Antonio Santini and Marc Haeberlin visit Ferrari
Posted: 27.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Antonio Santini and Marc Haeberlin visit Ferrari
Maranello, 27 October – What do Michelin-starred chefs and Ferrari have in common? A deep connection with tradition, a commitment to continual innovation and a focus on technology according to two top international chefs that visited Maranello in recent days. Italian Antonio Santini holds three Michelin stars with his wife at the Ristorante dal Pescatore at Canneto sull’Oglio, a feat equalled by Marc Haeberlin of the Auberge de l’Ill restaurant which has been in business in Alsace in France for over a century.
At the end of their factory tour, Santini and Haeberlin paused to admire the latest addition to the Ferrari range, the 488 Spider. They explain what the products of their art share with the Prancing Horse cars in this video.
| Circuit | CircAutodromo Hermanos Rodriguez – Mexico City |
| Date | 01.11.2015 |
| Laps | 71 |
| Distance | 305,354 / 189,779 miles |
| No | Driver | Ferrari | S/N | Team | Result |
| 5 | Sebastian Vettel | SF15-T | 313 |
Scuderia Ferrari | retired / accident |
| 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | SF15-T | 311 |
Scuderia Ferrari | retired / accident |
Mexican Grand Prix – Mexico City, 1 November 2015
Posted: 01.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Maurizio Arrivabene: “Over the course of this season we had already managed to touch the sky. This time we reached the bottom. But today’s race was a lesson of humility that we must put to good use and that will further bind the team together and strengthen the character of everybody. I had already seen yesterday how this team can react to difficulties, having had to replace both engine and gearbox in so little time. Today, we are not blaming anybody: we are a team, we win and lose together. I regret the result as we had a really good pace in the race, but that’s racing, you can always have a bad day. This does not change our targets for the season, as Seb can still catch Rosberg in the point standings and Kimi can do the same with Bottas”.
Kimi Raikkonen: “About the accident with Bottas, there are always two different ways to look at things, everybody can have their own view, but to be honest I did not expect a much different end result. It’s racing in the end, but I think I was expecting that it probably might happen after Russia. Has he done it on purpose? I don’t know, you can decide yourselves, it doesn’t change the final outcome right now and it’s not going to change anything for me for the future. Obviously we had a pretty poor weekend, we were a bit unlucky on many things, and it’s not the nicest feeling for all of us, but we are still a strong team. It was an unlucky situation for both me and Sebastian, but that’s how it goes sometimes. As a team, we haven’t lost anything, we just had a pretty difficult weekend and I’m sure we can be back in the next two races, trying to finish the season strongly.”
Sebastian Vettel: “Today I had a bad start, and obviously after the contact with Daniel I was very angry, but in the end I think no one is to blame. He clearly could not avoid hitting me being too fast for the line he had chosen, but these things happen. That’s racing, even if of course it’s painful if it happens in the first corner and you have to drive all the way back. So the race was pretty much lost at that time. I was hoping for a safety car earlier on, but it didn’t happen. I tried to catch up, but the two mistakes didn’t help. The last one obviously ended my race and I am not proud of it. The car in general was good, we were quick, the pace was promising and we were very close to Mercedes, probably we hadn’t been that close for a while. I tried everything to force it and come back. And trying too hard is probably the right explanation for my mistake.”
|
Race |
||||||
| Pos. | Time | Gap | Laps | FL | L | |
| RAIKKONEN | NC | 30:12.546 | DNF | 21 | 1:24.054 | 20 |
| VETTEL | NC | 1:11:18.372 | DNF | 50 | 1:21.847 | 48 |
| Pit-stop | 1st stop | Lap 1 | New Medium | |||
| 2nd stop | Lap 35 | New Medium | ||||
|
Weather: air 24/25 °C, track 43/50 °C. Sunny |
||||||
Mexican Grand Prix – Double retirement for Scuderia Ferrari
Posted: 01.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Kimi Raikkonen’s race ends on lap 22 after a collision. Sebastian Vettel crashes out with 20 laps to go
Mexico City, 1 November – Scuderia Ferrari’s Mexican Grand Prix came to a premature end today. Sebastian Vettel faced an uphill struggle from just metres after the start. The German and Daniel Ricciardo had a coming together at the first corner, which punctured the Ferrari’s right rear tyre, so he had to pit and change tyres. Having rejoined, Vettel moved up from last to eleventh, but a spin on lap 17, made life even more complicated. In the middle stint, Seb was driving at a very strong pace, but a mistake at Turn 7 brought his race to an end. Kimi Raikkonen’s race lasted just 22 laps. Having started from nineteenth, the Finn had climbed back into the top 10. On lap 22, Raikkonen had to retire after a collision with the Williams of Valtteri Bottas, which damaged his right rear suspension. Come the end of the 71 laps, Nico Rosberg emerged victorious for Mercedes ahead of his team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
Mexican Grand Prix – Mexico City, 31 October 2015
Posted: 31.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Kimi Raikkonen: “This morning we had a problem with the car in P3, and we had to change the engine and the gearbox. It was a very tight call to put everything back together, but the guys did an excellent job to make the car ready for Q1 in that small lapse of time available. However there was not enough time and not everything was 100 per cent, I still had a small issue with brakes. Actually, they were working, but then they locked up on one lap. Anyway, with all the penalties we are getting tomorrow, our best option was to do well enough to make it to Q2 and not really do anything after that. We did three fast laps so that we can check later that everything is ok with the car and try to make a good run out of it.”
Sebastian Vettel: “To be fair, when I woke up this morning and even after P3, I thought we would be a bit closer to the Mercedes than we actually were in qualifying: unfortunately, they proved to be very strong. They were doing two consecutive laps, they were not using all the energy in one lap, so we need to be careful as I think they will be very quick also tomorrow in the race. But we will try our best, we are here to fight, we have nothing to lose. Nico is the primary target, we want to keep second position in the championship and we’ll do everything we can to achieve that. I hope that our race pace tomorrow is going to be as good as it looked yesterday; obviously it is always difficult to know what other people are doing, but considering that we were on the harder tire, on Friday we seemed to be very quick on the long-runs. I hope we can be quick tomorrow as well, and make the tires last. I think this will be the key for the race because on paper it looks easy, but then, with all the sliding around from low grip surface, we’ve seen many people struggling to keep their tires alive.”
Mexican Grand Prix – Vettel third fastest, Raikkonen 15th
Posted: 31.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Sebastian starts third on the grid, Raikkonen takes no risks in Q2
Mexico City, 31st October –Qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix was a spectacular sight with the stands at the Hermano Rodriguez circuit packed out with enthusiastic fans. Sebastian Vettel was third quickest in 1.19.850. He and the two Mercedes ahead of him were the only drivers to get under the 1m 20s barrier. Kimi Raikkonen had a tough time this afternoon. After his problems in third free practice, the mechanics just got his car rebuilt a few moments before the start of qualifying.
He was twelfth quickest in Q1, but in Q2 he came on the radio complaining of a brake problem. Raikkonen will drop five places from his 15th position, because of the penalty that goes with the gearbox change, which is why he decided not to push too hard. He will therefore start tomorrow’s race from the ninth row. Nico Rosberg will start from pole in the Mercedes, having set the fastest time of 1.19.480.
