What is the sense of buying a Ferrari today?

I agree and would Love to See the Factory Field cars at major Sport Car Races.

 

But not at the expense of their F1 efforts - which obviously are a great strain to keep upon top of.

 

+1. I'd trade Ferrari's presence in F1 for competing in the major sports car races. Running in both Prototype and GT classes would be very cool.

 

Unless they got beat by Corvette...

 

or a Nissan

 

I am not sure I understand the question. The decision to ditch all GT and Endurance factory-entries was made a long long time ago by the old man himself. A simple business move and it made sense at the time and it still does. Of course I would love to see factory-entries at, for instance, Le Mans again, but I suppose it would have to offer clear commercial benefits before the people in charge will even consider it. Le Mans seems more unlikely then ever since diesel-engines seem the way to go in LMP1. Ferrari doesn't do diesel.

 

What would be great is if Ferrari would team up with some of the private racing teams.

Can you imagine a "Ferrari/Napolis diesel-powered P4/5 LM" running at Le Mans?

 

The Fisichella-Bruni AF Corse Ferrari GT2 is usually right up there in the results. Ferrari watch these cars closely but I don't know what kind of support Michelotti has. Do they offer a spares package?

 

If Ferrari would choose to be involved in Le Mans, they wouldn't be teaming up. They would bring in their very own entry and perhaps provide some cars to privateers.

I would love to see Ferrari return to Le Mans, but I see them more as GT-contenders. You can not expect Ferrari to compete both in F1 and LMP1, since both suffice a lot of financial and technical input to even have a shot at winning.

 

Press all you want but it will have zero impact on Ferrari's racing plans.

The reasons for buying a Ferrari today is pretty much the same as it's always been:

1) To buy a unique driving experience that invokes an incredible set of personal emotions in the way it looks and drives.

2) To buy an expensive car to pose in and show off how wealthy you are.

3) To buy a car that can be modified and raced.

When it comes to buying a Ferrari, sense has very little to do with it, it's more about senses.

I seem to recall that Ferrari themselves still race Ferrari's in something called Formula 1.

And how is Mr Napolis' F1 team doing?

GT racing does not generate anything like the international interest that F1 does.
Look in the sports sections of newspapers and check out the coverage on GT racing compared to F1, which one is the big headline maker?
Which one generates the most money?

No disrespect to Mr Napolis, but if his car gets it's arse handed to it by Audi, Peugeot, Nissan Porsche or whoever, then it doesn't make that much difference to the World in general.
Ferrari as a factory team getting beaten the same way on the other hand, would have a massive impact on Ferrari's image and in these days of rules that favour diesel engines at Lemans, Ferrari would struggle.

And the rewards for competing in the sport are less than F1 (a lot less!)
The international interest and prestige in GT racing is minuscule compared to F1!

Where is idea that Ferrari are really about racing GT cars coming from anyway? Enzo Ferrari started Scuderia Ferrari in Grand Prix racing (later to become F1) in 1932 running Alfa Romeo's.
When Formula 1 came along in 1950, Ferrari were there and have been racing in F1 in every season since.
So basically, Ferrari as a Team have been racing in Grand Prix's a lot longer than it had been in GT racing.

Most owners and collectors, if not all, know for a fact that their opinions on what they think Ferrari should do with their racing programme will carry no weight with the Scuderia at all.

Owners and collectors own cars, they do not own the Team.
The owners and collectors do not have to justify costs of racing to Ferrari's share holders.
They will be well aware of the difference between the interest in GT racing and the interest in F1.

The owners and collectors can press the Ferrari Leaders all they like, Ferrari will treat them in the exact same way that the Old Man would have, they will be ignored and told: " Ferrari run Ferrari!...., not the owners of Ferrari cars!"

Could you imagine the Old Mans reaction to being told what to do with his team by the owners? - He'd hold them in contempt for daring to be so insolent!

 

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We finished 1 in class. 13Th OA and beat Aston, McLaren, Lotus, Toyota, Nissan, 167 others, and all but the German manufactures. Could have been worse and we're hopeful that next time it may be better. As an aside we're also contesting an FIA world Championship (Alternate energy GT) and so far are leading. We also did better than the the Ferrari GT3 and GT2 who quit after practice and didn't even start the last race.

 

The answer come in two forms.Going back to the formation of the Scuderia in 1929 no other name has the provenance on the road. And on the track from 1929 to today Ferrari has always been THE name to beat. just one man's opinion tongascrew

 

This topic brings up a point that myself and some friends were discussing..." Who likes the direction in Ferrari is going with their design ? "

In order to make more money they are getting away from the philosophy they built the company on.

 

Is the word coming to my mind.
I wouldn't buy a new ferrari if I had the money.
They don't carry the myth, they are just modern sportscars..
the myth ended when ferrari stopped GT racing.

I am in my 40's and remember the images of the 70's.
Kids from the 90´s, will cherish the F1 results of Schumacher as the ultimate Ferrari era.
Ferrari has changed in time, like any other car/manufacturer.

I hugely encourage Jim for making the dream of many older fans a reality.
He is making history with a unique concept that started with P4-5.

I don´t think Ferrari will ever attempt to do the same.
Failure is no option, and sportscar racing is not what it used to be.

F1 is their objective, and allthough most of us don´t like 1.5 hour of nonstop driving, commercially its the best they can do.

P.s.
Styling is not what it could have been....... If only the Enzo would have looked like P4/5..

Hans

 

Please accept My personal apologies Sir, it was not meant to be a personal dig, put down or insult to yourself, your team and your achievements.

