Is The Illustrious Ferrari F-40 Really Suitable For Track Day Usage?

Sure it is a great track car! It basically is a race car....


You say all these newer cars have all these electronic gadgets. Yes they do, but IMO they dilute the experience from a good driver.
I would not go full out in the F40 until you get some practice (not saying you aren't a good driver) unless you are experienced.

Go have fun and enjoy your machine!

 

Very quick when set up correctly. Brakes need plenty of pedal push. They understeer ALOT!

I had fun with mine. Trouble is the bushes are often in need of replacement before going on the track, shocks will need sorting too, cos they'll heat up.

All said though for a casual day on the track they're fine. You do end up being a target, but so what, there are always bloody tools at the track!

 

IMO your Classiche certified F40 will suffer at the track. Stock wheels are very limiting compared with 18" Kinesis. Big brakes only fit under 18" wheels. Sports exhaust makes a world of difference. These 3 simple and easily reversible changes unlock the potential of the F40 but will not make up for the lack of 20 years of developments including electronics. You can have big fun with the car. If you choose to go in your Classiche certified mode be super careful of the brakes and grip. I bought my car stock and made the 3 changes above after 1 day at the track. I was absolutely unsatisfied with stock and I am perfectly happy after these 3 changes. Interestingly the 288 GTO is fantastic in stock form - I guess because the chassis has a lot less potential so the brakes and wheels/tyres are adequate

 

I took mine to the track the second day I had it. The exige is my official track rat, its a LOT cheaper to run, $ vs. $$$$. Anyway, the F40 is a fantastic track car in all other respects. I would be a little concerned about the cats overheating if your car is not running tip-top (ie, due to dripping injectors, which is common on underused F40s). The brakes were fine for me, yes they need a lot of pressure but they give great feedback. If I was going to use it as a serious track car then I would improve the brake cooling with bigger slotted brakes, but for the occasional weekend outing its fine for me.
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Dear Comrade 512 Tea Cup

If you re considering tracking your F40, I might suggest not doing so as it might risk revocation of your Classiche Certification. Might I suggest rather an F40 LM, or, if your upcomming Lottery winnings should be shared, an F40 LM Replica.

Kind Regards,

355Dreamer

 

Well his car is a Euro spec, it might not even have cats.

 

Great track cars


http://www.pureluckdesign.com/ferrari/deadf40/intro.htm


This became the Linder F40 "LM" as many would know.

 

I never saw pics of the car Mr. Linder used to make his "track" F40. He put alot of time and $$$$ into that car. But he sure used it at alot of track days. To bad he misreprested it as an LM.

 

512Tea Are,

You will have great memories of driving the F40 on track so I would say "yes". Spa is unforgettable. Trackdays are meant to be fun so I would not worry about being the quickest guy there, main thing is safety and preservation of the beast.

Can point you in the direction of a very good track instructor, who can help assess the car and make you quicker than M Schumacher. Your experience of sitting in a genuine F40 LM will stand you in good stead.

PM if want further info.

 

I found my F40 to be a great track day car. Beautifully balanced chassis, lots of power. You have to be careful not to bring the power on too early or too fast leaving a corner, otherwise the explosion will bring the tail around very quickly. I have a second set of 18 inch rims with Hoosier tyres for the track, which makes a huge difference. Someone wrote that they had understeer problems, but I found that understeer could be eliminated by reducing front tyre pressures as low as 26 psi. I use Racing Paget disc pads, and extra cooling ducts for the front discs, which are easy to fit. The brake pedal is heavy, but I don't find there is a problem. My car is stock standard otherwise, except for a fire extinguisher. Some others modify many parts of the car to bring it closer to F40 LM specifications, but you don't need to do this just to have fun. I mainly do track days with the local Ferrari club, and we deliberately don't race close enough to swap paint, mainly against a clock, or just to have fun without police and granny's to worry about. When I did track days with other marques, they normally show respect, but you have to be careful choosing which group to go out on the track with.

Nothing beats the buzz you get from pushing your own super car hard around a track, but especially so if it is an iconic Ferrari super car.
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You're welcome Graham. Many happy returns.
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Great pics!