SF90 overheated braking pads | FerrariChat

SF90 overheated braking pads

Discussion in 'SF90 Stradale' started by Adamtensta, Mar 27, 2025.

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  1. Adamtensta

    Adamtensta Karting

    Jan 9, 2019
    229
    Scandinavia
    Full Name:
    Adam T
    Hi,
    When I take the car on the track, my brakes get over heated after 10-15 laps. I´m an amature on the track and use Race-mode. I´ve had it on the track 4 times and the front braking pads has already started to crumble and one has a crack. Is this normal??
     
  2. LMP

    LMP Formula Junior

    Aug 11, 2022
    361
    Florida
    Just my 2cents it’s a heavy car! It’s going to wear them out a lot faster than a lighter car…better car for track use would be 296
     
    Caeruleus11 likes this.
  3. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner Social Subscribed

    Dec 1, 2000
    63,365
    Southlake, TX
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    Rob Lay
    I've never had street pads last for extended hard track driving. Same thing with street tires, rotors, brake fluid, oils, bearings, etc.

    I encourage people to track their street Ferraris, but I would say work on being smooth, great lines, 9/10ths, for only 10-15 minutes at a time.

    If you want to push the limits for extended periods, a street Ferrari is not it.
     
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  4. Adamtensta

    Adamtensta Karting

    Jan 9, 2019
    229
    Scandinavia
    Full Name:
    Adam T
    Thanks guys
     
    LMP likes this.
  5. joeracer

    joeracer Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 13, 2007
    244
    Houston, TX
    Full Name:
    Joe T
    I was just talking to a master Ferrari tech yesterday about the fact that I was going to track my SF90 soon. He said to be sure that CT is OFF as pushing the car hard on a track will have it rapidly pulse the brakes to try to fight what the ECU sees as over-the-limit driving and it will ruin the pads and rotors in a hurry.
     
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  6. mdrums

    mdrums F1 Rookie

    Jun 11, 2006
    3,231
    Tampa FL
    Track driving needs to be a CT Off but the will only help you a very small amount. The pads Ferrari uses are soft so that they work better on the street as the brakes are always in the cold range. This is normal for all sports/exotic street cars except Porsche will spec a pad that can handle some track driving with their PCCB brakes. Plus Porsche cars tend to have better brake cooling than Ferrari overall in the street cars.

    You should find a pad that will handle the heat from track driving and try that. You will give up rotor wear though.
     
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  7. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Dec 1, 2000
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    Rob Lay
    that will also bring possible unwanted symptoms on the street like less braking when cold, harder jumpy feel when warm, more rotor wear on street, and noisier.
     
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  8. Caeruleus11

    Caeruleus11 F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 11, 2013
    11,430
    Great points... You can end up going down quite a rabbit hole.
     
  9. I have STs with the Pagid RSC1 on my Pista.

    Perfect for track and street use, quiet and dustless.

    Best upgrade I've ever made.

    OEM CCBs on Ferraris are pitiful.
     
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  10. mdrums

    mdrums F1 Rookie

    Jun 11, 2006
    3,231
    Tampa FL
    Yes absolutely. Although my 2018 Porsche GT3 PCCB were great on the track with stock brakes and great on the street too. Ferrari would need to invest more R&D in brake tuning with pads, master cylinder and ecu/abs programming and update the carbon rotor from Brembo to the lay up schedule of the type of Brembo CCM rotor Porsche is using. ;-)
     
  11. mdrums

    mdrums F1 Rookie

    Jun 11, 2006
    3,231
    Tampa FL
    Now you are talking! 100% agree here.
     
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  12. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Dec 1, 2000
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    yes, my GT3 too seemed to be perfect balance street and track, too perfect, those Germans!
     
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  13. LVP488

    LVP488 F1 Veteran

    Jan 21, 2017
    5,687
    France
    I concur 100% - I have this ST/Pagid combination on my 488 GTB and I think it's even a better upgrade than going from a GTB to a Pista ;)
    Of course, having that on a Pista is even better :)
     
  14. Fortis

    Fortis Formula Junior

    Nov 2, 2019
    746
    Full Name:
    Fortis
    Is there a supplier for aftermarket brake pads to suit the SF90?
     
  15. Gh21631

    Gh21631 F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2011
    8,985
    East
    The SF90 is very fast and heavy, you will come into brake zones much much faster than a Porsche. There is a lot of speed and weight to stop, it is not a track car.
     
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  16. REALZEUS

    REALZEUS F1 Veteran

    Feb 16, 2011
    8,310
    Bournemouth, UK
    Bleeding the brakes makes a huge difference. Also the brake fluid type. A slower car doesn't meant it is a track car. It is just slower.
     
  17. Gh21631

    Gh21631 F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2011
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    The bigger problem is that it is a pig, super heavy (2 tons+) and that rolling mass is very hard to stop quickly over and over again. Especially with the brake setup Ferrari uses.
     
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  18. LVP488

    LVP488 F1 Veteran

    Jan 21, 2017
    5,687
    France
    At the SF90 Ferrari esperianza on track, the Ferrari drivers advised to lift the accelerator and then not brake immediately - I suppose that's using some hybrid engine braking and spares the brakes to some extent. That's a very unusual way to drive on track, and for instance they certainly do not ask for that with the 296.
     
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  19. REALZEUS

    REALZEUS F1 Veteran

    Feb 16, 2011
    8,310
    Bournemouth, UK
    More like 1750-1800 kg, which is normal in this time and age for a hybrid supercar. The Revuelto is 200 kg heavier.
     
  20. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Dec 1, 2000
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    Old school Giuseppe Risi saying was "brakes are cheap, engines are expensive" in regards to engine braking. Modern engines can probably take it and with how heavy cars are and effective modern brakes, then giving them some breathing room probably best.
     
  21. LVP488

    LVP488 F1 Veteran

    Jan 21, 2017
    5,687
    France
    Not being very interested in hybrid systems, that's only an assumption - but the "hybrid engine braking" could be mostly braking from the electric part, it's not like downshifting for the ICE engine.
     
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  22. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    yes, I don't understand the Hybrid or never had one, but had a Tesla S and letting off the throttle could break your neck just like braking.
     

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