458 Spider on the race track - Recommendations

I just spent 2 track days at Sebring with my 458 and just added a few extra psi in the tires. 3 track events on the same pads no problem and I brake hard. Try the stock pads.

 

I too have 8 track events on my 458 and the pads so far are holding up well. The dealer checked them in the fall after 7 track days and the pads were still at 80 %.

I do not brake really hard, as I am more in to high speed tracks where you can use the engine to slow you down and break early enough to make the corners easily. I am not trying to break any track records, but I do like to get the car up to between 180 and 200 on the straight-aways and the banks at Daytona.

I currently have over 5,000 miles on the 458 of which somewhwere between 1500 to 2000 miles are track miles. As always YMMV

 

Dealer said over 70% left. Have over 5000 total miles and use it as a daily driver along with my other F cars

 

Are the challenge pads ceramics? What is the cost difference between a set of challenge pads vs. stock? You will definitely Shorten the life of the stock ccb.

 

458 Italia stock pads are Textar (low quality pads). If the pads are lasting, that says a lot about the driver, and the pace around the track.

Last time I was at Sebring (we had 6 Ferraris that day), 5 of the Ferraris were lapping slower than my Cayman, and my Cayman is slow. In slow motion, everything lasts, tires, pads, bushings, etc.

Two well driven 458 Italia at Sebring, one uses pads every 3 days (he runs with all the nannies off), and just 2 track sessions per day. The other car ate the rear pads in one day, running in Race mode, and lapping in 2:24s (good laps from an advanced driver).

Textar are horrible pads, read the specs, and you will understand they cannot withstand the temperatures reached by the CCB rotors. If you have tracked on them, spend 30 minutes and remove the inner pad from the front and rear axle and take pictures of the damage.

The 458 Challenge pads (same ones used by the F430 Challenge) are a straight fit to the 458 Italia, they tolerate all the temperature that these rotors could reach running stock tires. These pads are more affordable than the stock (crappy) brake pads.

The stock brake pads ruin the CCB rotors, once they overheat, they scratch the surface badly, I have seen the damage already in a 458 Italia.

Flush the brake fluid with a quality brake fluid, Endless RF650 is my favorite now, but Castrol SRF, Motul RBF660 are good alternatives too.

The only other preparation is a proper alingment, most tracked Italia are eating the outside edges of the tires by running a street alignment, especially the front tires.

 

If anything drop pressure out of the tires. Stock pressures are too high for the track. You will not get optimum adhesion. There's a HUGE difference you can feel even with street tires. Check tires after a session and the wear should just barely start to wrap over the side wall.

 

+1 drop PSI a couple pounds

 

You added???

The tires will run very hot.

You should DROP at least 4 psi in each tire.


Kai

 

Is it the same for all of the 458s all over the world? I asked this brake pad issue to my friend who is the Service Manager of Ferrari Turkey and he told me that 458 brake pads are Brembo not textar.

Are 458 challange pads Pagid RS19?

 

My dealer advised me that if the car develops issues while on the track; the warrantee is voided. The same goes for my insurance company State Farm

 

This was an awesome post! My 458 has only 60% in the rear and 80% in the fronts from two track days. I'm impressed with what you say and I am concerned that the pads will wear the rotors. I did not have any of the standard whine from the brakes you get from the CCB'S until I went t my second track day. Now the noise is evident all the time. Thanks again fr your post and I will look into thos pads now. Cheers!

 

I'm curious about the subjective opinion of amount of body flex/chassis rigidity in the Spider vs. the Coupe from those that have been fortunate to have driven both in a "spirited" fashion either on the track or street. I've to my eyes on a spider in the future, but in my experience with open top cars vs. coupes there is always a sacrifice in the feeling of solidity of the chassis in the open top versions. Over the years, I've been able to compare mid-late 80's Corvettes, 1990's NSX's, early 2000 911's. Hopefully soon I'll be able to compare early 2010's 458's!

Thanks for your insight.

 

no noticeable difference to me. i had an italia and now have a spider. agree with you that flex and shake is generally an issue but have not noticed it yet

 

Great post! Are the 458 challenge pads available at Ferrari dealers? If not, where to get them? Can you share the alignment setting for 458 street/track?

Thanks!