First time in a 458C... WOO HOO!

So, funny story: my wife and I did our first year in our 599XX with Corse Clienti, having previously done some Hooked on Driving days in our 458 Italia, and the local Skip Barber / SIMraceway open wheel courses. It was, to put it mildly, a wee bit of a learning curve to go from street cars into a 740HP high-aero GT car, but Ferrari offered excellent coaching (and excellent driver aids!) and we had a marvelous time and learned a lot without bending the car or ourselves.

This winter, with that experience under our belt, we did another track day at Laguna Seca in our street cars, so that we wouldn't be too out of practice when our next 599XX session started up 6 months later.

Summary:
Actually, more like

Somewhere between seeing 130 MPH over turn 1, watching our friend taken away in an ambulance because he had stuffed his car into the entrance to the corkscrew and broken several ribs, and my wife's coach saying "now remember, you're on STREET TIRES!!!" we decided that it was perhaps time to get ourselves a proper track car for use stateside - something with a roll cage, 5 points, and tires which didn't overheat after 4 laps.

The rest of the story pretty much writes itself The only wrinkle was that our car wasn't ready for delivery by the time the Challenge series arrived at Infineon, so we rented a pre-EVO 458C from R3 motorsports (who, BTW, were fabulous to work with!) , put on some take-off slicks, and hit the track. It was the first time either of us had driven a 458C, but the car was instantly comfortable - exactly what you'd expect if you race-prepped a 458 Italia. It's friendly, easy to slide and easy to catch, and gives great driver feedback. And, even my moderately-skilled hands, it's a very quick car!

Turn 11 hairpin (125 MPH --> 40 MPH)


Turn 6, aka "the Carousel" - a 1.4G ~80MPH descending left-hander onto the back straight:


Since we were driving in the "dealer lapping sessions" in between Challenge races, traffic was a bit of an issue - the perspective of a 458 Italia being a rolling chicane was novel but illustrated just how quick the 458C is. However, my very last lap of the weekend was completely clean...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J47islKizfw

Our 458 Challenge EVO is on its way from NJ to CA as I write this, and we should have it on track within 8 weeks. I look forward to many addendums to this thread!

 

I don't plan to drive in Challenge this year - no time, mainly - but I plan to get many a track day in the Evo.

Compared to the XX the 458C has lower limits (1.2G of braking, for example, compared with 1.8G...) and is easier to catch when it oversteers. It is also more nimble than the XX - lower cg and polar moment of inertia. Both are terrifically fun cars.

 

Nizam - terrific to meet you as well, and certainly I won't be talking you out of your 458ch It was great fun hooning around Sonoma in a proper car, I'm looking forward to doing it again soon.

 

No restrictions on the 599XX. I expect it'll see regular track day use out here in CA once we finish its European tour with Corse Clienti.

 

Christine and I got a chuckle from a recent Hooked on Driving participant who showed up for a track day at Laguna Seca in something quick (Porsche 911 turbo IIRC). He posted a picture of the pit lane -- full of Ferrari 458s, McLaren 12cs, three Aston Martin GT4s, and a Ferrari F12 -- with the comment "I brought a gun to a WMD fight."
Looks like the locals are now going to start bringing 458Ch, 12c Sprints, maybe a 599xx, and other very fast track - specific hardware to the track days.

Shiznit, as they say, is about to get real :-D

 

In the 599XX you hop in, flip the power on, press the start button, and it's ready to roll. As far as I can tell, it requires no more support than a Challenge car. In Corse Clienti there's someone who looks after the car for you between sessions - checks tires, brake pad wear, pulls telemetry etc. but that's similar to Challenge as well.

 

R3 motorsports out of SoCal. They work in conjunction with Ferrari/SF and were fantastic for our 4-day in Sonoma. The 458Ch can be serviced at a normal Ferrari dealer, which was one of its big pro's vs the 458 GT3.

 

Yes indeed! Our next track day with the 458Ch is at Laguna Seca in mid-July. I hope to see a few of you there.

 

And one update - delivered, prepped, and her livery is on! Next track date is just a few weeks away at Laguna Seca.
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Perhaps just one more
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Absolutely. It had been removed for livery install, and goes back on now that work is complete.