Mexican Grand Prix – Close to the top
Posted: 31.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Seb just behind the leaders. Kimi has an exhaust problem
Mexico City, 31 October – Just two tenths of a second separate the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel from the fastest time in the third and final free practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix. The German lapped in 1.21.294, behind the top trio of Nico Rosberg (1.21.083) and Lewis Hamilton (1.21.097) in their Mercedes and Daniel Ricciardo (1.21.201) in the Red Bull. Kimi Raikkonen only spent a short time on track, as he had to stop on his fourth lap with an exhaust problem. It looks as though qualifying will be very close when it gets underway here in Mexico at 13h00 local time.
Mexican Grand Prix – Mexico City, 30 October 2015
Posted: 30.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Kimi Raikkonen: “It was quite a tricky day, the layout of the track is ok but the new surface was very slippery. The cars were sliding around and sometimes you felt more like being in rallying than in Formula One! The tires are a bit on the conservative side but it’s the same for everybody. We knew since the beginning that because of the altitude and the thin air, the speeds would have been high, I think everybody was running full downforce; but I would prefer to have the usual amount of downforce. Obviously, as we do more and more laps, track conditions will improve and the surface will grip out, but I’m sure it will still be more tricky than other races. In the second session during the long run it was raining a bit and I didn’t want to risk anything, so I took it easy every time there were drops coming down. Tomorrow we still have time to work on the car for a better set up and see how it goes. We’ll try to make the best out of it.”
Sebastian Vettel: “It was an interesting day, the circuit was very slippery. It has very low grip, I think everybody struggled to keep the car on the track. Surprisingly the speed was low overall, I was hoping that the fast corners were a bit quicker. Hopefully with more rubber on the track it should get quite a bit better. It was amazing to see how many spectators there were already on Friday, and it’s also kind of unique to enter a sort of stadium when you look left and right and see this many people are there… And then the big grandstands, you drive through them! It’s a bit like Singapore, just bigger, and there is a great feeling. I think we can be reasonably happy with how the day went, but I’am sure we can still improve. Unfortunately the rain stopped our long run in the end, but so everyone was affected the same way. Nevertheless I am sure we can do improvements for tomorrow and we should be in a good place.”
Mexican Grand Prix – A good pace
Posted: 30.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Seb fifth and Kimi sixth in second free practice
Mexico City, 30 October – The slippery track surface at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit again affected the second free practice session, with several cars going off track, with light rain coming in towards the end. Topping the time sheet was Nico Rosberg (1.25.531) in the Mercedes, ahead of the Red Bull duo of Daniil Kvyat (1.21.776) and Daniel Ricciardo (1.21.868.) Next up were the Ferraris, fifth and sixth with Sebastian Vettel (1.21.984) and Kimi Raikkonen (1.22.399.) After working on performance in the first part of the session, both drivers then focused on long runs, which produced encouraging results, before a final stint on Intermediates when the track was wet.
Mexican Grand Prix – In search of grip
Posted: 30.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Kimi and Sebastian’s first taste of the new track
Mexico City, 30 October – Formula 1 action officially returned to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez with the first free practice session. The new track surface was still damp from early morning rain, which made life difficult for the drivers, who started running on the Intermediate tyres, before switching to the Mediums. The entire field reported low grip conditions, with lap times a long way off those predicted by the simulator. Quickest was Max Verstappen (1.25.990) in the Toro Rosso, ahead of the Red Bull of Daniil Kvyat (1.26.295.) Raikkonen (1.26.295) and Vettel (1.26.886) were third and fourth respectively for Ferrari, working on adapting to the new track and some aero comparison tests.
Mexican Grand Prix – A precise challenge
Posted: 29.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Sebastian and Maurizio, watchmakers for a night
Mexico City, 29 October – A challenge down to a millimetre. That was the highlight of an evening organised by Hublot to present Big Bang Ferrari Limited Edition Tourbillon Mexico, a special edition watch to celebrate the return of the Mexico City Grand Prix. Taking part in the unusual competition were Maurizio Arrivabene and Sebastian Vettel, who tackled the task of reassembling a bezel held down with six tiny screws. The aim of the contest was to perform the delicate task as quickly as possible, under the supervision of a master watchmaker, from the company’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. The winner was Sebastian who completed the job in one minute.
Mexican Grand Prix – “They did a very good job here”
Posted: 29.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Kimi impressed with the new track facility
It’s nice to come to a new place, I had been here before but not to Mexico City. I haven’t seen a lot apart from the hotel and the track, but so far everything looks nice and perfect, they have done a very good job here. I’m sure there will be a lot of fans, it is going to be a nice weekend. It will be challenging and unknown for everybody, since it’s a new place and we are at high altitude. This will influence a lot of things, the behavior of the car and of the engine in the first place. Let’s see how it is once we get running, and hopefully we’ll find out that it will be fine for us.
Mexican Grand Prix – An exciting track
Posted: 29.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Seb looks forward to Mexican challenge
I’m very excited, obviously I haven’t been on track yet, I only did the normal simulator preparation, but the track looks very interesting. Especially the fact that the altitude here plays a big role: looking at the downforce level of the cars and the drag levels, it should be an interesting experience. I think we have a great atmosphere in the team, in general we are in a good way this season. We probably surprised a lot of people and we exceeded our expectations as well, so it was all in all positive so far. Unfortunately, the first place is out of reach, and second is better than third, then we try to go for second! I don’t consider myself the underdog, I know that we are not the favorite, but I think that from the beginning of the season we have shown that we’re not somewhere in the midfield. If we get our act together, then we have good chance to finish on the podium on a regular basis. I think that is what we’ve achieved so far. I think overall this season has been different from last year. Obviously it was a completely new situation for me, to start with a new team: joining Ferrari has been a great experience so far, but we also know where we want to go and where we want to be in the future. So there’s still a lot of work ahead of us and certainly we would be happier if people wouldn’t call us the underdog, but the favorite in the future…I haven’t been on the old track so I can’t compare it with the new one, but I think it looks very exciting. Unfortunately, I think we lost some of the really high speed corners, but I believe it should still be an interesting circuit, quite technical in places, but we haven’t been out there yet so I guess we need to wait until tomorrow. In general I think we have done a great job this year on the Power Unit side, obviously there’s a long straight here and that should put a premium on the engine side.
Mexican Grand Prix – High flying weekend
Posted: 28.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Esteban: “Demanding for man and machine”
Maranello, 28 October –This is definitely a very busy weekend for Esteban Gutierrez, Scuderia Ferrari’s third driver. “Having a home race is a great feeling,” the Mexican admitted to ferrari.com. “I don’t really know what to expect, but I am sure it will be incredible. Being the third driver means I get to take part in this amazing event with a different perspective, experiencing it from behind the scenes. It’s an honour to host the world of Formula One in our country and I’m curious to see what Mexicans will feel about this very special weekend. A unique aspect of this track compared to all the others is its altitude: everyone thinks about the effects this can have on the cars, but let’s not underestimate its physical impact on the drivers and the team members. As for the car, you can partly assess these conditions in the simulator, while the guys will need to be well prepared physically so they can adapt quickly to the different ambient conditions”.
