Thoughts after my 599 track day...

I was able to drive my Uncle's 2009 599 at Eagles Canyon Raceway outside of Dallas this weekend. I had never even driven a 599 on the street before this weekend, so it was a real treat.

First, my tracking background. I have been tracking my cars for the last 4 years: E46 M3 -> 997TT -> E60 M5. I have about 35 track days overall, so Im definitely no expert - but experienced enough to know what I am doing.

First, this track was not the most ideal for the 599. It was 2.5 miles in length, but contains some very tight, technical turns. The first thing that I noticed about the 599 was.... its heavy!! It has a TON of power, but when you start pushing it through the turns, it feels every bit as heavy as it is. Body roll was waaaay beyond what I would expect. Its not that it wasnt an awesome car at the track, it just made me realize how necessary the HGTE improvement really is. My M5 with some minor suspension upgrades feels 100% more solid through the turns and it weighs a little bit more than the 599. On the straights, this car hauls. The brakes are awesome and never even flinched - even at the end of the day.

I am participating in a Ferrari event at Auto Club Speedway (California Speedway) on Nov 4th, where I will get to drive the HGTE - I will be looking forward to the comparison.

 

Thanks for sharing mate.

You have a very nice Uncle letting you track his 599.

Do you have any pics?

I didnt expect to hear the car had THAT much body roll. I thought they were still pretty good through the corners.

They didnt remove any weight out of HGTE did they?? Will be interesting to hear your thoughts and comparisons on the two.

 

He's right, the 599 actually does have quite an unexpectedly large amount of body roll that you wouldn't expect in a car of this calibre. Even my RX-8 has less body roll and it's completely stock!

 

The first time I took my 599 for a track day. I found the body roll to be very evident and it did not inspire a lot of confidence in the corners. However, once you have spent some time behind the wheel. You realize just how well this car is planted and how quickly it responds to your touch. Once you start to become comfortable with its handling characteristics you will be amazed at how smooth you can reach into those corners using the cars weight to actually increase your lap speed. This car really is an amazing piece of engineering. It works very hard on making you forget that this is a GT not a mid engine light weight.
One note of caution. This car can kill you in a heartbeat. Its incredible torque and horsepower if abused can turn the cars weight against you and turn both it and you into a paper weight. The computer driver aids were put on this car for a reason. Tread carefully and never underestimate its abilities or its limitations.

 

even though it rolls like a pig, i found once u get used to it it actually holds the roads very well and steering gets more accurate with speed and less floaty feeling.
On normal street driving, the faster u go, the better it gets, and the preferred way is to drive it like u stole it.
However, i have no idea how its like to go up to the limit on a track.

 

All the more reason for Ferrari to do a GTO (or Scud) version. Think 599xx that can be comfortably driven to the track and then back home. Priceless! Or at least nearly so

 

Well... Isn't that what the HGTE is supposed to be?

 

Thanks for the notes

I bet everyone watched as you had a great time on the straights. Seems like the 599 owners have updated their cars for the dual purpose use.

 

Wow! Crazy!

Thanks fellas!

 

It is very interesting that you say this because this is exactly what Clarkson said about the 599 in his Supercars dvd where he drives it on a track in a fashion similar to what you recommend.

 

599 with a good/ used driver is as fast or faster then a 430, even on tight tracks.

When you drive the 599 back to back with a 430 or scud you really feel how heavy and soft it is.it´s hard to trust the brakes. But you also feel the enormous torque difference. That engine is sick!

I really don´t like the 599 on track for above reasons.

 

The 599 with all that body roll is still on average 4 seconds faster than the confidence inspiring F430 on the Fiorano track driven back to back in a Pilota Course.

 

At Road America over the summer. While waiting in position to enter the track for another lapping sesssion. A 430 driver exited his car and walked up to me with a smile on his face. he just shook his head and said quite matter of factly that he could hold his own with me in the corners. But when I hit those straights I left him so far behind he felt like he was practically standing still. He had never seen a 599 perform in a track environment before. Then he said that watching and hearing my car running flat out was truly an experience that he was happy to take with him when the event was long over.
I have to admit that RA is the perfect track to highlight a 599's abilities. Almost anyone can look like a superstar driving this car on a track with long straights and rolling turns. Where you can use the cars weight to your advantage. Still, I found the fact that another driver would simply walk up to me and tell me how much I helped make his day. Was something that made my day just as special.

 

That depends on the driver and does not count as an average. I´m faster in a 430.

 

I also was able to drive a Scuderia that day... not on the track, but on the roads around the track facility..... it is OFFICIALLY my new favorite car... AMAZING!!!




I also got to take a ride in this Challenge car... it was insane!!

 

True eh?? Good stuff!

 

Not true what I have seen. With a pro they have basically the same track time around Fiorano.

Most people at Pilota are a little faster in the 599, never an average of 4 secs though. Typical Pilota step 2 time is about 1,39 in a 430 and 1,37,5 in a 599 maybe. That´s with 3 zones on the circuit where you have to "gas off" for safety reasons.(Loosing about 3,5-4 secs). Since the 599 is so fast on the straights it´s easier as a beginner to drive it a little faster.

Driving the 430 as fast feels way more dramatic, more noise, stiffer chassie, later brake points and so on.

Then in a scud you feel almost the same difference to the 430 as between the 430 and 599, and then in a challenge car there´s an even bigger gap.

 

The 599 was designed to be a GT "Grand Touring" car. A GT car is suppossed to be able to take you on long trips in comfort, style, and at great speed. That is the primary purpose for a GT car. If you are buying a 599 for the track you are buying the 599 for the wrong mission. The 430 Scuderia is a better choice as it was designed for the track.
Now the 599 with the new racing package is available for those that really want to drive the 599 on the track and from what I have read it does improve the cars performance on the track.

 

This result is from my own personal driving experience of which I am willing to share my thoughts and experiences in this forum, you have no right to judge me or others even if you are a professional driver. If you are faster in the F430, congrats to you but I am still on average faster in the 599 by 4 seconds.
As a proud graduate of the Pilota Advance course (constrainted to drive within the Sport Manettino limits of traction control), I am able to take advantage of the power and techological advances the 599 has to offer and turn in far better average timings than the F430.
The Scuderia we had the opportunity to drive during the course had the best attributes of both the 599 and the F430, and I would presume the timings would be faster still. It was a blast!

 

As has been mentioned the 599 is a GT car that provided the best compromise between being very fast on the track and street, one can blast around a track in a 599 and drive home in utter luxury, seeing as the comparison seems to be with the 430 could anyone mention a front engined car that would have the measure of a 599 on the track, not a chance a Conti GT would keep up and the SL65 BS did exactly set tracks on fire either, so when it comes to front engined track cars the 599 is the best period....well in my opinion.

 

I don´t judge you and I´m far from a pro. i just find 4 secs alot.

Are you planning to take pilota 3 as well ? i can highly recommend it !

 

I know what you mean, most candidates were faster in the F430 by about 1-2 seconds at the Pilota. In fact only 3/12 (25%) of our cohort were able to achieve better timings from the 599. Perhaps I have more confidence in the 599 capabilities than most others, its was a dramatic experience for me. But the seat time in the Scuderia and the ride with the instructor in the 430 Challenge car were the most memorable.

Pilota Evolution and subsequently Pilota Challenge is definitely on the wish list but I am still waiting for the 458 to be used as the basic and the Challenge car at the Pilota courses first before confirming my application.