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Track Days/Motorsport

Discussion in 'Australia' started by b27, Apr 8, 2011.

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  1. b27

    b27 F1 World Champ

    Oct 11, 2007
    15,780
    Melbourne, Australia
    Full Name:
    Brett
    I thought I'd start this thread for people to share their experiences whether it be a driver training day, sprint day or actual competition day. I'm sure there are many like me who like following, seeing and hearing what others do on the track.

    Speaking of which, 360C, where's those pics and download from your recent track day in the Scud. ;)
     
  2. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,049
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Good idea Brett! :):)

    I have yet to take my Ferrari (or any car) on a track, but certainly am looking forward to the day. :):)
     
  3. b27

    b27 F1 World Champ

    Oct 11, 2007
    15,780
    Melbourne, Australia
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    Brett
    #3 b27, Apr 8, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    So, I'll start things off. I'm off to Phillip Island tomorrow for the first time in the 308 and am very much excited and looking forward to it. We prepared the car today changing pads and brake fluid, put track tyres on etc. One of the other things I enjoy about track days is the technical side, trying things and recording the results. I got Phil to put the paint on the rotors to see if we get any decent temperature into the rotors. Phillip Island isn't a hard track on brakes with only 2 hard braking points, being Honda and MG, but I thought I'd do it as a test anyway.

    My initial thoughts on the Ferodo's in the 308 is very good having used them in my HSV track days in the past. I bedded them in down the freeway this afternoon. Very good bite for very little effort. Makes the pads I've used to date look very inferior, I really struggled with brakes at Mallala which is probably the hardest circuit on brakes in Australia. I'm quite positive I would have gone faster with these pads in. You can see in the photos that they not only look aggressive but, from a short run the amount of brake dust is horrendous. The whole side of the car was black by the time I got home. :D

    Some pics. Setting up brakes, Temperature paint on rotors, Track tyres fitted, Brake dust, and the Ferodo's.

    Anyway, roll on tomorrow. :D
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  4. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 23, 2003
    100,524
    Melbourne, Australia
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    Peter
    wait a minute......you drove 2000km last week and you didn't break your spoiler. How's that possible? :) :)
     
  5. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,049
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Im not a fan of Ferodo pads for normal road use. :):)

    In my experience they wear out quickly, average bite and are very dusty. :):)
    (I actually still have front and rears in my old Ford and they are ****)

    Anywho, always liked and use Bendix pads in every car I fit pads now too. :D:D

    They must place all the effort into producing good track pads eh? :D:D

    Car looks great Brett!! I see FF hard at work. :eek::eek:

    Good luck tomorrow and most importantly, I hope you have fun mate! :):)
     
  6. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,049
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Moretti cant drive more than 200m before breaking his front spoiler. :eek::eek:
     
  7. b27

    b27 F1 World Champ

    Oct 11, 2007
    15,780
    Melbourne, Australia
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    Brett
    I cheat. :D

    I've got 1 spolier for driving and one for photos. :D


    And to correct you it's done over 7,000km of what I'd call "spirited" driving. ;) The bolt heads have gone though, that's the bit that's been bottoming out so will be repaired after the track day. It's going in for a big service to change all fluids and clean engine bay etc after Phillip Island.

    And guess what, I'm going to put remote locking in it with the new radio. :)
     
  8. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 23, 2003
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    hey...good thinking.

    how can you correct me when I'm not wrong? I said you did 2000km last week. dumbass


    gee I wish I'd thought of that.
     
  9. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 1, 2003
    58,178
    Australia
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    John
    he doesn't get chased by coppers where they have speed humps on the side streets and he's running modified spring rates :p
     
  10. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 7, 2006
    76,707
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    Arvin Grajau
    waste of time with those rear springs in it,FF should know better.
     
  11. 360C

    360C F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    #11 360C, Apr 8, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I was at Phillip Island this Wednesday doing the Ferrari "Pilota around the world" course.
    I pretty much knew what to expect as I had done a Pilota course waaaaaay back in 1994 at the Mugello circuit in Italy. Nevertheless I thought it would be a good opportunity to try the Scuderia on the track for the first time.
    The level one course is ultra basic and is an introductory course aimed at newbie buyers who have little or no track experience. On Wednesday half the participants hadn't ever been on a track, so Phillip Island is a pretty fast track for your first experience. The Ferrari chief instructor indicated they see about 5000 owners a year at these courses, and "incidents" are par for the course and not infrequent. The Italians were a bit spooked by the speeds at Phillip Island so they toned them down by making you back off way before the bridge on the main straight and telling you to slow down if they thought your speeds were too high elsewhere. Any attempt at late braking into the faster corners also earned a mild rebuke. However, half the instructors were Aussie professionals who let you go harder if they thought you had a bit of a experience, so it wasn't all slow ;)
    Additionally there were cones all over the track to direct you into what was considered to be the correct lines. All a bit distracting if you have been driving there for the past 25 years- correct or not :)

    The course started in the classroom with basic instruction and then the rest of the time was on the track with instructors driving and then the owners taking a turn whilst the instructors watched and made comments as necessary. Then groups of cars went off to the skidpan for a bit of an illustration on the various traction control modes. The bit with no traction control was the most fun of the day :)

    After lunch it was more of the same with some swapping around between Italian and Aussie instructors. Then it was presentations at the conclusion of the day. All in all it was lots of fun and quite good value at $1650 which included pre and post track car inspections, a couple of hundred dollars of gifts, track hire/instruction and lunch. Considering the track costs $15k a day to hire, they had about 15 staff on hand and only 30 participants, it's hard to see it not costing them money to run.

