| Circuit | Spa-Francorchamps |
| Date | 27.08.2017 |
| Laps | 44 |
| Distance | 308,052 km / 191,456 miles |
| No | Driver | Ferrari | S/N | Team | Result |
| 5 | Sebastian Vettel | SF70-H | – |
Scuderia Ferrari | 2. |
| 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | SF70-H | – |
Scuderia Ferrari | 4. |
Belgian Grand Prix – Spa-Francorchamps 27 August
Posted: 27.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Maurizio Arrivabene: “Going into this race, on paper at least, it didn’t seem like one that would suit us particularly well. Despite that, we proved able to fight for the win right down to the final lap. Seb drove a great race and at the restart after the Safety Car, it really came very close. It’s a shame Kimi had to take a penalty, which cost him almost half a minute, but he managed to recover with a nice passing move at the restart. The SF70H proved to be very competitive and the team, both at the track and in Maranello, worked with concentration and determination. However, we still need to improve. The next GP will be in Monza where we will be meeting up with all our fans.”
Sebastian Vettel: “If we had ended up ahead in qualifying, then we would have had a good pace to stay in front today! I was surprised how close I could follow through the whole race. So I am a bit angry at myself, because, when the race restarted after the safety car, I was probably too close to Lewis out of Turn 1. I tried to open the gap down Eau Rouge but it’s a difficult compromise. You see the cars coming behind and you know that you need to defend, instead of focusing on attacking. At the same time I know that down the straights we are not as quick as Mercedes. So, I am not entirely happy, but after all it’s been a great weekend for the team. We don’t need to be afraid of any circuit, I believe we have the best car in terms of package. There’s still something missing but the guys in Maranello are very motivated. I think we have done the biggest improvement and a big step forward. Now we turn the page on and move on to Monza: let’s see what happens there.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “Overall, we have been quite competitive this weekend. In the race the car was good on the Soft compound, while with the Ultrasofts,after some laps,I was struggling with the rear; the first laps were ok but then I was sliding around. When I saw the yellow flags I was on the straight, on the right side and I’m sure I did not go any faster than on any other lap. The penalty was not ideal, but luckily there was a Safety Car and we could recover something. I overtook Bottas and then I tried to get close to Ricciardo, but we did not have enough speed to overtake him as he was surprisingly good in race conditions, with good speed in the right places. I guess the result of today could have been worse, but for sure I was looking for more. We have to take the good things, we learned from this race and we’ll try to do better next weekend.”
Belgian Grand Prix – Seb second and Kimi fourth
Posted: 27.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Vettel still leads the championship after an exciting race
Francorchamps, 27 August – Scuderia Ferrari finished second and fourth in a Belgian GP that was closely contested right down to the wire. Seb Vettel was runner-up, with Kimi Raikkonen fighting back after a penalty to take fourth. Sebastian still leads the Drivers’ classification with a 7 point advantage over Lewis Hamilton.
At the start, Seb was tucked in behind Hamilton and poked his nose alongside at Les Combes, while Kimi was tailing Valtteri Bottas. “We can go with him,” said Vettel over the radio, confident in his pace. At this point, the top five were all within five seconds of one another. The tyres were showing no signs of blistering on the SF70Hs and on lap 10, Sebastian was quickest, while further back, the pit stops got underway. Hamilton pitted at the end of lap 12 to switch from Ultrasoft to Soft, with Bottas coming in on lap 13, also going for the harder tyre.
Ferrari covered its rival’s strategy, calling Seb in next time round. He too opted for the Softs and came out behind Kimi, who was fighting with Hamilton before also pitting. But there was some bad news for the Finn in the shape of a 10 second stop-and-go penalty for not having slowed down under waved yellow flags. “A shame as the car was going really well…” Meanwhile, Seb reduced the gap to the leader to around a second. Raikkonen began moving up the order, passing Ocon to go sixth. With 20 laps to go, he slipped by Hulkenberg on the Kemmel climb and he was fifth.
Then came drama on lap 30: Perez lost his right rear wheel after a collision and struggled to stay on track and the Safety Car was called out. Ferrari immediately called in both its drivers to fit the softest tyres. The rivals reacted, but they went for the Softs and at the restart, the gaps were of course much smaller and the race was on with different compounds.
The Safety Car came in at the end of lap 33. Seb kept the pressure on Lewis, but was unable to get past, although Kimi fared better, as he and Ricciardo jumped Bottas who had run wide. On lap 36, the DRS could be used again but the gap was over the requisite one second. On lap 40, Vettel set the fastest race lap, which wasn’t enough to win, but going into Monza it’s a result that exceeds expectations.