Mexican Grand Prix – A thrilling debut
Posted: 27.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Gutierrez: “Proud to host such an important event”
Maranello, 27 October –Racing for the first time on a new track is always an exciting experience for a driver, but in the case of Scuderia Ferrari’s third driver, Esteban Gutierrez, Mexico represents something special. “This is my country, I was born here and I love this place,” he tells ferrari.com. “I’m very proud of being Mexican and of the fact my country is hosting such an important event, part of a sport which is also my passion. For me this is the best possible combination. The circuit is very technical and I’ve been driving it on the simulator, because as usual with a new track, that’s essential in order to understand how best to tackle it over the weekend. “The three sectors are very different from each other but very technical at the same time. It means drivers who work out the best line will be the first to set quick lap times. I don’t expect it to be very hot, so even getting the tyres up to temperature will not be easy. Only once the cars are out on track will we understand how suited is our car to these various characteristics. As usual, track conditions will improve bit by bit as the cars do more running which will see the lap times gradually come down. It will also be interesting to see how the drivers adapt to this circuit, because they will want to do so as quickly as possible”.
Ferrari celebrates its legendary ‘Dino’ at the Motorclassica in Melbourne
Posted: 26.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Melbourne, 26th October – Australia’s premier celebration of the automotive lifestyle has awarded Ferrari its ‘Best in Show’ prize and assembled a tribute to the Dino nameplate with an unprecedented display of Ferrari Dinos at this year’s event at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building on 23-25 October.
The ‘Best in Show’ prize was won by the 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso.
The winning example is an original left-hand drive and only one of 350 built. It was originally a Californian car and after several US owners, one of which is believed to be Kirk Atwell, an American movie producer. The car was imported to Western Australia in 1980 where it remained in the Peter Briggs collection until 2010 when it was purchased by Oldtimer Garage in Queensland and then later sold to the current owner. The car has undergone a full restoration and engine rebuild.
Japan celebrates the Premiere of Ferrari 488 Spider
Posted: 23.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Ferrari’s most high performance 8-cylinder drop-top ever in Yokohama
Yokohama, October 23, 2015 – The Ferrari 488 Spider officially makes its debut in Yokohama, the very first appearance in Japan following the premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September. Close to 300 passionate VIP guests attended the Japanese Premiere held in an exclusive location at the oldest pier in Yokohama.
Ferrari guests were delighted to see the private space with a view of the waterfront area completely transformed into the world of the Prancing Horse. The Ferrari 488 Spider, coloured in the new beautiful Blu Corsa, was of course the star of the evening while guests enjoyed the stylish music and exceptional dance performance during the unveiling.
Finali Mondiali – Ferrari passion takes to the track at the Mugello course
Posted: 08.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Overflow crowds on the event’s final day
Scarperia, 8 November – Record closing day for the Finali Mondiali [World Finals] at the Mugello circuit. On the final day, as many as 50,000 spectators crowded the installation owned by Ferrari. The most anticipated event was the exhibition of the Scuderia Ferrari and its official drivers, but much more was on display at the track.
Challenge world titles. The day opened with the races valid for the attribution of the Ferrari Challenge world title. The winners were three drivers from the European series, probably also due to the fact that they are accustomed to racing at the Mugello: the Coppa Shell went to the experienced Erich Prinoth, Matteo “Babalus” Santoponte triumphed in the Trofeo Pirelli and the Pirelli Am title went to Alessandro Vezzoni.
The exhibition. The great exhibition on the track started at 12:45 p.m. The brand new F12tdf series opened the exhibition hour. This car pays tribute to the famous Tour de France Automobile; it is produced in 799 units and is equipped with a V12 engines with a power of 780 HP. Three examples of the car went onto the track: Kimi Raikkonen and Esteban Gutierrez accompanied respectively the managing director Amedeo Felisa and the vice-president Piero Ferrari on two red cars while the president Sergio Marchionne was Sebastian Vettel’s passenger on the yellow car with which the model was launched.
GT moment. Following this, the 458 Italia GTE and GT3 competing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and in the main national and international GT championships went on the track. Toni Vilander and Giancarlo Fisichella alternated on car number 51 while the regular drivers James Calado and Davide Rigon took turns on car number 71. Olivier Beretta drove the GT3. Then it was the turn of the 488, a car just introduced which will be racing in the GTE version during the 2016 WEC and in the GT3 version in the great majority of the GT championships. Andrea Bertolini, who looked after the tests, was at the wheel of the GT3, while “Gimmi” Bruni, who is increasingly becoming the face of Ferrari in the GT competitions, was on board the 488 GTE.
Finali Mondiali – Marchionne: “A great success”
Posted: 08.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
“An unforgettable experience to have 50,000 fans here”
Scarperia, 8 November – “This event has been amazingly successful, attracting a crowd of 50,000 fans to Mugello. It shows just how important this marque is, not just in the world of the automobile, but also for this country.” This was what Ferrari President, Sergio Marchionne had to say about the big crowd that turned up in Mugello to watch the Finali Mondiali, which ended today with the Ferrari Challenge world titles being decided. The fans were also treated to a display from Scuderia Ferrari, featuring the race drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel. “Everyone here today can tell that we are going in the right direction. In Formula 1, Maurizio Arrivabene and the whole team are doing a good job: we have not won the 2015 title, which is a shame, but development of the 2016 car gives us cause to believe in it for next season.”
The president arrived in the morning and met the many owners and fans who packed the paddock from the early hours. He handed out the prizes to the Ferrari Challenge world champions and also did a lap of the track in the brand new F12tdf, driven by Sebastian Vettel who premiered the very latest creation from the Maranello company. Kimi Raikkonen had managing director Amedeo Felisa as a passenger, while Esteban Gutierrez had the marque’s vice president, Piero Ferrari alongside him.
The day ended with the traditional “family photo” featuring all the drivers from every category, following on from the crowd-pleasing demonstration from the Scuderia’s Formula 1 Drivers.
Finali Mondiali – exciting day for the drivers
Posted: 08.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Kimi: “A very special day.” Seb: “I promise I will be giving my all for the fans.”
Scarperia, 8 November –Those who think today’s F1 drivers are two dimensional, with no room for emotion were evidently not at Mugello this Sunday. Seb Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen went all out to give their utmost for the thousands of people who were up against the barriers, endlessly signing autographs, posing for selfies and, above all putting on a great show on track. Later, in the press conference they gave their thoughts on the day.
Let’s start with Kimi, a “veteran” of this type of event. “This is a very special day and it’s hard to compare to previous Ferrari Days that I’ve attended. It definitely helps that we’re in Italy, Ferrari’s homeland. But maybe, today reminds me of the 2007 event, after I’d won the world title. Anyway, it’s always nice to do something for the fans. I am really happy. Now we will try to do our best in the two remaining rounds of this championship.”
And Seb echoed his team-mate’s sentiments: “It would be nice if events like this were held more often, as it’s a chance to meet the people who support us. On top of that, this was the perfect day, warm and sunny and also on the perfect track! As for the championship, the last race was the worst of the season in terms of results, but even so, in Mexico our race pace was encouraging. Let’s bear in mind that eight to nine months ago, we were around 1.3, 1.4 seconds off the pace, whereas now its down to half a second or even less. I promise the fans that in the next two races, we will give it all we’ve got. The ideal would be if we’re out ahead of everyone…”
Ferrari Challenge – Prinoth wins Coppa Shell world championship
Posted: 08.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Scarperia, 8 November – Erich Prinoth is the new Coppa Shell world champion. The Italian veteran avoided the many pitfalls of the Mugello track and steered clear of the incidents that marked the race.
Plot twist. The two favourites and stars of the European season, Gautam Singhania and newly crowned champion Jacques Duyver (both Kessel Racing) were knocked out of the running in a collision right at the start with Thomas Loefflad (StileF Racing Team) who was forced to withdraw himself. The Indian served his drive-through penalty a few laps later, handing Prinoth the lead.
