclassified finishers that were not running at the finish of the race bothered to officially retire.

My thanks to Victor R0 at the Racing Comments forum for enlightening me as to some of the anomalies of retiring from an endurance race.

Thanks for joining me on this “2014 WEC LMGTE Ferraris” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Share