Correct, however from reading everything including the articles posted, it wasn't brake failure....or was it...
Slicks would only transfer the increased energy to the already taxed braking system ( fluid ) since you would be carrying more speed ( hypothetically ) therefore needing to use your brakes more to slow for turns, it may actually amplify the problem not make it better. I am pretty sure there are 3 levels of VDA status ( Warm Up, Go, and Over ) which monitor Engine, Brakes, Tires ... when things are reaching their limit , status goes to Over. I'm not sure brake fluid itself is monitored in this system, but I am betting if you over heat the rotors, you are getting close to boiling the fluid. This is also assuming the driver had it set in RACE mode, where this display would be available. What a ride , I could only imagine what the driver was thinking in those few seconds it took for it to all go down! S Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thank you kindly for sharing, Mario. That is also what I have been told. Analyzing the 488's ECUs should provide a final answer. Like most of us have said, the VDA should have recorded the settings at the time of the crash, although I suspect the car will be in the clear. Kind regards, Nuno.
Two possible answers: 1. New pads (and/or rotors) which were not bedded in. That's the classic way to crash the first time you take a car to the track - brakes just keep getting hotter and losing power, and if you ignore the mild fade in the couple turns before it happens... 2. Brake fluid not bled prior to track day, boiled the fluid on a hard braking zone.
Out of curiosity, who covers the damage on the car if this were to happen in the USA? Would your conventional insurance policy (Geico, State Farm, etc.) cover it, or do people actually have to purchase a distinct track insurance?
You have to purchase track insurance outside of your regular policy. It can get quite costly but if you plan on tracking your Ferrari you should take insurance costs into consideration before purchasing.
Over here even the most complete full coverage insurances don't cover track days and racing. It's possible to negotiate an insurance just for this purpose but the cost would be so high and subsequently not worth it. In this particular case the damage will be supported by the 488 owner.
See attached page for State Farm's exclusion. 2(d)2 which to me reads "as long as its not a competitive timed event" State Farm would cover it. An event where passing is point-by only, and no timing or track position to target for, it should be covered. I think its open to interpretation. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I checked with state farm and they said they do not cover any situation on a track. From other posts here and the dealer, I called Lockton (https://locktonmotorsports.com/product/hpde-insurance) and got a quote of around $850-950 or so depending on deductible of 10% or 15%. The drag is that they seem to have a hard limit of $150,000 so you can't cover for full value. I never got track day insurance for my R8 but I feel like this is enough additional value that i want to have insurance (and I had a minor close call last time). High deductible and coverage for a fair amount under replacement cost diminishes the value, but I'll still probably do it. Plus seeing the damage just from gravel to the other car got me thinking. Other track day insurance options people recommend?
Looking at the way the two cars were racing each other, too late braking is not an unreasonable conclusion. But, I was on pilota 3 last year and another driver had an incident at turn one at Fiorano. It was a hot day and he had just got in the car, pedal went to the floor and he ended up in the gravel trap. Gave the instructor a bit of a fright! The format is that the cars do about 3-4 laps at full pace, then a lap and a bit to cool. Then they sit for a couple of minutes before the next driver jumps in. It was a very hot day and this was the only car it happened to out of about 10 at the track. It does happen therefore.
A source that was in the track and followed the accident said the 488 owner was in the driving seat and had next to him a professional race driver. According to this source when the incident started as shown in the video with the 488 not breaking, the car was going directly straight into the side of the 458 Speciale. Apparently the reason why the 488 moved to the right and into the gravel is because in an instantaneous reflex the professional driver grabbed the wheel and steered the car away from the 458 Speciale. If this version is true we can guess what would have been the dramatic consequences of an impact by the 488 on the 458 Speciale passenger side at such high speed.
I am with State Farm as well. Contacted them yesterday with a coming track event. They pointed out the attached (15b) which covers this. Image Unavailable, Please Login
To follow this up our agent was here this AM and was trying to work on some other life insurance and she mentioned the Ferrari and I clarified with here if there was coverage on track. She very clearly said no coverage at all.
There are 3 levels, and the sensors must be on the rotors, but I would not trust the VDA so much. Rather drive with the "feel" of the brakes. It usually "says" the brakes are good to go from the start, but being carbon brakes, I just don't think they are.