Podium fight. A tight battle for the other two podium places developed behind Prinoth, involving Fons Scheltema, Rick Lovat, Kriton Lendoudis and Singhania. The Indian mounted a comeback right down to the final corner, when he overtook the Greek. However, in the end the top three spots went to three veterans, Prinoth, Scheltema and Lovat.
Finali Mondiali – Ferrari Challenge medals awarded
Posted: 08.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Emotions and spectacle on Sunday with Scuderia Ferrari
Scarperia, 8 Nov – Prancing Horse fans and enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating the final day of the 2015 Finali Mondiali at Mugello on Sunday. The day’s biggest draw will be the Maranello show at 12.45 pm, with Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 drivers Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel and Esteban Gutierrez. This is Raikkonen’s second consecutive appearance at the Finali Mondiali, after last year in Abu Dhabi. However, it will be first time for both Gutierrez and Vettel. The public, fans, and many Ferrari staff are eager to greet the German driver after his three victories this season.
Championship medal ceremony. Meanwhile on Saturday night, in the splendid setting of Fortezza da Basso in Florence, the gala dinner saw the medals for the three series handed out by Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne and CEO Amedeo Felisa. The evening also included the unveiling of the F12tdf, the new 780 HP V12. The car, produced in a special limited (LINK TO PAGE OF TDF) will star in a spectacular display on track on Sunday. And that’s not all. The thousands of people who come to Mugello will find all the exhibitions up and running, including the tents of the Ferrari Classics, the range, GT and the pits, the junior paddock and the race Simulators.
Finali Mondiali – Mugello already packed on Saturday – Paddock buzzing with people
Posted: 07.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Scarperia, 7 November – Adults and children, the inquisitive and the passionate, and people of all nationalities flocked to Mugello on Saturday, the penultimate day of the Finali Mondiali. The beautiful weather brought out the crowds who came to look around the Ferrari circuit. Visitors to Scarperia would not have been disappointed. Children had the junior paddock to enjoy, with many themed games, while Ferrari enthusiasts could admire the range and the classic cars. The roar of the engines drew the public to the F1 Clienti and XX Programmes pits, while anyone visiting the GT tent could gain a preview of the car that will compete in the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours. On Sunday it will be the turn of Scuderia Ferrari to put on a show, with Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel at Mugello to meet the fans and entertain them with a stunning exhibition at the wheel of the Formula 1 Ferraris.
Finali Mondiali – Racing version of 488 presented
Posted: 07.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Unveiling of GT3 and GTE versions that will race in the WEC
Scarperia, 7 November – The FXX K was presented at last year’s Finali Mondiali in Abu Dhabi. In 2015 at Mugello it was the turn of the 488, which was shown off in its GTE and GT3 versions. Celebrity endorser, Lapo Elkann, paid a visit to the Finali Mondiali on Friday, conducting the award ceremony for the winners of the Ferrari Challenge race and going for a spin as a passenger in an exclusive FXX K.
A car for Le Mans. “Gimmi” Bruni, Toni Vilander, James Calado and Davide Rigon removed the red cloth from the 488 GTE, the car that will race in next year’s World Endurance Championship (WEC) and that was presented in the AF Corse team race livery for next season.
GT racing weapon. Giancarlo Fisichella, Olivier Beretta and Andrea Bertolini, who did the lion’s share of testing, unveiled the GT3 version of the car that will compete in the main domestic and international GT championships. The major break with the 458 Italia is the turbo engine, which also appears on the production model of the car, 488 GTB.
Finali Mondiali – F1 Clienti and XX Programmes light up Mugello
Posted: 07.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Scarperia, 7 November – A unique sound, extraordinary power, and many exceptional cars: In a nutshell this is what two of Ferrari’s most exclusive programmes, F1 Clienti and XX Programmes, are offering.
Nearly 15 years of victories. The cars that have written the history of Formula 1, from the F300 of 1998 to the F150° Italia of 2011 are taking to the track at the World Finals in Mugello, thrilling fans with the characteristic sound of their eight and ten-cylinder aspirated engines. Customers who have a chance to drive them at the World Finals will have the assistance of some very special tutors such as Marc Gene, James Calado and Giancarlo Fisichella. The F1 Clienti will be key players on Sunday, when an expected record number of spectators will certainly appreciate the roar of the engines of some of the most successful cars in Formula 1 history.
Extraordinary power. The XX Programmes cars will join the F1 Clienti on track at the Finali Mondiali. These unique and extraordinary cars are something that only Ferrari could have come up with. The cars of the XX Programmes can only be driven on track, but they are not approved for any championship. The first of the line was the FXX of 2005, built on the basis of the Enzo, which was followed by the 599XX and then, starting this year, the FXX K, a car as beautiful as it is powerful, with 1050 horsepower and equipped with extraordinary technology that also takes advantage of the experience gained in Formula 1 with hybrid Technology.
Finali Mondiali – The Baron Service team wins the award for the most elegant colour combination
Posted: 06.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Scarperia, 6 November – Black to render the sports lines even more aggressive. White, especially on the bonnet and doors. And splashes of yellow on the headlamps and sides. These are the colours of the 458 Challenge Evo No. 88 of the Baron Service team, driven by the Belgian Florian Meckx in the Trofeo Pirelli Europa, which received the prize Best Ferrari’s Livrea [Best Ferrari’s Colours], awarded this afternoon at the Hospitality Ferrari in the Mugello paddock.
The award was granted on the basis of the votes cast by the guests of the Ferrari sponsor during all races of the championship. Merckx’ car has also been reproduced in 1:8 scale by Amalgam. It has thus become a collector’s model car.
Ferrari Challenge APAC – Hutasoit and Wyatt fight exciting duel
Posted: 06.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Scarperia, 6 November – Everything is set for an exciting duel in the Trofeo Pirelli on Saturday after the change of leader on Friday when Indonesia’s Renaldi Hutasoit of Viro Water Ferrari Jakarta won the race to nab top spot from Australia’s Steve Wyatt (Barbagallo Perth), who finished second. Another Indonesian, David Tjiptobiantoro (Jakarta Ferrari), came third.
Pirelli Am. In the Trofeo Pirelli Am, first place went to the “mysterious” Robert Acer, an American driver with Ferrari Greater China, who climbed on the podium completely masked to conceal his identity. Second went to the undisputed championship leader, China’s Wei Xu (CTF Group) followed by Korea’s Jung Hoon Youn (FMK).
Coppa Shell. Finally, in the Coppa Shell, Japan’s Tadakazu Kojima (Rosso Scuderia KK) took first, ahead of China’s Xin Jin (Prestige Group), who further stretched his lead in the overall standings and is closing in on the title. Another Chinese driver, Bo Song (CTF Group), finished third. Tomorrow Race-2 is scheduled.
Ferrari Challenge Europe – Trofeo Pirelli: “Babalus” wins and Vezzoni overtakes Nelson
Posted: 06.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Scarperia, 6 November – The first race of the Ferrari Challenge Europe Trofeo Pirelli saw an exciting show, with tight duels, spinouts and great overtaking. In the Trofeo Pirelli “Babalus” (Scuderia Autoropa) took some revenge on Bjorn Grossmann (Octane 126), who arrived with the championship already in his pocket, while the lead changed in the Trofeo Pirelli Am.
Trofeo Pirelli. Starting from pole position, “Babalus” dominated the race holding off Grossmann who only managed to pull closer to the Italian driver in the final stages. Third place went to David Gostner (Ineco-MP Service) while there was a great fight for fourth between Florian Merckx (Baron Service) and the Ferrari World Endurance Championship driver, Aleksey Basov, on loan for the occasion to AF Corse. The Belgian won.
