Running Costs of the 458 Challenge

I know for the 430 challenge it was around 350-400K euro for a season, including the car. If you write your car off it will rise significantly, but also, if you get sponsors on board the cost reduces.

IMO there are other series which most drivers will enjoy just as much for less.

 

It depends upon what you intend on doing within the series, there are a few different companies that offer 'seats' for a season. This does not involve buying the car, however this is around 50-100KUSD plus expenses. A weekend can cost you between 10-35KUSD depending on how you drive or what you drive into.....
A season generally runs around 250KUSD plus the cost of the car, a season can cost much less or much more depending on what you do with the car, and how long a 'season' is for you. Count your lucky stars you don't have to contend with FXX or 599XX running costs.

 

How much are the running costs for an XX season (no major crash)?

 

Well considering that the purchase price only covers three events one of which must be the world finals, it would run you about 10-15KUSD a session before the car ever turned a wheel.

 

I was told I think eur 80k for an engine refresh on a 599XX every 5,000km

 

Euros? Pounds? USD? No matter the currency All those figures are too high. However, between; storage at Fiorano (close to where the Corsa clientele cars are stored) rebuilds, shipping, wear items (brakes, tires etc) entry fees and upgrades, a season will easily run double what a challenge car season costs if not more.

 

There are the running costs of doing the Ferrari Challenge series in Europe - and then there are the running to be competitive costs to doing the Ferrari Challenge Series.

 

I think what he's saying is that the cost of running, and the cost of running up front, are two very different numbers. True even in the spec series.

 

difference is roughly $500,000 give or take a spare car here and there. In all seriousness, the front runners of the European Ferrari Challenge spent 5x what I spent per race to be winners. Back in the day, I spent $20k per race. They were easily at $50k if not a whole lot more. They had spare engines, trannys, and back up cars. They rebuilt the whole engine between races. Today I hear the bottom number per race is $50k.

 

I've attended Ferrari Challenge races both in the US and in Europe, and the difference to me was striking. In the US, the Challenge events that I saw were not particularly well attended by anyone that's not related to the drivers or the teams- a few spectators, but not very many. In Europe, it's a whole different phenomenon- more like a Nascar race day. Packed stands, live TV coverage, the works. Might explain the differential in pricing between being a US front-runner and a European one.

JP

 

that has been my experience as well. There are a few exceptions: Laguna, Lime Rock, Road Atlanta...the attendance is well up from the other circuits...the F1 support race in Montreal is a nice treat that the Euros don't enjoy..but compare the schedules:
US:
St. Pete/support race Indy Car (street circuit)
Infineon
Laguna Seca
Montreal/support race F1
Toronto/support race Indy Car (street circuit)
Lime Rock
Homestead
Austin/support race F1

Euro:
Monza
Imola
Mugello
Hungaroring
Spa
Silverstone
Vallelunga

 

I thought the whole idea of the Challenge series was that the cars/competition was virtually on the same level. However, Ferrari being Ferrari I know this is likely not the case.

But that being said aren't the cars truly relatively the same? Is the advantage only in being able to afford spare parts, cars, etc so the driver can race every event reliably?

 

Personally I would much rather race in the Trofeo Maserati. IMO a much better weekend schedule with longer and more races and lots of tracktime, it's gotten especially good with the addition of "endurance" races. The Trofeo has just as many race weekends as the Challenge (seven) and has shorter races, lest quali and practice times. The entry fee for the Trofeo European series is €70K and €110K for the intl. but I'm not sure if that includes the car. Btw each car has one dedicated technician. I think you can get "arrive & race" hospitality packages from around €150K but I'm unsure if that's for the European or Intl. series. Testing is also available at €15K.

To be brutally honest, and with now disrespect whatsoever to any entrants or competitors in the Challenge series, I find the whole setup silly. It's so ludicrously compared to what a lot of other makes run (the Super Trofeo is really expensive to though..) and I do respect the 458C for it's technical capabilities. Do not underestimate the reason for the growing unofficial Ferrari championships. The Challenge series in is my eyes a very bad deal, compared to what most other racing packages give you (GT4/GT3/VLN/BLANCPAIN etc.)

 

They have to pay for transport of the car + entry fee + transport and lodging for the crew+ running costs + wear & tear, on addition to that they have to pay for the off-season rebuilds. All the cars also have a data tester assigned to them as well as the technicians and those boxes are massively expensive. I know the son of one of the owners of a 599XX and apparently just the shipping for the car to the US/Asia events is €70,000, that's why they only did the European events. They had brought the car out for a private event for like two days and they wore out the brakes completely which then had to be swapped out (those carbon donuts aren't cheap...). Apparently it's not that much more expensive to run the car outside of the XX program because you have to pay for all the transport and running costs anyway. You are talking about a five-figured amount in any major currency (€,£,$) for a weekends running of an XX...

 

Money can buy a lot. Drivers I raced against had what we called "thumper" motors. Hot rod 360 Challenge motors. No idea what they did, but they had a significant HP over mine.

 

Ah gotcha. That would make sense. Or cents in this case.