Driver aids

Not to get into a manual/ “auto” discussion. And to give a hugely generic response...because it reduces the skill level required by the driver.

 

unless someone is paying me to do it, the only thing about a faster lap is me against myself.
So the skill level involved is a big part of the fun and accomplishment.
now it's fun to see if I am faster on a bike with wheelie and traction controls on (I am), but I have more fun on a slower bike anyway.
anyone can buy a faster car. 'racing' against other people on exactly the same car/bike/sailboat is great for fun at an amateur level. otherwise no mater what I'm on/in it's just against myself anyway.

so there’s nothing wrong with it per se. if it makes it more fun for someone he should use it.

 

Round a track, all nannies on will slow you down. If you really floor it, nannies will intervene to prevent you from spinning off or whatever, and they have to work on engine power delivery and brakes. Unlike on a public road, every tenth of a second counts.

I believe a seasoned professional can make the most of the car with nannies off and be faster. That includes having full control over the gearbox (changes and rev range), something one doesn’t have in full auto mode.

Auto mode, as most nannies, are intended for public road use and to help people who aren’t seasoned drivers/accustomed to powerful cars, enjoy their car at a level that matches their ability without fear of wrecking it.

Ferrari clients are getting more and more diverse, and I guess cars and the technology in them are too, to make the wider range of people happy as possible.

Not being a track-savvy driver, I welcome them. But I most certainly see and understand that for a seasoned driver, it must seem nothing short of sacrilege.

Kind regards.

Nuno.

 

Regarding auto / manual operation of the DCT, one has to consider the software that decides when to shift (when in auto mode) has its own logic (sometimes, just fuel economy) and also does not necessarily understand / know what's coming next (e.g., do you want more rev / more power depending on a coming corner, or whatever...)
No matter how clever the automated systems are, generally speaking it's better if one can de-activate them - because otherwise, one will end up with a super-efficient self driving car (which is very nice if one prefers to do something else than driving, but not a very good proposition for one actually wanting to drive).
And sometimes the automated systems are not that clever, so that they can become invasive and be real pains - that's why they should not be encouraged on sports cars (however Ferrari is not that bad with their manettino, since it allows to tune the level of intervention to the degree you wish depending on circumstances).

 

To give a hugely generic counterpoint: even the most-seasoned driver cannot dynamically control the slip rate of each wheel independently with only 1 brake pedal.