    The Scuderia is going to need some sorting I am afraid. I was very surprised to get brake fad braking deep from high speed. It will need some investigating; but the front pads are a bit suspect. They showed some signs of cracking at the pre inspection; but were deemed ok. I will pull them out when I wash the car on the weekend and see what they look like post track day. It also needs much better tyres as the Pirelli Corsa systems are very average IMHO. By the end of the day they looked pretty scrubbed and second hand and offered very little in the way of grip. Other than that it's bloody quick for a road car. Too much weight, not enough aero downforce, not enough brakes; but bloody quick when you have your boot in :) Maybe I've just been spoilt with the N-GT for the last 7 years :(
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  12. Dazzling

    Dazzling Formula 3

    Nov 18, 2010
    1,133
    Adelaide
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    Darren
    Do the other states arrange any Ferrari track days? I know here in SA it was the National Rally and then......nothing!!

    Not sure why?

    Interested in your thoughts on PI tomorrow Brett, I almost got over there in the GTC just after the historics last month.......good luck, hope you have a great day! Look forward to pics and thoughts
     
  13. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,049
    Mount Isa, Australia
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    Pap
    Jeez, I thought it was a good car! :eek::eek:
     
  14. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,049
    Mount Isa, Australia
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    Pap
    Sounds like you need to organise one there mate! ;);)
     
  15. 360C

    360C F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    The Pilota course is a Ferrari Spa thing. They send instructors around the world to run the courses in conjunction with the local importers for the various markets. The ATECO people ran this course in New Zealand, Sydney and Melbourne. They went somewhere else after Melbourne, not sure which state though.

    The FCA runs track days to varying degrees in most states, with the notable exception of Victoria which runs none, despite having the best circuit in Australia *sigh*
     
  16. 360C

    360C F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    It is an exceptionally good road car Pap. Even the very best "track orientated" road cars compare poorly to purpose built race cars.
     
  17. Dazzling

    Dazzling Formula 3

    Nov 18, 2010
    1,133
    Adelaide
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    Darren
    Maybe you're right Pap, no point complaining just make it happen?

    It is an unfortunate drawback to living in Adelaide (lots of good stuff though) we aren't on the radar for the big events/promotions
     
  18. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 1, 2003
    58,178
    Australia
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    John
    and trying to turn a great road car into a track car is a good way to ruin a great road car

    I like the idea of a track car for track day and road car for the rest
     
  19. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,049
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Cheers mate, sounds like you HAVE been spoilt with the N-GT! :eek::eek:

    Well, I didnt mean to make it out like you were complaining. :):)

    But yep, if I had a track in my home town id probably be the one trying to organise track days. :):)

    There are a few old Porsches here, my 348 and mates 360. Not including A LOT of Jap cars with big dollar setups. :):)

    Im sure if we had a track, we would have plenty show up for some fun. :):)

    Mount Isa..........*cough cough* :(:(
     
  20. 360C

    360C F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Agree entirely.
     
  21. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,049
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Yep, I like that idea also. :):)

    Which is why I will keep the 348 for the road and buy a 333 SP for the track. :eek::eek:
     
  22. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 23, 2003
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    I'm a bit surprised you got brake fade. I thought that just wasn't meant to happen at all.
     
  23. 360C

    360C F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    I forgot to mention that the pearl yellow 458 was being used to give potential purchases test drives on the circuit. It was NSW registered, so probably an ATECO company car?

    The guy with the 599 GTO was obviously having a ball. I believe he has the first 458 GT3 in the country as well, so obviously loves his Ferraris.

    I asked an Italian instructor if he liked the GTO and he said "yes; but sheeeez a tooo mucha". Seemed to be a common theme when I asked one of the Australian instructors who drives the taxi cabs for a living. He said it was incredibly quick; but it felt big and heavy and without the traction control it was a huge handful. Maybe Clarkson was right this time?
     
  24. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,049
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    "Looks like he was riding the brakes like an old lady" :eek::eek:
     
  25. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 23, 2003
    100,524
    Melbourne, Australia
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    Peter
    I don't think so...but seriously....I know the 355ch is down 140hp, which is a lot of extra work for the brakes, but 360C and I ran much stickier tyres than he has on the scud for countless number of laps at our maximum and fade was simply never an issue.

    Something's not right.
     

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