Belgian Grand Prix – Fighting hard in Spa
Posted: 26.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Seb happy with “good feeling”, Kimi’s session more complicated
Francorchamps, August 26 – Shortly after the announcement of his contract extension for another three years, Sebastian Vettel was able to put up a strong challenge for pole position, ending up with second place on the grid. His team-mate Kimi Raikkonen paid the price for a mistake in his last run, after having been consistently quick throughout the weekend, and had to settle for P4. Having aborted his lap, he helped Seb’s final effort by giving him a tow through the last sector of the track. “I had a very good feeling already in Q1”, Seb says. “During Q2, the main task was to get through and then in Q3 I was just about ok with the first run, but struggling a bit. However, my last run was better. I am happy with today’s result. I think we achieved something that some people didn’t expect from us. The pace was very good and I am really looking forward to tomorrow. It will be a long race with a lot of laps and a long track where more or less everyone has had problems with the tires during the weekend. As for the extension of my contract with Ferrari, I am very happy for that. I love this team. Two years ago we said we wanted to get back on top and I think we are on the right road. We aren’t where we want to be yet, but we are striving for the top. I am very happy we keep working together. I want to achieve a lot with Ferrari and think it’s the same on the other side. And I want to keep racing in red!” An unexpected vibration issue plagued Kimi’s session this afternoon, so at the end he was obviously less satisfied with his day, but still encouraged by the car’s pace: “It was a messy qualifying: all the way through the session I had some vibrations in the car that kept coming and going. It’s hard to know how much they affected the lap time, but for sure it did not help. It’s very disappointing because so far the weekend had gone very smoothly. I felt we had all the tools to do well, the car was good and we had the speed. In the last run I was off to a good start, but then I started struggling with the tire temperatures and made a mistake, got sideways at turn 9 and it was pretty much the end of it. Fourth position is not a disaster but it is far from what I wanted. It’s unfortunate, wrong time wrong place, but tomorrow is another day. It’s going to be quite tricky with the tires for everybody: hopefully we’ll have a straightforward race and make the right decisions”.
Belgian Grand Prix – Qualifying, Ferrari on the front row
Posted: 26.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Seb 2nd, Kimi 4th, despite a mistake
Francorchamps, 26 August – At the end of today’s qualifying on the Ardennes circuit, the Scuderia Ferrari drivers had secured the second and fourth places on the grid. Sebastian Vettel’s best time was a 1”42’795, while his Finnish team-mate Kimi Raikkonen set a 1”43’270 on his first run in Q3, but unfortunately made a slight mistake on his final attempt. Both drivers ran Ultrasoft and Supersoft tyres during the session.
Belgian Grand Prix – FP3, Ferrari ahead
Posted: 26.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Kimi fastest in Spa ahead of Seb
Spa – Francorchamps, 26 August – Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel were first and second fastest for Ferrari in the final free practice session at the Belgian circuit, with the action starting on a damp track which then dried out. Kimi Raikkonen’s best lap was a 1”43’916, with German team-mate Sebastian Vettel doing a 1”44’113. Both men set their best times on the Ultrasoft tyres, before moving on to do some long runs.
Belgian Grand Prix – The potential is there
Posted: 25.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Kimi: “Not a bad start”. Seb: “Better in long-runs”
Francorchamps, August 25 – It was a day of mixed feelings for Scuderia Ferrari drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel. However, at the end of the two Friday practice sessions the two men managed to post competitive times on the 7.004 Km Ardennes track,both on timed laps or during long-runs. Kimi reported no major surprises: “Today we somehow expected how practice was going to be and it was not too bad as a start. Obviously there are always things you want to try more and the rain in the end did not help, but it was a pretty normal Friday. It’s hard to compare driving here to a year ago, but it doesn’t feel very different, as we are now quite used to going a bit faster everywhere. We’ll keep working today, this evening and tomorrow morning, in order to be stronger for qualifying. There are things we have to go through to do better, as is the case with any Friday at any race circuit. There’s no point now to start guessing what the others are doing, we’ll see tomorrow in qualifying, but I’m sure we can be fast”. Seb, on the other hand, felt that improvement is at hand in terms of performance: “I am not entirely happy but overall I think the car is ok. We just need to put a little bit more together. This is a nice track and the cars have more grip, so it is more fun. It should be nice tomorrow even if I don’t know what the weather will be like. This is a long track, so it is not that easy to put everything together. I didn’t really find the rhythm today but the long run was better. So, overall the car is capable of being fast, but we need to get it right. I need to do my job and I know I can go faster. On Friday it is always difficult to judge the situation, because on Saturday it seems that everyone makes a step forward. If we can do that, then we can be very close. We are here to give a hard time to our competitors”.
