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‘Casting pearls
before swine’ is an expression that springs to mind when
something really good is presented to the uneducated. In
this case, even our group of Press hounds appreciate
Ferrari’s exceptional hospitality. This lifestyle and social
information may be nothing to do with cars but is a major
part of this Ferrari story. Over dinner, Ferrari’s
Communications Director Al Clarke and I discussed things
Ferrari. "There is no such thing as a typical Ferrari buyer.
They come from all walks of life," he said. "If you must
pigeonhole them, then you need to separate the V8 buyers
from the V12 customers." I'm generalising here but a V8 says
red car, young, dynamic, upwardly mobile buyer. V12 says
more sombre-coloured car, older, more conservative customer.
DAY 2: MONZA
Our fleet of
black Lancias forces its way through the traffic to Monza.
Like a G8 convoy we claim priority at all road junctions. As
we arrive at the historic track, it starts to rain. Then it
really rains. Then it buckets down. "It can’t rain this hard
for very long," I say. But it does. One or two cars venture
out onto the flooded track, myself included, but high-speed
aquaplaning forces us back into the pits. We wait. We watch.
We lunch. Then Enrico Bertaggia our chief instructor and
ex-F1 driver announces, "You will all get your drives, rain
or no rain – my responsibility." He thumps his chest.
In the late
afternoon, the rain-gods run out of water. We never get a
dry run but at least the rivers and lakes across the Monza
track have dispersed. With mostly non-car journalists
present, many had neither driven on a race track nor driven
a Ferrari. Our long line of track Ferraris comprises 360
Challenge race cars and the new F430 in road trim.
360C DRIVE
The 360
Challenge is a strong racing car that I know well. The only
modification for a wet track is the substitution of slicks
for rain tyres. Where many cars need to have the suspension
softened and anti-roll bars relaxed, the smart suspension in
the 360C takes care of everything. Traction control, which
the racers switch off for dry tracks, is left operational in
the wet. With 419bhp on tap, lighting up the rear tyres
exiting the fifth-gear Parabolica is not what you need. I
have said it before – any fool can correct a low-speed slide
but at two-miles-a-minute, cars like these don’t come back
from high slip angles. With the track flooded, the cornering
lines are dictated for you. On the straights some tarmac is
just visible in the middle of the track, and in places just
wide enough for a car. I learn the locations of rivers and
lakes and make sure that I am driving dead straight as I
cross them. Normally it is the corners where all the drama
happens. In these conditions it is the straights that will
kill you. Straight-line speeds are modulated in keeping with
the water clearance capabilities of the rain tyres. When the
rainfall is so bad that you can’t tell the difference
between lakes and track, you have a choice: return to the
pits, or crash. We return and wait.
The 360Cs are
equipped with a state-of-the-art data acquisition system.
GET works with gps (global position satellite) as well as
on-board sensors. For instruction purposes, four parameters
are recorded so that a driver can readily compare his inputs
overlaid in a contrasting colour with those of the Chief
Instructor. The four parameters are: throttle position,
braking point, cornering lines and steering input. The
system is excellent. If only all race schools could have
something like this.
F430 DRIVE
With its
brightly-coloured stickers and logos, I keep reminding
myself that my F430 is simply an off-the-peg road-going car.
While it cannot match the 360 racer’s track talents, it is a
very clever car. Its 1350kg dry weight is masked by the
light, easy controls and the super-smart suspension. As
prestige cars creep towards 2000kg, Ferrari’s achievement of
keeping the F430 down to 1350kg while delivering all the
expected luxuries must be applauded. It slides earlier than
the 360C but the electronics are better at coming to the
rescue. Race cars and mid-engined cars like these are
tail-heavy for good corner exit traction. The downside is
the pendulum effect where the tail wags the dog.
With a 360C you
need to be quick to correct, and even quicker at the
consequence of correction. The F430 flatters limited
talents. Torque is modulated via the E-Diff and the CST
stability control applies individual brakes to straighten
any sideways antics. The computer receives information from
a myriad of sensors and sets to work to save you. It is not
idiot-proof as Enrico explained in our excellent briefing.
Arrive at a 40mph corner at 100mph and all the electronics
in the world won’t save you. The laws of physics have yet to
be broken. The F430 is fitted with a five-choice rotary
switch located on the steering wheel – the <I>Manettino<I>.
The handling choices are Ice, Low Grip, Sport, Race and Off.
For our wet conditions, ‘Low Grip’ is the order of the day
and it works superbly. The combination of the F430’s 490bhp,
a wet track and some great instructors sees our group of
hacks beam with satisfaction.
HOME JAMES
At 5.00pm our
suit-wearing, shade-wearing chauffeurs with black Lancias
are ready to take us to Bergamo Airport for our return
flight. The Autostrada is flooded and blocked with crashed
cars. We are nearly three hours late for our flight. But
when you have your own jet, lateness is not quite the same.
We land at Farnborough Airport a whisker before the 10pm
curfew. Like a Royal jet, our Dornier taxis right up to our
parked cars and 20 minutes later I am home. Air travel as it
used to be, and a taste of Ferrari’s dolce vita.
by Roberto Giordanelli
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