Beautifully !!!
Does Ferrari outsource these challenge cars? To whom? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
to build? or to maintain? development was done 100% by Michelotto, I saw and heard the (unfinished) car a few months ago.
Cannot get used to the new 'killer' look of freshly unveiled 488 Challenge, so to help me to get through this, out of curiosity I took a fictional, more conservative approach to that matter. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Can someone explain the costs to run these cars for a weekend? I want to start competing within the next year or two in challenge races, but I also want the challenge as a track car for private events I attend. I was told its about 40k for a weekend race event, what would the costs be if I just want to run it for the summer at like 10 track events?
Just been invited to a days 488 Challenge driving 'experience' in Italy at the end of March which should be brilliant. Anyone else going?
It's been a while since I participated in the Challenge series, so my information is dated. That said, I think some can and will chime in and comment. Since no one has run the 488C, yet, they'll be based on the 458C, probably, however. So, there may be differences. Anyway, as for my own experience, $40K for a one-car, 3-day event, depending on where it is, is not out of the realm of the possible, depending on what you're counting and how far you're going. Consider the following: 1. Pre-inspection. Several hours to go through the car before going to the track, at a minimum. If the inspection finds something, add time and parts. 2. Transportation. You need a trailer (or someone with their own and to haul it for you). Driver cost and mileage costs will vary based on how far away the event is and how many days it's over (keep in mind that you'll need to pay for the driver's time and trailer rental when they show up in advance of the event and for the return trip). Teams can spread this cost across the cars in the trailer. Trailer size also impacts how many spares you carry. I assume you don't have or want a semi-hauler, so costs can be reduced somewhat. It costs us a minimum of $10K to roll our semi. That would be with one or two cars on it, and it doesn't matter what the marque is. However, there's always a Ferrari "premium", when you're dealing with the Challenge series. 3. Support. You will need some basic support equipment just to start and run the car. For example, the laptop. Well, okay, maybe not to start it, but if it throws any trouble codes, you don't want to be at the track and not have the necessary diagnostics available. Otherwise, wasted trip. And, the car, I think, has airjacks. So, nitrogen. And, single wheel nuts, so air guns (and nitrogen, again). Anyway, you're probably not going to buy all that for yourself, so you'll have to find someone who has the infrastructure to support you. Any good race shop will be able to, probably, but for the specialized Ferrari tools (like the laptop). Dealer charges are pricey, but they also have the experience. Minimum of one (or two) personnel per car. If you've got a team supporting you in a non-Challenge event, the pricing won't likely be as high. Their hourly rate will also be lower to begin, but they may price by day or by event, too. See what kind of an agreement you can make by buying hours in bulk, perhaps. Commit to multiple events and ask them to factor that into their pricing proposals for you. 4. Entry fees, consumables, etc. Challenge wanted a commitment, and they charged a rate that included entry fees for multiple events. Can't recall, but pretty large numbers for a full or even partial season. You get some "goodies" included in those entry fees, such as one set of tires per event, some fuel, driver suit, etc. Kojote-type track events don't have that cost, though. Fuel and tires are several thousand for the weekend. One set of slicks is, IIRC, >$2K. Then, fuel, etc can easily add up, and depends on how much you're driving. Usually 2x sessions in the am, and 2x sessions in the pm. If it's open track time, drive as much as you like, but costs go up. Other series might not yet accept the 488C, but you can look into them (HSR, etc.). 5. Travel, hotels, rental cars, hospitality, food & entertainment, etc. It adds up. At the track, the Ferrari-provided hospitality is convenient, but pricey. If you're cooking burgers on a grill, not as much. But, airfare, hotels, rental cars add up. And, remember, it may not just be for yourself. You've got a crew you need and will pay for. That's not included, generally, in their pricing, and it's passed through. 6. Wear & Tear. Post-race inspection will find things that need replacing. Brake rotors (carbon can last you an entire season (and maybe more), but when you need new rotors...be prepared). Suspension bushings and what not. Those are what I'll call the obvious, hard costs. Race cars go through full tear-downs and re-builds after each race in pro series. You probably won't go that far each weekend, but factor in that you have only so many hours/miles/kilometers on the drivetrain. Motors and gearboxes are timed- or mileaged-out, and they're not as obvious as the hard costs. They're there, though. Also, as parts need replacement due to wear or breakage, you buy at dealer mark-ups in the Challenge. Especially on a new car like the 488C (which parts may be in relatively short supply). This was a bone of contention when I ran in the series, btw. Could buy the same set of 6-points for $350 directly from Sabelt, but you had to buy through the dealer. Marked up to $1K+. If you want to bang off the rev-limiter on each shift and want to be at the front, you'll spend more in maintenance, too. Loafing it around, less. Blow a motor or transmission, though, and the numbers are big. And, you'll not be able to race until you get them back (or buy replacements and spares). New cars have teething problems. I doubt a 488C has a warranty, but look into that. 7. Damage. Offs happen, and they can be expensive. I'm not adding anything in for this, but keep it in the back of your mind that you can easily do something expensive. 8. Insurance. Some drivers bought insurance when I was actively racing. Some self-insured. The last time I looked at insurance, it didn't make economic sense to me. I would have been $20-25K in damage before insurance paid out a penny. And, that assumes there's no denial or issue with the claim. Or delay in the processing. However, you can easily have greater-than-$25K in damage in a Ferrari. But, I don't know what current premium pricing and deductibles are. We went the self-insure route a long time ago, and I'm not doing as much wheel-to-wheel racing these days. 9. Driving coaches. Some get them, some don't. Worth mentioning. Figure a couple of grand per event, if you want one. 10. I'm sure I'm forgetting something, so add whatever it is here. I would think that $40K is high if you're just doing Kojote-type days and you live nearby. In HSR, I budget $25-30K for a 2-car, 3-day event. If you're not paying the high entry fees and dealer rates and so on, your costs just will not be as high. That said, they won't be low. You can save a few bucks here and there the more you do for yourself in terms of maintenance and support, but it's hard, in my opinion, to keep track of everything at the track (schedules, driver's meetings, discussions with organizers or socializing, getting time sheets, keeping track of the time before next session, etc.) when you're trying to drive and also maintain the car. And, then, if something actually goes wrong, it can monkey wrench the entire day and weekend. Hence, I'd always advocate for support personnel. CW
Please double check that, Vetro. OP's post indicates $345K USD. That may only be for US cars, but that's pretty far off Euro 255K, based on current exchange rates. It may be that that's SpA's pricing, but that's a BIG variance from EUR to USA. CW
USD $336,750 car/destination charge only This is a car with in-range paint, and no other options (passenger seat kit, special paints)
Maybe that 'pit crew' knows the price. Ferrari 488 Challenge in London: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-uSOdNwiBU and a movie clip by Rawkus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KljLIFthGuU.