Belgian Grand Prix – A busy Friday in Spa
Posted: 25.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Kimi 2nd and Seb 5th in P2, running different programmes
Spa – Francorchamps, 25 August – The two Ferrari SF70H cars finished in second and fifth places with Kimi Raikkonen (1”45’015) and Sebastian Vettel (1”45’235) respectively in the second free practice session, at the Spa circuit. The Scuderia drivers worked on quick single laps and then on race pace running. They started off on different programmes, with Kimi running the Soft tyres and Sebastian the Supersofts, staying on them throughout. In the final part of the session, heavy rain hit the track.
Belgian Grand Prix – Free Practice 1, Ferrari out in front
Posted: 25.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Kimi and Seb first and third fastest
Francorchamps, 25 August – After the summer break, the second part of the Formula 1 World Championship got underway this morning with the first free practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix. Topping the time sheet was Kimi Raikkonen who took his Ferrari round in 1”45’502. Sebastian Vettel was third quickest with a lap in 1”45’647. The job list for the first session included tyre testing and set-up adjustments. Both drivers used the Ultrasofts to set their best times, with Sebastian starting the session on the Soft tyre.
Belgian Grand Prix – The battle of the Ardennes
Posted: 24.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Kimi, Seb focus on Spa: “We have high hopes, but nothing comes easy”
Francorchamps, August 24th – It’s not raining in the Ardennes-which is not so obvious for this region! Scuderia Ferrari drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Seb Vettel, are about to start their racing weekend off the back of the announcement that Kimi has been confirmed for next season. “To drive for Ferrari – he says “is special and I feel privileged to be in the team also for next year. Ferrari is Ferrari, and it’s different to any other team. I’m very happy to stay and the team is happy, too; I’m really glad that the deal is done, so now we can focus on racing the end of the season”.
Commenting on the nature of the challenge ahead, Kimi notes: “Spa is quite a unique place: it’s an old fashioned circuit and I like it very much; a challenging place, great for drivers and for the spectators; a lot of overtaking and many other things happen in a race that is always unpredictable. Some people think this may not be such a good place for us, given the nature of the circuit, but there are fast tracks where we have been very strong this year, and also in the past we have been very competitive here . We have high hopes, but nothing comes easy, we can only do our best”.
“This track changes a bit every year” Seb comments “so we’ll see how it goes. We brought updates here but we don’t underestimate our competitors. Spa is a beautiful place, with a lot of supporters coming over, and I am really looking forward to racing here. I don’t see this race and the next one as more ‘critical’ than others: in fact, here and Monza rank probably among the best, because of the atmosphere. But first of all, it is nice to be back after the break and able to jump in the car. As for the renewal of Kimi’s contract, there is no discussion on his talent. It is nice to see the team is appreciating his work and I am happy to work with him”.
Belgian Grand Prix – Spa and its legendary corners
Posted: 22.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Eau Rouge is the most famous, but is it the most demanding?
93 years and still going strong, Spa-Francorchamps is the granddaddy of the current Formula 1 circuits, as well as being the longest at over seven kilometres. However, by comparison with the original circuit, inaugurated in 1924, it pales into insignificance, the older one being an altogether bigger beast and almost fifteen kilometres in length. Apart from a few modifications, the current layout has been in use since 1979 and the Ardennes track has hosted nearly all the Belgian Grands Prix, right back to the Twenties and then from 1950, the first year of the Formula 1 World Championship, although there were a couple of exceptions held at Nivelles and Zolder between 1970 and ’80. When it comes to Zolder, one cannot help but recall that it was here in 1982 that Gilles Villeneuve left us. The much less well known Nivelles circuit, not far from the Belgian capital, Brussels, was less than four kilometres long.