I have incredible admiration for what you are achieving and for the whole concept of your project which is in keeping with Enzo Ferrari's ideals about Ferrari owners (For those who race them - respect is to be given, for those who buy them purely to pose in - take their money and pay little heed to them).

Your post highlights what I was attempting to say however.

If Ferrari had a factory team that was regularly getting beaten on track by your team, how embarrassing would that be for them? The press would have a field day putting the Factory team down.

Ferrari would never give up racing in F1 in order to have a full Factory Team in GT racing for the very reasons I have already stated, the rewards are not great enough, the press attention is too small and the prestige is less than in F1, the world sports headlines bear this out as a fact.
In GT racing, (rightly or wrongly) the only real Worldwide headline grabber is the Le Mans 24 hours and even that gets dwarfed by the interest in F1 racing.
You only have to look at sites such as The Autosport site, F1 gets it's own section whilst GT racing gets put in with Rallying, NASCAR, Touring cars, INDY cars, F2, GP3 etc., etc.

A point was made that your team had shown what can be achieved in GT racing. My response was that you are focused purely on GT racing, you do not also compete in F1.

Ferrari have taken the stance that to be successful in F1, they need to concentrate their factory efforts on F1. They feel they cannot afford the distraction of GT racing as well.
(Cleverly though, they are happy to accept a share of the glory whenever a Ferrari GT car has any success!)

Mclaren have a factory GT team racing their MP4-12C GT3, but GT3 isn't the headline grabbing, glory class that LMP1 is. McLaren are never going to win Le Mans outright with that car. If they win GT3 class races, are they going to push F1 off the sports pages? -No, they're not. Ferrari know full well that success in GT2 or GT3 brings in minuscule recognition compared to F1 (or even LMP1 GT racing for that matter), so it's of little interest to the Factory.

Like F1, GT racing these days is a similar situation. At the headline grabbing top level of GT racing (LMP1), which team also competes in F1? Audi?, Toyota?, Lola? No. none of them do.

Lets look at your point about the GT2 and GT3 Ferrari's quitting after practice and not even starting the last race - Did that cause an outcry around the World that Ferrari failed to compete? No, there was no ridicule for the Factory that your independent team had no problem competing but the Ferrari's failed to do so. Why?, because the Ferrari's that failed race were private teams and so went unnoticed. That suits Ferrari fine - success?: Well done Ferrari!.....Failure?: well it's a private team that failed.

Now picture Ferrari in F1 failing to qualify and race! How many headlines would there be around the World?

Anyway, this discussion is really for an entirely different section. My apologies to all for venturing off topic somewhat!

Getting back on topic, My point was, to be successful at either F1 or GT racing (at the top level), Teams have to be fully committed and focused on one series only, they cannot afford distractions of other series. The days of competing at the top flight of more than one series and being successful are long gone and no amount of badgering from owners and collectors is going to change that, it's just no longer feasible. To think otherwise is to be living in a fantasy land.

The question was asked: "What is the sense of buying a Ferrari today?", and I stand by My response, it's pretty much the same as it's always been.

Ferrari's race efforts being dictated to them by owners and collectors? - NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN!

 

I'm really not sure I understand the point of this thread. Is this a "why buy a Ferrari over other marques?" thread? Or, is this a "why doesn't Ferrari compete in distance events as a factory anymore?" thread? Or, is it something else entirely?

CW

 

Alessandro I agree with you that Ferrari today is no longer what it was many years. I am referring mostly to the road cars. I am not so much into F1 and racing, although Ferrari is very much just that. I only own one Ferrari and that is an old car still made under Enzo himself before the group got sold to FIAT. However I am now thinking of buying a new car or new generation car called the 430 Scuderia. Its amazing, you feel alive in that car. I mainly buy Ferrari because of their rich history and strong brand. I like the special community that Ferrari has and bond it creates by driving the praching horse. A few years I would have never considered Ferrari simply because I did not know their history. But once you understand their history you are attracted to this brand. Its unlike any other....!

 

And why should buying a Ferrari have to make sense in the first place? If it was all about making sense, we all should go out and buy Toyota's instead.

 

My answer has nothing to do with racing so it may be off the mark, and my only driving experiences are in an old Mondial.

When I drove a Honda and then a BMW I couldn't specifically explain the difference but the BMW just feels good. It makes the driver feel special, more connected to the driving experience. I drove a new Corvette for a week and I really enjoyed that car too. I got a ride in a newer Porsche 911, it was also very nice. There are many great cars in the world but I've never driven any other car like my Ferrari. I use my car for general transportation and longer distance touring. I find it to be a wonderful engaging automobile that connects me to the driving experience like no other car I have ever driven. It really feels to have an extra special something that I can't define but I also don't want to live without. That is why if I had the means I would continue to buy Ferrari.

 

Ferrari offers drivers to privateer teams who race their GT race cars, as well as factory support. The cars are developed by the teams.

Ferraris still obviously race in GT classes, but not factory teams. But, as I said, with factory drivers, talented (&/or wealthy) amateurs, and other drivers.

The GT scene has evolved; these are not street cars. It is not clear to me what the OP is getting at - the "driver profile" hasn't changed much. Pros, up and coming drivers, and rich guys racing touring/GT cars. The factory position has changed from running the teams to outsourcing the running of the teams. This applies to Porsche as well, etc.

 

I disagree.

What exactly is the philosophy the company is built on? Enzo Ferrari never made a secret about the fact that the roadcar division was setup to make money in order to finance the competition division.

In essence, Ferrari isn't operating different from what they were doing 50 years ago. The only difference is that the world changed and that the company changed with it.