Monthly Archives: November 2015

 

Main street of Osaka coloured in Ferrari red From F1 demonstration to a Parade of 100 Ferraris

Posted: 30.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Tokyo, 30 November 2015 – On a clear and beautiful morning last Sunday, more than 450,000 enthusiastic Ferrari owners and fans gathered together in Osaka for the Midousuji Wonder Street event to enjoy the world of Ferrari.

The event, organized on the main street of Osaka at Midousuji, started with an F1 demonstration run by Japanese professional racing driver Shinji Nakano. The Ferrari F2003GA ran beautifully, passing thrilled and cheering Ferrari tifosi. The highlight of the event was the spectacular parade and display of 100 Ferrari supercars, including a beautiful collection of limited and classic Ferraris such as 5 LaFerrari’s, 13 Dino’s, one Enzo Ferrari and one Ferrari 750 Monza, resulting in the main street of Osaka to be awash in a sea of Ferrari red.

Owners, their families, friends and fans witnessed this historical moment of the Prancing Horse, making it definitely one of the most memorable experiences of the day.

 

 

Ferrari unveils new 488 Spider at Auto Guangzhou 2015

Posted: 26.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

November 26th, 2015, Guangzhou — Auto Guangzhou 2015 has again proven that the 68 years of success of Ferrari have been built on a commitment to the finest in product design and the ultimate in exclusivity of ownership – confirmed with the official China debut of the new Ferrari 488 Spider. Surrounded by the finest automotive creations available, Ferrari demonstrated that the Italian marquee remains the preeminent super car manufacturer in the world – an enviable record of sustainable success built on a global-acclaimed model range only available to a select community of owners.

Front and centre of the highlights at Auto Guangzhou 2015 was the new 488 Spider. Following the astounding worldwide success of the 488 GTB, the global community of Ferrari owners had been asking Maranello to offer the thrills of the new 3,902cc V8 Turbo engine to the open-roof segment. The 488 Spider now makes this possible, and with 80% new components, does so with absolutely no compromise in performance. Not only does the 488 Spider retain the trademark 670 HP of incredible power and zero turbo lag, but also the performance soundtrack that is seductively full across a broad range of throttle inputs, and music to the ears of every automotive enthusiast.

A further highlight at Guangzhou in 2015, came in the form of a bespoke version of the classic front-engine Ferrari California T, featuring Bianco Italia exterior livery with the Italian Tri-Colour for further detail and designed especially for Auto Guangzhou 2015. Boasting 450 different homologated materials used for the very first time, the California T on display was rich in materials and custom detail, stating unequivocally why Ferrari has no rival for the exclusivity of each and every design. Via the ‘Tailor-made’ program, owners have every opportunity to not only demonstrate refinement of taste, but also individuality and personality with every exquisite touch.

Aside the new 488 Spider, and the bespoke California T were the other thoroughbreds currently available from the Maranello production yards, most notably the new 488 GTB. Completing the range was the naturally-aspirated 12-cylinder Ferrari F12 berlinetta, the most powerful and the highest performing road car ever released by Maranello, and the four-door and four-seat Ferrari FF, which makes the thrills of Ferrari driving accessible to four.

 

Ferrari 488 GTB wins ‘China Performance Car of the Year’

Posted: 23.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Guangzhou, November 23rd — The outstanding success of Ferrari 488 GTB was rewarded by the media of China, with the presentation of the award for ‘China Performance Car of the Year’ on November 19th in Guangzhou. Receiving a final score of 116 points – more than double the points of the next highest competitor – the Ferrari 488 GTB again demonstrated that the Italian marquee remains the preeminent super car manufacturer in the world today.

The “China Car of the Year” is to the auto industry what the Oscars is of the film industry, and was inaugurated to recognise and reward automotive excellence in China. This year, the programme is initiated by twenty-two editors-in-chief who write for the most favoured car magazines in China. On the basis of more than 140 brand new car models released from Oct.1st 2014 to Sep.30th 2015 in mainland China, three rounds of voting and scoring are set to decide the top three of the five different award. A real test drive involving the shortlisted models was conducted on Nov 10th in Beijing and eventually given a closed scoring on the Internet.