Pirelli Am. However, the Pirelli Am witnessed a total reversal. Alessandro Vezzoni (Rossocorsa Pellin-Racing), who started from pole, helped by two accomplices won his battle against Martin Nelson (Scuderia Autoropa), who had led the championship standings before the race. Sam Smeeth (Stratstone Ferrari) came second ahead of the Czech Jiri Pisarik of Scuderia Praha, recent winner of the 12 Hours of Brno. Nelson will do everything to fight back in Race-2, on Saturday at 1.05pm.
Finali Mondiali – And the venue for 2016 is Daytona!
Posted: 06.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
The Finali Mondiali will be at the famous speedway from 1 to 4 Dec.
Scarperia, 6 Nov – Daytona International Speedway will host the 2016 World Finals from 1 to 4 Dec. The announcement was made on Friday afternoon at the World Finals, taking place at Mugello until Sunday. The event saw a cocktail of calendar presentations in the presence of the drivers from all three series of the world’s most famous one-make championship.
The hosts. The Daytona circuit was represented by a delegation of circuit president Joie Chitwood III, and former Formula 1 driver and winner of the Indianapolis 500, Eddie Cheever, who manages the development of the circuit’s activities and is a long-term friend of Italy and Ferrari.
Historic location. The Daytona track is one of the world’s most legendary, the theatre of great battles and especially the 24 Hours, the joint most famous race on the planet along with Le Mans. Ferrari’s clean sweep in 1967 makes it an unforgettable venue for the company, but Daytona is not simply part of Ferrari’s past because for years now the American 24 Hours is tied to the first round of the Challenge North America. This video contains the whole calendar of the 2016 season of the Ferrari Challenge.
Ferrari Challenge Europe – Singhania wins the race, Duyver the title
Posted: 06.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Scarperia, 6 November – Race-1 of the final weekend of the Ferrari Challenge Europe Coppa Shell produced two results. Firstly, Jacques Duyver won the European title after leading the standings all season, while secondly Gautam Singhania finally earned a first victory to seal his status as this year’s surprise package.The race. The Kessel Racing team driver started from pole and never relinquished his lead, repelling every attack by a determined Erich Prinoth (Ineco-MP Service). Sweden’s Christian Kinch was in a surprising third for a time but was finally overtaken by Duyver.
Gentlemen’s Cup. Friday’s race also saw Prinoth secure a mathematical victory in the Gentlemen’s Cup, for drivers over 55. His second place sealed it, because nearest rival Fons Scheltema, only finished ninth. Now it’s all done and dusted Race-2 will simply be an exclusive training session ahead of the Finale Mondiale of the Coppa Shell on Sunday at 9.30am.
Ferrari Challenge North America – The Americans take charge in Mugello for the Finali Mondiali
Posted: 06.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Scarperia, 6 November – The grand finale for the 2015 Ferrari Challenge season culminates this weekend at the Mugello Circuit, just north of Florence, Italy. Fifteen drivers hailing from the United States and Canada have traveled across the seas to compete in the championship round of the Finali Mondiali, racing in the finest spectacle of Prancing Horses brought to you by Ferrari’s Corse Clienti. The annual celebration brings together the drivers from the Ferrari Challenge series in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, as well as the F1 Clienti and XX Programmes. The fifteen drivers from North America represent one of the largest field of drivers from the series to travel to the Finali Mondiali. Having just come from NOLA Motorsports Park last month in Louisiana, they’re geared up for the final race of the season.
Trofeo Pirelli. Emmanuel Anassis (Ferrari of Quebec), former North American Ferrari Challenge champion, has had an unforgettable season. Standing on the podium at each race, the Canadian continued to maintain his ground as the points leader of his class, with 226 points. But that hasn’t stopped the chase as Gregory Romanelli (The Collection) follows swiftly behind. Romanelli more recently took the victory in NOLA, leading him to 156 points coming into the championship. Romanelli will be racing alongside his older brother, Arthur (The Collection), who runs in the Trofeo Pirelli Am class. John Farano (Ferrari of Ft. Lauderdale) closes the gap standing in third place with 136 points.
Trofeo Pirelli Am. Mike Zoi (Ferrari of Ft. Lauderdale) and Anthony Imperato (Ferrari of Long Island) both hold the lead in the championship points for their class. With just an 8 points standing between them, Zoi with 189 and Imperato with 181, the race action this weekend will be sure to entice. James Weiland (Ferrari of San Francisco) makes his second return to the Finali Mondiali and currently stands in third with 133 points.
Coppa Shell. The most exciting action the North American Ferrari Challenge remains among the drivers from the Coppa Shell class. Throughout the season, we’ve seen the top four championship points leaders tightly contend one another. Currently, Jean-Claude Saada (Boardwalk Ferrari) hold the lead with 180 points. Behind him are Joe Courtney (Miller Motor Cars) with 178 points, Dan O’Neal (Ferrari of Ft. Lauderdale) with 165 points, and rookie Chris Cagnazzi (Ferrari of Long Island) with 162 points. Only 18 points separate the leader with his three rivals, making for an interesting finale round here in Mugello.
Schedule. The racing action begins today with the first round of qualifying at 9:30 AM and Race 1 at 1:05 PM. Another round of qualifying and Race 2 are reserved for Saturday when the championship will be decided. All the drivers will be back on track on Sunday competing for the World Championship title with individual races for the Trofeo Pirelli (divided between Pirelli and Pirelli AM) and Coppa Shell.
Ferrari Challenge Europe – Prinoth: “Mugello, a circuit worthy of a champion”
Posted: 05.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Scarperia, 5 November – The expert Erich Prinoth talks about Mugello circuit, the track that hosts the last two races of the Ferrari Challenge Europe championship and that on Sunday will be the venue of the Finale Mondiale [World Final] of the Coppa Shell. The Ineco-MP Service team driver was in the race for the Coppa Shell championship for a long time, but now leads the standings of the Gentlemen Cup, reserved to drivers over 55. Erich does not have any doubts: “Whoever wins at the Mugello fully deserves the world championship title.
Finali Mondiali – Off we go!
Posted: 05.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Four days packed with events from Thursday to Sunday
Scarperia, 5 November – The Finali Mondiali at Mugello has kicked off with the first Ferrari Challenge practice sessions. The Finali Mondiali, from Thursday to Sunday, will offer enthusiasts and fans all the passion, excitement and technology that only the Prancing Horse can provide.
Three series of the Challenge. The menu is full of interesting activities, starting with the track events. Indeed, Mugello will host the final two rounds of the three series of the world’s most famous brand: the Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific series. Then on Sunday all the drivers will be on track for the two world championship finals, the Trofeo Pirelli (divided into Pirelli and Pirelli Am) and the Coppa Shell.
F1 Clienti and XX Programmes. Then there will then be the F1 Clienti and the cars of the XX Programmes. The F1 Clienti will offer a glimpse of the Ferraris that competed in Formula 1 from 1998 to 2011, while the FXX K will do the lion’s share of the work for the XX Programmes. The car, derived from the special limited LaFerrari series, was presented for the first time at last year’s Finali Mondiali and in this edition will make its debut in the hands of customers.
