What would be the latest F1 car available....

That would start and run without the help or Corsa Clienti. A success racing friend has the bug
And the money for an F1car but does not wish to be tied to the factory at every race.
Early Schumacher era ?

 

You ask for F1 but mention Corsa Cliente so I'm assuming you are looking for a Ferrari. That's hard because CC got most of them incl. the older ones.

As for running them on your own that is possible. The older the better, but usually the pre 2000 cars have a better chance. Also depends on how much of the old gear was left or got replaced with more generic stuff.

Nineties F1 are available. I also know of a nineties Ferrari F1 for sale. PM me if interested.

 

Benetton BMW M12/13, Ferrari 412t1 if I sat on a bundle of disposable funds.

 

Here is a more recent one, which escaped the clutches of CC:

2000 Ferrari Formula 1 F1-2000 for sale: Anamera

 

With as complicated as the modern cars are to operate and maintain I think you would want to be tied to the factory.

 

If the car is fully original then yes, but often the teams strip them out of any "secret" technology and what you're left with runs on a more generic drivetrain.

The Cliente program helps you with that but at the same time is very limiting in its options as they dictate where you drive the car and not the other way around. Aside from being insanely expensive.

As soon as you are willing to go "a generation back" and settle for a nineties car, there are lots of options (including an ex Schumacher Benetton): Several cars available in the 200+ k price range and often with technology, that can be operated by your local racing team (several friendly shops around Indy who maintain the cars for instance).

Personally I'd settle for something like this:

Dallara Formula 1 189 Cosworth DFR 3.5 for sale at carclassic.com

I've driven similar F1 and they're a ton of fun and don't require NASA to launch them.

 

Or as stated the last time this came up... Buy a GP2 car.

 

Yeah I remember an ex Schumacher Benetton that was for sale on ebaymotors for about $250k. It looked complete with spares and I thought it seemed cheap for what it was (I think it was from his '94 championship year).

I would get an older one assuming I had the means, no sense in spending a fortune on a newer one considering even an old one is so far beyond my driving abilities it's not even funny

 

Absolutely spot on.

There are/were two MS cars for sale: the Benetton from like 94 and the earlier 91 car

Again I'd settle for a car with less history

 

Personally, I'd contact one of these companies that offer track days in older F1 cars and see if they have anything for sale. I know all the engines and gear boxes are generic, but they'd also be massively cheaper to run and you'd have the ability to run it without a team of engineers.


Mark

 

I'd pass on the F1 car - best bang for your buck is a 90's era CART Reynard or Lola. Can get them for $80K or less. Cosworth motors have crazy power and parts / rebuilds are reasonable.

There are at least 2 F-chatters that own cars from this era (one I believe is a Swift). One F-chatter retained the Turbo Cossie motor and tracks it.

If you want to go fast for (reasonably) cheap - I wouldn't be looking at old F1 cars.

 

I'd say go with a car with the least amount of electronic technology on it as possible!

These cars were all prototypes when they were new and even back in their day they could be a pain to run!

Mechanical components are far more reliable and easier to replace when necessary than complicated, "antiquated" electronic circuits and sensors!

 

I'd go for a 333sp.

 

You beat me to it!

 

I think the 333 is a good choice. as for Ferrari F-1 cars... I think you are going to have to look at the turbo era cars... maybe 640-641 ... but even then you have computerized shift patterns etc... I think the turbo cars have less computer "stuff" on them but I think you still have programmable FI and ignition curves etc..

From what I know - from talking to Corse Clienti owners - the big challenge is software / hardware used in older cars... as computers move on the old software is out of date - big time.

 

How does such a recent car leave the factory? Someone making a generous enough offer?

 

Might have been sold just before CC was established.

 

I have a line on two 333-SPs.

How may I help you?

BHW

 

If a vintage F1 ride is the goal, the arrive and drive Cosworth cars of the 70's that are run by Historic F1 are the most reasonable. I actually looked into this at one point. However, when it comes to vintage Ferrari F1 privateers, my personal hero is Chris MacAllister. Hopefully he will be at Road America this weekend. He owns and drives this:
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

This car just happens to be one of my most favorite F-1 cars let alone Racing Ferrari's, but its not actually right. he's got the 1976 air scoops on it, when the rest of the body work is 1977 - mid year. the vents on the side and the angular bottom of the sidpod is a dead give away. still 312T2 is one of the best looking F-1 cars ever.... and will be even more famous after RUSH comes out.

 

I'm not a buyer, but how much?

 

I've met Bud Moeller, who owns a 312 T5 that I once got to sit in; still the only F1 car I've ever occupied. The tight fit and lack of carbon fiber were both noteworthy. I also now know why F1 drivers are often accused of not using their mirrors.....

 

Aha!

I noticed the different air intakes and got confused. Now I see why. Tks.

 

A lot of modern day drivers who get to try one of the old cars out note immediately how far their feet sit ahead of the front axle line and the fact that it's thin sheet aluminium "protecting" them!

Most of them shudder at the thought of ever racing them! (Michael Schumacher included!).

As for using mirrors - Back in the day drivers were never that interested in the state of their rear tyres!

 

I would suggest that just about any Formula 1 cars are available to purchase if you have enough money. Generally the post 1996 cars used entirely new technology based on flat floors and different electronic packages. Anything can be bought with enough cash if you are a significant client of Ferrari, were you to take the car without CC assistance you could actually use it. I remember one of the RM/ Sothebys Maranello auctions (2005?) sold a new or year old Ferrari but with the stipulation that you couldnt take delivery until the car was x old, maybe a year or two. This was to ensure one of their competitors couldnt steal their IP.

After the 2009 Maranello auction Thor Thorson wrote a fascinating artical about a mid 90's f1 Ferrari in a Sportscarmarket magazine where he discussed some of the costs that CC would charge and discussed how for anything post mid 1980s you really needed CC. When one considers the electronics that started to be used from then onwards in Formula 1, especially the laptops and other tech necessary would quickly damn anyone except for CC. I think the model covered was a 641/2 which he said something like $125k to rebuild the gearbox and ancillieries. Although again you could just buy it and display it.

As everyone else has said you would either have to buy a cossie engined car and convert to your own computer management system or mechanical management. Or go right back to early 80's/ late 70's although there have been suggestions that any aero era car are demanding to drive. Maybe 1970's or early then LOL. Oh and then you risk getting killed anytime you drive it because they are not called the Formula ones killer years for nothing. Dont know, give up ?.