Surrounded by the finest automotive creations available, “China Car of the Year” were looking for a product that offered the finest in product design, the highest levels of performance, while also considering market performance and sales status – and the Ferrari 488 GTB was a clear winner. Forty years on from Ferrari’s first ever mid-rear-engined V8 berlinetta, the 308 GTB, the Prancing Horse has written a new chapter in its 8-cylinder history.

At the fore front of the success of the all-new Ferrari 488 GTB has been the new 3,902cc V8 Turbo engine, offering not only a spine-tingling 670 HP of incredible power with zero turbo lag, but also a new performance soundtrack that is full, clear, progressive and totally distinctive, as expected from any Prancing Horse engine. With 670 cv at 8,000 rpm and a response time to the accelerator of just 0.8 seconds (at 2,000 rpm in third gear), the 488 GTB has undeniably set a new benchmark for this kind of engine architecture.

On the exterior, architecture was also instrumental in the constant Ferrari commitment to minimise drag and maximise downforce. Cutting-edge aerodynamics from the engineers at Maranello, have allowed the Ferrari 488 GTB increase downforce by 50%, while also decreasing drag, resulting in an efficiency figure of 1.67.  An F1-inspired double spoiler, an underbody that incorporates revolutionary vortex generators, and a rear diffuser that features computer-operated variable flap geometry, were just a few of the reasons why Chinese media were able to acknowledge the clear technological supremacy of the Ferrari 488 GTB.

As Mr. Matteo Torre, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ferrari Greater China exclaimed, “We are delighted that the new Ferrari 488 GTB has been recognised by the most esteemed media in China. The success of the 488 GTB has been built upon unparalleled performance, with extreme power exploitable and controllable to an unprecedented level by drivers of all skill levels. An exceptional engine and sophisticated aerodynamics combined with refined vehicle dynamic controls radically improve the already razor-sharp responsiveness of Ferrari’s road cars to near-track level. The 488 GTB is integral to offering our exclusive community of owners a chance to experience the spiritual driving sensations built upon 68 historic years of Ferrari performance on the road and on the racetrack.

About Ferrari Greater China

Ferrari is among the world’s leading luxury brands focused on the design, engineering, production and sale of the world’s most recognizable luxury performance sports cars. Ferrari brand symbolizes exclusivity, innovation, state-of-the-art sporting performance and Italian design. Its history and the image enjoyed by its cars are closely associated with its Formula 1 racing team, Scuderia Ferrari, the most successful team in Formula 1 history. From the inaugural year of Formula 1 in 1950 through the present, Scuderia Ferrari has won 224 Grand Prix races, 16 Constructor World titles and 15 Drivers’ World titles, including most recently the Constructor World title in 2008. Ferrari designs, engineers and produces its cars in Maranello, Italy, and sells them in over 60 markets worldwide.

In 1992, Ferrari received its very first order for Ferrari 348TS from a customer in Mainland China. The supercar was delivered in 1993 and a new generation of Ferrari enthusiasts was born. To meet the needs of these passionate new supporters, the first Ferrari showroom in Mainland China opened in Beijing in February 1994, setting a new standard for luxury sales and after-sales services in China. With the establishment of Ferrari Greater China in August 2004, Ferrari had now comprehensively entered the China market. Today, Ferrari Greater China plays a central role in the Ferrari Asia Pacific market and maintains a pivotal position in Ferrari’s global strategy. Since arriving in China, Ferrari’s dealer presence has expanded rapidly with the development of a highly-qualified national network. Up to date, Ferrari has established a sales and service network in 26 major markets to offer exciting new models and to provide excellent services to Ferrari customers through a convenient and comprehensive after-sales service Network.

 

 

Circuit Yas Marina Circuit
Date 29.11.2015
Laps 55
Distance 305,355 / 189,779 miles
No Driver Ferrari S/N Team Result
5 Sebastian Vettel SF15-T 313
Scuderia Ferrari 4.
7 Kimi Raikkonen SF15-T 311
Scuderia Ferrari 3.