The Scuderia and the rest. But the Finali Mondiali is not just about what happens on track. There will be a lot to see in the paddock, starting with the current Ferrari range, including the new special limited F12tdf series. Then there will be the classic Ferrari GTs, with cars ranging from the 1950s to the 458 Italia which ends its competitive career this year in the GTE-Pro series of the World Endurance Championship (WEC). And with this in mind, Mugello will also see the new 488 GTE and GT3, a car whose two versions will compete in next year’s WEC and the main GT championships.
Ferrari Challenge Europe – Coppa Shell. Duyver seeks to clinch title
Posted: 05.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Scarperia, 5 November – The Coppa Shell is heading into its last race at Mugello with two titles still up for grabs, although there are two obvious favorites and just a handful of points left to be won.
Kessel derby. The fight for the Coppa Shell title involves two drivers competing under the banner of Kessel Racing. A good 40 points separate Belgium’s Jacques Duyver and India’s Gautam Singhania, so Duyver doesn’t need much to clinch the title, which he could do as soon as Friday. However, despite a great season Singhania still doesn’t have a win to his name and what better occasion to gain it than the Finali Mondiali?
Prinoth favourite. The other Coppa Shell title is the Gentlemen’s Cup, for drivers over 55. Again there is a big favourite, Erich Prinoth (Ineco-MP Service), who is well ahead of Fons Scheltema. However, the Dutchman is still in with a mathematical chance and certainly won’t go down without a fight. Before we see the drivers on the track we can relive all the excitement of the Valencia race in this spectacular video.
Finali Mondiali – GT drivers head to Mugello – Seven champions to attend on Saturday and Sunday
Posted: 02.11.2015
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 2 November – Ferrari’s GT drivers are on their way from Rome and Monte Carlo but mainly from Shanghai, to attend the Finali Mondiali at Mugello from 5 to 8 November.
The Americans. Giancarlo Fisichella and Olivier Beretta starred in a very busy season in America. The Roman driver competed in the IMSA United SportsCar Championship with the 458 Italia of Risi Competizione, winning many podium finishes and staying in contention for the title right down to the final races. Olivier was the long-term leader of the Pirelli World Challenge with the R.Ferri team car, but then lost top spot to Johnny O’Connell in an unlucky last race at Laguna Seca. Both also starred in the GTE Pro at the Le Mans 24 Hours, finishing respectively third and second.
Five plus one. Five Ferrari official drivers plus another 2015 star are on their way from Shanghai. We mean Gianmaria “Gimmi” Bruni and Toni Vilander, and James Calado and Davide Rigon, drivers of 458 Italia GTEs no. 51 and 71 in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the world’s most important GT series. Then there is also Andrea Bertolini, leader of the drivers’ standings in the GTE-Am class and winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours with the Ferrari of SMP Racing. His partner Aleksey Basov is due to race the 458 Challenge EVO AF Corse in the Trofeo Pirelli of the Ferrari Challenge Europe and also in the world championship.
Princesses. Two princesses will be awaiting the seven champions, the Ferrari 488 GTE and the GT3. These cars equipped with turbo engines will be unveiled to the public for the first time and will be key players in next season’s WEC championship and the world’s most important GT series.
Finali Mondiali – Three Australians vie for victory at Mugello
Posted: 26.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Wyatt, Van Loenhout and Yeo: a 14,000-kilometre trip in search of the title
Maranello, 26 October – Perhaps not everyone knows that New Zealand is the precise polar opposite of Italy, making it the country furthest from the Mugello circuit, venue of the Ferrari Finali Mondiali from 5 to 8 Nov. There are no New Zealand drivers enrolled, but three Australians are among the representatives of the 24 nations competing. The trio of Steve Wyatt, Paul Van Loenhout and Alan Yeo are now readying themselves for the 14,000 km trip. They are coming in pursuit of the world championship title, even though one of the three has another target besides.
APAC leader. Steve Wyatt, who has also raced for Ferrari in GT competitions, is an experienced driver, a huge Ferrari enthusiast and very loyal to the 458 Italia. Steve has a double goal at the Finali Mondiali. Like everyone he wants to be world champion, in his case in the Pirelli Am class, but first of all he needs to win the Trofeo Pirelli title in the Asia Pacific series where he is battling it out with Indonesia’s Renaldi Hutasoit and David Tjiptobiantoro.
The student. Then in the Coppa Shell there is Paul Van Loenhout, a frequent competitor in the Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific, who this year has taken part, albeit sporadically, in the European series where he has won 17 points. His coach driver is Renato Loberto and his ambition is to play a leading role in the Finali Mondiali.
In search of glory. The third Australian, Alan Yeo, is also competing in the Coppa Shell but in the Asia Pacific championship. Alan is in 10th position in the standings but aims to climb towards the top of the table in the Barbagallo team’s 458 Challenge EVO. The best way to follow the adventures of the Australians is to come to the circuit from 5 to 8 Nov. Admission to Mugello is free. Just download the entry coupon at this link.
F12tdf to debut at Mugello
Posted: 22.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
First public outing for new limited edition special series V12
Maranello, 22 October – So far you’ve only seen it in photographs but at the Finali Mondiali, Ferrari’s annual track get-together taking place at Mugello between November 5 and 8, you’ll be able to see the F21tdF “in the flesh” for the very first time. In fact, the stunning 780 CV limited edition special series V12 makes its track debut on Sunday, November 8, a day with an already packed schedule.
An unmissable moment in an event that never fails to reward enthusiasts and tifosi with a much clearer insight into the world of Ferrari, be it Formula 1, GT racing or even our road cars.
You’ll find all the details on taking part here. Finali Mondiali 2015
FDA – Three days of learning
Posted: 22.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Four young karters tackle the Santander Driving Experience
Maranello, 22 October – The sixth edition of the Santander Driving Experience came to an end yesterday at the Fiorano circuit. The event, supported by the Spanish banking group, gave some promising youngsters from the world of karting the chance to tackle a three day Ferrari Driver Academy course.
This year’s participants were Marta García and Javier Cobián from Spain, the Brazilian Murilo Della Coletta and Englishman Jack McCarthy, all aged between fifteen and seventeen. Following a tried and tested format, they first underwent a medical and physical examination, before running a session on the simulator and trying some mental training sessions. Next they got behind the wheel of a Formula 4 car, under the supervision of Academy director Luca Baldisserri.
The aim of this short course, organised by the Santander sponsor along with the Maranello company, was to provide important pointers for the future of these young drivers: improving their driving style, learning how to evaluate track conditions and how to establish a constructive relationship with their engineers to get the best performance possible.
Ferrari debuts on Wall Street
Posted: 21.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Trading begins for RACE on New York Stock Exchange
New York, 21 October – At 9.30 EDT today, flanked by FCA Chairman John Elkann and a group of Prancing Horse executives, Ferrari Chairman Sergio Marchionne rang the opening bell at the NYSE which traditionally marks the start of trading on the floor of what is considered the world’s leading stock exchange. Ferrari N.V. has chosen RACE as its ticker symbol for the listing.
Ferrari stars at 2015 Adelaide Motorsport Festival
Posted: 20.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Adelaide, 20 October – Ferrari celebrated its long and impressive history with Adelaide with a series of public events during the Adelaide Motorsport Festival. Ferrari’s participation included an exclusive preview of the all-new Ferrari 488 GTB which was seen for the first time ever on Australian roads in Adelaide.
The 488 GTB took a coveted spot in the Classic Adelaide Rally and was joined on the roads into the Adelaide Hills by other current model Ferraris including the FF which led the rally pack, California T, and an impressive line-up of privately owned Ferrari vehicles. The 488 GTB also took to the track in an impressive dynamic display at Victoria Park on Sunday.