 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Marina, 29 November 2015

Posted: 29.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Maurizio Arrivabene: “Kimi drove a very good race today, as I expected him to do, and Seb charged from fifteenth on the grid to fourth place across the finish line. This is a result which wraps up a bit the whole season. Already at the first test last winter, we had had some positive feedback: but then we also knew that we had a mountain to climb, and the guys in the team did it step by step, both at the circuits and at the factory. It’s a whole team effort we were able to put on, with everybody working hard to improve. A big thanks to all of them, they’ve been fantastic and deserve the highest grades! Special thanks to our President, who never stopped pushing and supporting us from behind the curtains. Now we know that we face an even bigger challenge for next year, not only catching up on our rivals but also trying to stay ahead of them.”

Kimi Raikkonen: “It has been a nice and clean weekend, the car was handling well and we had no issues. In the race I was pretty happy with the speed and everything ran smoothly . We only had a small delay in the pit stops, which dropped us off a bit and we did not manage to really challenge the Mercedes. I think today we could have been closer, but third place here is an OK result, even if we always want to win and challenge for that. If we think where we were last year, there has been a really good effort from all the guys in the team. We have been pretty satisfied with the car all year long and the results have got better. Next year there is a new challenge and a new car: I think we have to keep doing the same things we did this year, improving consistently and working as one team, following the progress we did this year. Nobody knows what will happen next year and it’s too early to start guessing. We can only do our best and then we’ll see what the others do. Only time will tell.”

Sebastian Vettel: “Obviously I would have loved to get the podium again, but I think today’s result was the best possible one for us as a team. I lost quite a lot of time at the beginning and then kept playing catch up until the end. The pace was good, especially in the first and final stint, the car was also good and I managed to do some overtaking. I was very happy, it was good fun. We knew from before that Kimi and I would have crossed path with each other, as we were on very different tire strategies. It was clear that when Kimi would be close enough I would give him way to haunt the Mercedes: unfortunately that was not enough to achieve that, but I did not want to be in his way. I think we can be very happy for this season. Of course the last step to catch the Mercedes will also be the hardest one, but if you think about where we were only one year ago, this has been a miracle season. I can’t think of any other team which improved so much over a year. Big smiles are going around in our garage and for next year we want to increase the amount of smiles. I’ m very happy to have joined the team in this moment and to have had an opening year with Ferrari like I had. Hopefully we’ll have many more good ones coming”.

Race

Pos. Time Gap Laps FL L
RAIKKONEN 3rd 1:38:49.605 + 19.430 55 1:44.942 47
Pit-stop 1st stop Lap 10 New Soft
2nd stop Lap 32 New Soft
VETTEL 4th 1:39:13.910 + 43.735 55 1:44.550 48
Pit-stop 1st stop Lap 23 New Soft
2nd stop Lap 39 New Supersoft

Weather: air 26/27 °C, track 27/31 °C. Clear skies

 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Raikkonen on the podium

Posted: 29.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

A third place for Kimi. Seb fights back to fourth

Yas Marina, 29 November – Kimi Raikkonen held on to third place from the start all the way to the final chequered flag of the season, that came at the end of a very tough race. It brought the Finn the valuable points he needed to finish the 2015 Drivers’ Championship in fourth place. Sebastian Vettel attacked all the way after starting from the eighth row of the grid. The German went from fifteenth place to fourth, running a different strategy, than those who finished ahead of him on the podium. Nico Rosberg won the race for Mercedes.

 
 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Yas Marina, 28 November 2015

Posted: 28.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Maurizio Arrivabene: “A huge mistake on our side made it impossible for Seb to progress beyond Q1. Kimi did an outstanding job, ending the session with third best time. Tomorrow in the race we must simply give our best, in order to finish this season in style”.

Kimi Raikkonen: “It has been a nice Saturday, my car has been feeling pretty good the whole day. This morning I only struggled on some laps, but overall the behavior was the way I wanted and when it’s like that it’s a lot easier to put the lap together. The Mercedes have been very quick today and yesterday, in the lap times they are a bit faster than us, but the race is tomorrow, so let’s see. I did my maximum today. Tomorrow is another day, we can only do our best and see where we’ll end up. We’ll try to make a good start and then see how it pans out, going from there and making the right decisions.”

Sebastian Vettel: “Nothing wrong with the car, we thought that the lap I had on the Soft (harder) tyres was quick enough, but in the end it was not. There was also a car in front which shouldn’t have been there. So we misjudged the situation, a small mistake with big consequence, but the race is tomorrow and lots can happen. It is good that Kimi is in the front, we have a quick car and it is possible to overtake here, even if only tomorrow we’ll be able to tell how much it is. You can spend a lot of time speaking about what we did wrong, but in the end we know, so now we need to move forward.”

 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Mixed fortunes in qualifying

Posted: 28.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Raikkonen secures the third place. Vettel stranded in Q1

Yas Marina, 28 November – A breathtaking final lap resulted in a third place come the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying for Kimi Raikkonen today. The Finn set his best lap of the weekend in a time of 1.41.051, on his very last lap prior to the chequered flag. Sebastian Vettel had a tough afternoon, who having completed his first run on the Soft tyre, then took to the track with a set of Supersofts. Unfortunately, he was not able to make the cut into Q2 and qualified sixteenth. Starting from pole tomorrow will be Nico Rosberg, who took his Mercedes round in a time of 1.40.237, ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton (1.40.614).

 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Ferrari third in final free practice

Posted: 28.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Seb third and Kimi fifth in FP3

Yas Marina, 28 November – Sebastian Vettel finished third in his Ferrari in the final free practice session of the year, which recently ended at the futuristic Yas Marina circuit. The German completed 20 laps, his being being a 1.42.185. Team-mate Kimi Raikkonen completed two laps fewer, to go fifth with a 1.42.627. Once again the Mercedes duo were quickest with Nico Rosberg (1.41.856) ahead of Lewis Hamilton (1.42.137.)

 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Marina, 27 November 2015

Posted: 27.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen: “It was a normal Friday, everything worked apart from some difficulties with the Supersoft tires in the long run. Maybe the lap times could have been a bit better on the single lap, but overall it was not too bad. I haven’t seen the data from today yet, but it’s only Friday and we don’t know what the others were doing. Obviously there is always something that we can improve, the Mercedes seem to be very fast, but we’ll try to do as good as we can tomorrow. This is a nice place to finish the season, hopefully we can do well.”

Sebastian Vettel: “All in all it is Friday, I think we can still improve and we have to improve. We are a little bit too far behind, I would like the gap to be smaller, and bigger to the cars behind. Force India was surprisingly quick and so was Red Bull Racing. In the first practice session I took some notes on my pad, but this is only my “to do” list for today and tomorrow…”

     RAIKKONEN – chassis 311           VETTEL – chassis 313
First Session P3 1:44.500 27 laps P5 1.44.742 23 laps
                                                           Weather: air 29 °C, track 37/38 °C. Sunny
Second Session P7 1:42.849  36 laps P5 1:42.717  35 laps
                                                     Weather: air 25/26 °C, track 28/31 °C. Clear skies

 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Long run test

Posted: 27.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Vettel and Raikkonen fifth and seventh in FP2

Yas Marina, 27 November –The second free practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix produced a clearer picture of how things stand than the earlier one run at lunchtime. FP2 started in sunshine and ended under the daylight-bright floodlights. Once again, Mercedes was dominant, with Nico Rosberg (1.41.983) ahead of Lewis Hamilton (1.42.121.) The Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen finished fifth (1.42.717) and seventh (1.42.849) respectively. This session was run, in terms of visibility and temperature, in conditions that will be encountered in qualifying and the race so the two Ferrari drivers carried out long run tests on both tyre compounds. The quick laps produced positive data and the gaps between the leaders are extremely Close.