The F1 car that Gerhard Berger drove to a celebrated Australian Grand Prix victory in Adelaide in 1987 was also on display to the public at Victoria Park, while the Ferrari 412-T1 driven to second place by Berger in 1994 was on track daily as part of the F1 Category. The symphonic 3.5 litre V12 Ferrari being rated as one of the most spectacular sounding F1 cars of all time was a delight to motorsport fans and car enthusiasts and set spectator’s hearts racing.
The event showcased a full complement of Ferrari V8 race cars with 348 GTC (1994), F355 Challenge (1995), 360 Modena Challenge (2000), F430 GT3, and the 458 Challenge currently in use in the Asia-Pacific series all on display.
Two awards from Sport Auto
Posted: 19.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Ferrari 488 GTB and Ferrari 458 Speciale A voted Best Sports Cars of 2015
Stuttgart/Maranello, October 19, 2015 – The Ferrari 488 GTB and Ferrari 458 Speciale A have both been voted “Best Sports Cars of 2015” by the readers of the German automotive magazine, Sport Auto, taking home two wins.
The Ferrari 458 Speciale A easily took the over-150,000 Euro Convertible cars category, with 30.5% of the readers voting for it. The Ferrari 488 GTB also enjoyed the top podium position with 29.7 % of the readers’ votes in the over-150,000 Euro Coupé category.
| Circuit | Circuit of the Americas |
| Date | 25.10.2015 |
| Laps | 56 |
| Distance | 308,405/ 191,675 miles |
| No | Driver | Ferrari | S/N | Team | Result |
| 5 | Sebastian Vettel | SF15-T | 313 |
Scuderia Ferrari | 3. |
| 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | SF15-T | 311 |
Scuderia Ferrari | retired / accident |
United States Grand Prix – Austin, 25 October 2015
Posted: 25.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Maurizio Arrivabene: “Today we have seen how strong the team has been all weekend, being capable of reacting so well, notwithstanding the postponing of the qualifying session and knowing that we would have to take a penalty anyway. Seb did another fantastic race, taking a podium finish after starting from P13 on the grid. This result helped us secure second place in the Constructors’ championship! We had a very good strategy today, gambling on the Prime tires to go all the way to the end when the Safety Car came out on lap 27; then we had another caution period and we fitted the Options. Before that second Safety Car period, we had hoped for an even better result, but the Safety Car is part of the game. As for Kimi, I appreciated to see him fight to make it back to the track after hitting the barrier: this fully shows our team spirit. Now the championship goes on, and we need to stay focused with humility and determination, trying to consolidate our position in the Drivers’ Championship. Congratulations to Lewis for winning the title.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “The first part of the race was more or less ok: the car felt pretty good all the time, I had the speed and I was able to fight with other cars. After the tires change I made a mistake, I pushed a bit too much, the rear end got loose, so I went off and hit the wall. The front of the car got stuck on the advertising board, I kept turning the wheels for a while, then I managed to get off and go back on the track. I had a slow puncture on my rear left tire, and I also damaged the right front end: we changed the front wing and the car was ok, but the brake duct had failed and the brakes got overheated, so I had to retire. It’s not very nice when you have a race ending like this: we have the right tools but we have to put things together, make no mistakes and achieve a proper result. Congratulations to Lewis and the whole team, he did the best job out of everybody and deserves to be the champion.”
Sebastian Vettel: “We tried to spoil Lewis’ party today! In the end maybe I should have taken more of a risk with Nico, but it was not possible. It is a shame, but let’s not forget where we started this year. Today it was another great race, a great recovery and the car was fantastic. I think you can’t ask for more if you start from P13. A good first lap helped a lot and after that we had the pace, especially changing to the dry tires in mixed conditions. We seemed to fly for a few laps, a couple of seconds quicker than everybody else. Maybe without the last safety car we could have won the race: but if ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ were candy and nuts… It was a difficult race and we managed it very well. I can only say “grazie tante” to everybody on track and in the factory. So on one hand we are happy, but it is not a nice feeling when you are out of the fight. For the next year this gives us a boost, trying to do make progress. Hopefully we will give them a bigger challenge.”
|
Race |
||||||
| Pos. | Time | Gap | Laps | FL | L | |
| RAIKKONEN | NC | 51:08.772 | DNF | 25 | 1:46.186 | 24 |
| Pit-stop | 1st stop | Lap 19 | New Soft | |||
| 2nd stop | Lap 20 | New Soft | ||||
| VETTEL | 3rd | 1:50:56.084 | + 3.381 | 56 | 1:41.330 | 52 |
| Pit-stop | 1st stop | Lap 18 | New Soft | |||
| 2nd stop | Lap 27 | New Medium | ||||
| 3rd stop | Lap 43 | New Soft | ||||
|
Weather: air 19/20 °C, track 20/22 °C. Cloudy |
||||||
United States Grand Prix – Gritty podium for Seb
Posted: 25.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Vettel comes third and Kimi has to retire after an off-track excursion.
Austin, 25 October – At the end of a race which he started from thirteenth place on the grid, Sebastian Vettel made up ten places to finish third, which means he is still in the runner-up position in the Drivers’ classification. After going off the track on lap 20, the damage caused by that incident saw Kimi Raikkonen have to pit and retire a few laps later. Lewis Hamilton won the race, which means he cannot be beaten on points and is the 2015 World Champion.
United States Grand Prix – Fifth and eighth places for Vettel and Raikkonen in qualifying
Posted: 25.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Engine change penalties see Seb line up on Row 7 with Kimi starting 18th.
Austin, 25 October –The weather continues to affect track action at the United States Grand Prix. Qualifying got underway as planned at 9am local time, with rain still falling. But by the end of Q2, it had intensified to such an extent that officials decided to cancel Q3, which would have seen the top ten drivers only on track.
The grid is thus taken from the times set in Q2, in which Sebastian Vettel was fifth in 1.58.596 and Kimi Raikkonen eighth with a time of 1.59.703. Both drivers have to drop 10 places however, because ICUs on their cars were changed. Sebastian will start from fourteenth place and Kimi from eighteenth. Pole went to Nico Rosberg (1’56”824) in the Mercedes, with team-mate Lewis Hamilton second in1’56”929.
Sebastian Vettel: “Conditions were difficult for everyone, there was not much to do. It was quite difficult out there, so I think it was the right call not to start Q3. Now we have to take the penalty. Hopefully we have the right conditions to race and, for the rest, we will see.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “The weather conditions today were very similar to yesterday morning, but then they got worse and in some places it was a bit more difficult. It’s a shame we couldn’t run the Q3. It looks like the weather it’s clearing up, hopefully we can run a normal race. We have a pretty good speed also in the rain and the car is handling well, but obviously when you start from the back of the grid the visibility is the biggest issue. Let’s see how it turns out, we’ll try our best.”
United States Grand Prix – Austin, 24 October 2015
Posted: 24.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Kimi Raikkonen: “It’s a shame that these two days went like this. This morning at least we could do more timed laps than yesterday, but we all are here to drive and the spectators have been sitting in the rain for five hours without seeing any of the cars. It’s an unfortunate thing but we cannot change the weather, there’s nothing that we can do. Tomorrow we’ll have qualifying and race in the same day, but I don’t think it will be so difficult. We have done it before, it will just be a bit more busy day. The main thing is that hopefully the weather will be better and we get both things done, the qualifying session and the Grand Prix. Then it would be nice for everybody.”