 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Daylight session

Posted: 27.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Ferrari third and fifth in FP1

Yas Marina, 27 November – The Ferraris finished the first free practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in third and fifth places, to start off the action for the next three days in the Gulf, which bring this year’s Formula 1 World Championship to a close. Kimi Raikkonen took his SF15-T to third in 1.44.500 behind the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton (1.43.754) and Nico Rosberg (1.43.859). The Finn worked on the usual Friday programme, while team-mate Sebastian Vettel made the most of the not to be repeated conditions to carry out some aero work and mechanical set-up adjustments. He was fifth in 1.44.702 behind Daniil Kvyat (1.44.702) in the Red Bull.

 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – “A bit like Disneyland”

Posted: 26.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Seb enjoys the track and the challenge of the weekend

I think we had a great season, I think we can be extremely happy looking at the progress we made from the year before. This year we were able to improve the car significantly from last year, but we are not close enough yet, we’re still not the favorite and our target is to do a bigger step. It’s clear that we need to improve our car and also the engine side, which means not only horsepower but also involves the whole of the Power Unit. Obviously I don’t know what happens behind other doors, but I know what’s happening in Maranello and it looks very promising.The worst moment of the season was when I crashed against the barriers in Mexico, the best moment was in Malaysia: just two weeks before I had had my first race with Ferrari and two week later my first win, it was fantastic…
I’ve liked the Abu Dhabi track since the beginning, it’s a nice place and even though we haven’t had so many races here, it already feels like a classic place to go. I think people here put a lot of efforts in trying to make us comfortable. It’s a bit like Disneyland, in terms of facilities and so on; it couldn’t be any better. I think the track is great, there are a lot of different types of corners, unfortunately not so many high speed corners, but for the rest you have everything you need and racing at night is always something special. Compared to the opening year, when there was more downforce in the car, now it’s a bit more fun, especially in the last sector you have to make sure to find the rhythm, otherwise you can drop your laptime.

 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – “A strong last race”

Posted: 26.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Kimi looks forward to season finale

This year was better than last one, but I’m still far away from where I wanted to be. We’ve had five DNFs and of course we paid a lot of points from those, we had too many issues and mistakes. As a team, though, we’ve gone a long way from last year, we all want to get Ferrari back where it was some years ago and everybody is pushing for that. Our car has been pretty good everywhere so I don’t expect it to be different here in Abu Dhabi, it’s all about doing things correctly and then you’ll get the result. Hopefully we can have a strong last race: it would be nice to leave it like that. I have no regrets on anything, this year has been like that and next year we’ll start all over again. Hopefully we’ll be able to challenge on every race weekend, time will tell. We’ll see next year when we start testing. In 2016 we have to do a better job overall, we’ll start the new year from a clean sheet and we’ll go from there. It will be interesting.

 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Tyre management holds the key

Posted: 25.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Esteban: “A circuit with high standards”

Maranello, 25 November –A great job has been done in Abu Dhabi when it comes to the circuit, which boasts a really impressive infrastructure.” That’s Scuderia Ferrari’s third driver, Esteban Gutiérrez’s first comment when talking to ferrari.com about the track that will host the final round of the Formula One World Championship. “Everything has been built to the highest standard,” continues the Mexican. “It means Abu Dhabi is a nice place to go, with a great atmosphere which has evolved year after year. “The race gets underway in the late afternoon, a feature that makes it unique on the calendar. The circuit is very technical: the only fast corners are turns 2 and 3, while the last sector is quite slow. When you come to the final part of the track, you have to be very careful in terms of managing the tyres, because the slow corners really raise the temperatures in the rears and this means that in the first two sectors, the driver has to make sure he doesn’t overheat them. I think the two key points in this race are finding the right mechanical set-up and managing the tyres. On top of that, we shouldn’t forget it’s very difficult to overtake here and the braking system comes in for a hard time. At this race, the drivers always use a special helmet visor to deal with the race starting in natural light, before ending under floodlights.”

 

 

Ferrari Celebrates the South-east Asian Premiere of the Ferrari 488 Spider

Posted: 27.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Phuket, Thailand November 27, 2015 – The Ferrari 488 Spider officially made its Southeast Asian debut in Phuket last Friday, the very first appearance in this region following the world premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September. JW Marriott Resort & Spa, a tropical paradise, was chosen as the venue for this exclusive launch. The blue skies above almost seem to fuse perfectly with the Blu Corsa livery of the Ferrari 488 Spider.