Sebastian Vettel: “Obviously it is a shame for the people here. They have been waiting a long time in the wet, they came to see nothing in the end. Hopefully we can put in a good show for them tomorrow. The difficulty will be to manage the whole day, there will be a lot of things to do, a lot of meetings and so on, but Qualifying and race are possible to manage within one day, as we have seen a few years ago in Japan. There was very little we could do on a day like today. But we still had the chance to run a bit this morning, so for tomorrow we have a good chance to qualify well and minimize the damage of going back 10 places. It looks like tomorrow it could be wet in the morning, but then dry in the afternoon during the race.”
RAIKKONEN – chassis 311 – Third Session P7 2:00.785 9 laps
VETTEL – chassis 313 – P2 2:00.380 9 laps
Weather: air 20 °C, track 21 °C. Rain
United States Grand Prix – No qualifying today
Posted: 24.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Session postponed because of bad weather
Austin, 24 October – Race officials decided to postpone today’s qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas, without any drivers leaving the garages. Dreadful conditions, with constant driving rain and strong winds meant the track was flooded. The session was repeatedly delayed until it was finally postponed at 16h00. It is now scheduled for 9am tomorrow. On the assumption the session will take place, it will no longer be necessary therefore to rely on the times set in P3 to decide the grid order.
United States Grand Prix – Austin, 23 October 2015
Posted: 23.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Kimi Raikkonen: “We cannot take very much from today’s free practice. This morning, we only did three timed laps because we wanted to save intermediate tires for the second session. We don’t have many sets of tires for the rain conditions and if we still expect more rain it’s better to keep them. It’s a difficult situation but it’s the same for everybody. At the moment we are just guessing, tomorrow we’ll see how it is and then what comes after that if we can’t drive. With this weather conditions there’s more gamble and more chances for odd races, it can go all for you or against you. It’s a shame for everybody, the spectators can’t see anything and we can’t drive because of the conditions. Hopefully we get the proper conditions at least on Sunday and we can do qualifying and race. We’ll try to make the right decisions. I’m sure we have the speed to recover at the start.”
Sebastian Vettel: “I have witnessed something like this already – yes. We had a year in Canada where the race was held for a long time due to rain; and we had a year in Japan, where we had to cancel Qualifying on Saturday and do it on Sunday. It is a shame, especially for the people who came to see us this weekend here at the circuit. But there is not much we can do. We have to remain calm and get prepared for tomorrow as a normal day. Today we obviously didn’t learn a lot, then we see from the conditions what the day brings. Everybody is in the same situation.”
United States Grand Prix – Too much rain to run
Posted: 23.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Second free practice cancelled because of bad weather
Austin, 23 October –After some light rain this morning as the United States Grand Prix got underway with free practice 1, the afternoon session never took place at all. With the heavy rain, the marshals unable to work because of the proximity of lightning and then the medical helicopter grounded by the conditions, the race director cancelled the session. If the weather improves in the coming hours, then all the teams will try again tomorrow morning.
United States Grand Prix – A damp morning
Posted: 23.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Intermediate tyres the order of the day in Texas
Austin, 23 October – As expected, rain was a factor this morning at the Circuit of the Americas where the sixteenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship got underway. Quickest in first free practice on a track that had some standing water in parts, was Nico Rosberg who did a 1.53.989 in the Mercedes, ahead of the Red Bull duo of Daniil Kvyat (1.55.224) and Daniel Ricciardo (1.55.592). Sebastian Vettel was sixth in the Ferrari in 1.55.710. After an installation lap on Wet tyres, he switched to Intermediates for the rest of the session. It was the same programme for Kimi Raikkonen, who was eighth in 1.56.326, although he needed a short extra stop because of a sensor problem. The Ferrari men did just 10 laps, waiting for better conditions as puddles in places meant it was not possible to get a clean lap.
United States Grand Prix – “Striving for maximum performance”
Posted: 22.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Seb explains the reasons behind engine change
“For this weekend, we are going to use our fifth internal combustion engine of the season. And this means we are going to pay a ten-slot penalty on the grid. But then this has always been the plan and has never been a big secret to us. Our policy is to always try to have the strongest engine at every event along the season. The guys in the engine department have done a great job this year and even the decision we’re taking for the weekend here in Austin should be looked at on the positive side, because we keep pushing hard for performance and so far this has worked very well. Paying the penalty may not be fantastic news if you look at this weekend in isolation of course, but if you look at the whole picture, the advantage of a fresh power unit becomes clear. In general, if I look back at the season, I think it has been a phenomenal one. The challenge we faced was huge, with so many new people in many different roles, and myself being new to the team. The big effort was putting everything together and so far the year has been a great one”.
United States Grand Prix – “Quite a fun track”
Posted: 22.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Kimi hoping for fair weather to have a run
“This is quite a fun track, the weather has been promised to be pretty bad, but hopefully it will turn out ok so that we can get some running already tomorrow. Then we’ll see how the weekend will go. Regarding the use of a fifth engine, it’s part of our program. Since last winter, before the start of the season, we have had a plan that involves the turnover of five engines: we have been following this plan and we have been making progress. For sure we are going to fit it and this will imply a penalty, which is not an ideal situation, but without all these plans we would have not been progressing so well this year. We keep doing our things and moving forward to get where we want to be eventually next season. This year we’ll be looking at finishing the season in the best way we can; and then we’ll put all the effort into the next season”.
United States Grand Prix – A mix of the nicest corners
Posted: 20.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
Gutierrez: “the most interesting bits from various circuits”
Maranello, 21 October – “I have a special relationship with Austin, because up until this year it was considered the home race for many Mexicans, who always came to watch in large numbers.” That’s Scuderia Ferrari’s third driver Esteban Gutierrez’s initial thought on the first of the two North American races. “The track is very interesting, because it’s been designed bringing together the best corners from various other tracks,” the Mexican told ferrari.com. “A very steep hill leads up to the first corner, which is followed by a sequence of corners that are reminiscent of Becketts at Silverstone, but a bit longer. Then, for example, the long sequence of turns, 16, 17 and 18 are like the long corner at the Istanbul circuit in Turkey. However, my favourite part is the first sector, because it also has some very slow corners and that makes finding the best set-up for the car more complicated. The heaviest braking point is the one at Turn 12 and the aerodynamic downforce level is medium to high. That’s actually quite a common scenario at various races in the championship and we will try to manage the situation as well as possible, as always”.
United States Grand Prix – Back to back in North America
Posted: 20.10.2015
Source: Ferrari
The challenges of Austin
Maranello, 20 October – Scuderia Ferrari is getting ready to tackle back-to-back races in North America, with Texas the first port of call. Lorenzo Sassi, Chief Designer Power Unit, explains the most important aspects of the next race to ferrari.com. “The Austin track has three interesting facets: the first is what’s known as the power effect, or the importance the output from the power unit has on lap time, which is very high at this track. The second is energy management, because the long straights mean we have to ensure good energy recovery in order to maintain performance on those straights. Last, but by no means least, is the fact the track features many sections that rise and fall, which makes managing oil pressure critical. We expect fuel consumption to be less critical than in Sochi, but it’s still a parameter we will be monitoring carefully, because only when we take to the track on Friday and Saturday will we get a true picture of the situation. As for our development tokens, we still have four left and plenty of ideas on how to spend them, both on increasing power for this season and also looking ahead to 2016.”