Ferrari guests were delighted to see the ballroom completely transformed into an opulent world of the Prancing Horse as they welcomed the incredibly powerful new car, the 488 Spider, into the Ferrari stable, whilst enjoying the trendy music and exceptional dance Performances.

 

 

International acclaim for the 488 GTB

Posted: 20.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Golden Steering Wheel award received from Auto Bild in Poland

Maranello, 24 November 2015 – The Ferrari 488 GTB has received further international recognition with the award of the Golden Steering Wheel in the Sports car category from the Polish edition of Auto Bild, Auto Swiat. The car was on display at the prize-giving in Warsaw last Friday where it was the star of the show for the guests. Top in its segment for power with 670 cv from its 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, the 488 GTB sets a new benchmark for the way its performance can be fully exploited by drivers of all abilities.

 
 
 

 

Four tennis legends visit Maranello

Posted: 24.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

McEnroe, Leconte, Bruguera and Wilander also enjoy a spin in the California T

Maranello, 24 November – Sergi Bruguera, Henri Leconte, Mats Wilander and John McEnroe were the undisputed stars of “La Grande Sfida” exhibition tournament in Modena last weekend. During their time in Emilia, however, their paths also crossed not once but twice with Ferrari. The first occasion was at the press conference held on Friday at the Museo Enzo Ferrari (MEF) in Modena to launch the event.

The grand tour. The second came on Sunday when the four great players paid a special visit to Maranello where they were welcomed by Italian tennis legends Lea Pericoli and Nicola Pietrangeli. The group toured the factory, getting an up-close look at the cars on the 8 and 12-cylinder assembly lines. Needless to say, everyone wanted a souvenir photo with the latest model, the F12tdf. The visit then continued on to the Classiche department where the tennis stars were particularly taken with an F40. John McEnroe wanted to know all the details about the model, including its price on its launch in 1987, while Sergi Bruguera told the group about the time he was given the opportunity to drive that exclusive model: “It was absolutely unbelievable – the fastest car I’ve ever driven. The F40 really delivered incredible sensations!” And speaking of tradition, John McEnroe underscored how important it as well as heart and passion are in sport, adding humorously that “if the driver is not very good, it’s probably better he doesn’t get too passion”.

Passion. Mats Wilander also explained his great admiration for everything Ferrari represents while Henri Leconte proved the biggest fan of all: “I’ve adored Ferrari since I was a boy. I’ve always dreamed about visiting Maranello and I’m incredibly happy to be here. You can go to any factory anywhere but there’s nothing like Ferrari”. Leconte then gave his own take on the marque: “Ferrari encompasses two extraordinary factors that it also shares with tennis: evolution and tradition. In tennis too, there is huge, continual evolution in materials but we also have tournaments like Wimbledon that are absolutely traditional with nothing over-the-top whatsoever permitted. For example, players are only allowed wear white and there is a story you have to know. There are essential stages you have to go through. Ferrari represents the perfect union of those two elements: tradition in that it is one of the world’s most important and well-known brands, and continual innovation as epitomised by its cars”.

The California T. The four visiting players were also taken for spin through Maranello and the surrounding area in four California Ts driven by Ferrari’s test-drivers. Unfortunately, bad weather meant, they couldn’t see the RHT in action but the car proved its extraordinary versatility and ability to deliver a sublimely exhilarating drive even in tricky road conditions with the top up.

 

 

Sebastian Vettel crowned Champion of Champions

Posted: 21.11.2015
Source: Race of Champions

  • Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has won the Race Of Champions trophy for the first time
  • Vettel prevailed after a win over ‘Mr Le Mans’ Tom Kristensen, who reached his fourth ROC Grand Final
  • Reigning Champion of Champions David Coulthard and Blancpain Endurance Series Champion Alex Buncombe made it as far as the semi-finals
  • Last night’s triumphant ROC Nations Cup winners for Team England 1 Andy Priaulx and Jason Plato both went out in the quarter-finals
  • Susie Wolff bowed out of racing with a defeat to her fellow countryman and Team Scotland partner Coulthard

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel put in a stunning performance to eclipse 19 fellow stars of motor sport and win the Race Of Champions for the first time on a thrilling afternoon of action at London’s former Olympic Stadium.

Following Team England 1’s triumph in last night’s ROC Nations Cup, all cooperation went out of the window today as the individual Race Of Champions pitted many of motor sport’s biggest names in identical cars on a brand new Olympic cycling-style pursuit track.

On a bitterly cold but sunny day at the iconic London venue, the best-of-three Grand Final boiled down to a battle between two of the world’s biggest motor sport legends. But in the end Vettel saw off nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen to become Champion of Champions for the first time.

Vettel had never been in the Race Of Champions Grand Final before, despite his six ROC Nations Cup wins in partnership with Michael Schumacher for Team Germany. Kristensen, by contrast, has been in the Grand Final no less than four times without yet coming out on top.

In the semi-finals, Vettel beat reigning Champion of Champions David Coulthard 2-1 after the Scotsman jumped the start in the deciding heat. The other race saw the end of a spirited run by Blancpain Endurance Series Champion Alex Buncombe, who was beaten 2-0 by Kristensen.

Last night’s triumphant ROC Nations Cup winners for Team England 1 Andy Priaulx and Jason Plato finally paid the price for their celebrations in the last eight, losing to Kristensen and Buncombe respectively.

In the other quarter-finals Vettel saw off the challenge of his Team Germany partner from team-mate from yesterday, 2015 Le Mans winner Nico Hülkenberg. Yet another Formula 1 star went out as Brazil’s Felipe Massa was pipped by Coulthard by just four hundredths of a second.

 

 

Australia Celebrates the Premiere of the Ferrari 488 Spider

Posted: 20.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Melbourne, Australia November 20, 2015 – The Ferrari 488 Spider officially made its debut in Melbourne today, the very first appearance in Australasia following the world premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in October.

Guests enjoyed an event showcase of a Ferrari 308 GTS that had been driven by Tom Selleck in the television series Magnum PI before the unveiling of the new car. The display paid direct homage to Ferrari’s ongoing history of open-top V8 sports cars, a story that started with the targa-top version of the 308 GTB – the immortal 308 GTS – and which ultimately resulted in the full convertible Spider architecture.

The Ferrari 488 Spider was unveiled by Herbert Appleroth, Ferrari Australasia CEO, and Bobby Zagame, Principal of Melbourne’s only Ferrari official authorised dealer, Zagame Ferrari.

The Ferrari 488 Spider made its debut in a new Rosso Corsa which was designed to enhance its form. The Rosso Corsa livery’s metallic particles suspended in the paint give the bodywork a gloss that underscores its sculptural volumes. Its unusual iridescent effect is created by the two-layer paintwork.

 

 

Another successful Ferrari 488 Spider launch event in Korea

Posted: 19.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

November 19, 2015 – Ferrari has organized a private preview from 12th to 16th November for their VIP customers to celebrate the launch of the Ferrari 488 Spider in Korea. These customers had pre-ordered the car even before seeing the actual car, underlining the confidence and trust they have in Ferrari and FMK.

FMK, the official importer of Ferrari in Korea, unveiled the 488 Spider to its customers even before the official launch on November 17th, thus placing much importance in communicating with their customers.

The event offered an unforgettable experience to the customers, providing style cuts shot by one of the most famous photographers in Korea, Joong Seok Oh, and 1:1 styling service including hair and makeup, thus creating an atmosphere of magazine pictorial Shooting.

 

 

Ferrari 488 Spider on the roads of Emilia-Romagna

Posted: 11.11.2015
Source: Ferrari

Excerpts of the highlights of the International Media Test Drive

Predappio, November 2015 – Journalists from 37 countries worldwide joined Ferrari for the International Media Test Drives of the new 488 Spider. Based in one of the more suggestive areas of Ferrari’s native region of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, the 200-km route used by the journalists snaked through the Apennine hills to the historic hilltop town of San Leo before dropping down towards the Adriatic coast and its picturesque canal port designed by Leonard da Vinci in 1502.

 
 
 

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