For all drivers, Spa is something of a right of passage. It’s one of the tracks where a driver can “make the difference,” which might explain why Michael Schumacher won here six times and Ayrton Senna five. Kimi Raikkonen has won at Spa four times and two of those victories, in 2007 and 2009, were with Scuderia Ferrari. Mention Spa and thoughts immediately turn to Eau Rouge and Raidillon, the brutal vertical compression to which driver and car are subjected, as the incline changes. However, maybe not everyone is aware that, these days, the most demanding corners, also from a physical point of view, are Pouhon and Blanchimont. These two “kinks” actually produce the highest lateral forces of the whole season. And this year, with the new aerodynamic rules and wider tyres, one can expect to see staggering figures. On the subject of tyres, the use of the softest ones in the range – Soft, Supersoft and Ultrasoft – should add another interesting element to a race that, thanks to its setting and atmosphere, is one of the absolute highlights of the sport.
Ferrari 70 years taking center stage at Pebble Beach
Posted: 20.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Pebble Beach, 20 August 2017 – Ferrari’s worldwide celebration of 70 years of automotive passion is taking center stage at the prestigious Pebble Beach Automotive Week in California. The anticipation has been building with clients, media and fans, so many of whom have flocked here from around the world to this picture-postcard of California coastline. On Sunday the festivities got underway as the Ferrari 70thAnniversary Concours roared onto the lawn of the First Fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Links. This Ferrari Concours, with a total approximate value of nearly a half a billion US dollars, is officially sanctioned by the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, signifying the first time in history that two concours have shared the spotlight at this, the most prestigious motoring event in North America.
It’s not an easy task to spotlight just a handful of the 70 masterpieces from Maranello, spanning all seven decades, that comprise this Ferrari 70th Anniversary Concours, but headlines include the 1960 250 GT SWB Competitzione; a pair of 1962 250 GTOs; 1967 275 GTS/4 “NART” Spider; pair of 288 GTOs from 1983 and 1985; and the 2013 LaFerrari.
Next up is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, which will include four special classes of Ferraris in tribute to the 70th Anniversary of the Prancing Horse, and the first North American showing of the penultimate LaFerrari Aperta.
Ferrari celebrates 70th anniversary with a thrilling rally on Silk Road
Posted: 19.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Italian supercar legend revisits ancient trade routes in China to pay tribute to 70 years of glory and legacy
Shanghai, August, 2017– Ferrari staged an enthralling and exhilarating seven-day rally event along the ancient Silk Road in Western China this summer, amongst a plethora of tailor-made programmes in China to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the most illustrious automotive marque in the world. The exclusive driving experiences, A Tribute to 70 Years of Glory – Ferrari Red Rally Returns to Silk Road, from August 12th to August 18th gave 40 esteemed media and 80 faithful Ferrari consumers a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to drive behind the wheels of the Cavallino Rampante along the magnificent Silk Road, the far-stretching historical trade routes that have been central to the cultural and economic interaction between the East and West for centuries.
Adding further memorable moments to the rally are a list of star-studded special guests including famed actor William Feng, Mewe media founder, CEO and host Ma Dong, famed actor Shawn Dou and the live performance by the team of well-known musician Tan Dun. Using rare instruments painstakingly reconstructed from ancient Dunhuang frescoes, the performers enchanted audiences with an intimate show, Dunhuang Ancient Music from Original Manuscrip, which was inspired by the Dunhuang culture along the Silk Road.
For over 2,000 years, the Silk Road has played a significant role to boost commerce and civilisation of the nations along the routes. It was not only recognised by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2014 but kept exerting its influence in the contemporary world through the Belt and Road Initiative. One key stretch of Silk Road ended exactly in Italy, where the Ferrari legend begins. Embodying the pinnacle of Italian excellence and exclusivity the world over, Ferrari has been a frontrunner to make its contribution to the Silk Road. The silhouette of the Cavallino Rampante can be found on Silk Road at least more than a decade ago, as back in 2005, Ferrari already visited the ancient routes during its incredible 15,000 Red Miles China Journey. Reflecting an ongoing Ferrari legacy, there couldn’t have been a more ideal way to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Ferrari, in China other than a dream drive revisiting part of the routes. In 1947, Enzo Ferrari fired up the 125 S, the first car to bear his name. 70 years later, Ferrari hosted a string of unique experiences in more than 60 nations to celebrate the milestone event, with a grand celebration in Italy in September to extend the celebratory exhilaration to a culmination, to highlight the “Driven by Emotion” concept, one of the cornerstones on which the Ferrari story was founded and has flourished throughout 70 years.
Spanning about 1,700 kilometres, the Ferrari rally on the Silk Road amazed the fortunate Cavallino Rampante enthusiasts with natural heritage, magnificent landscape and invaluable cultural legacies. Starting from picturesque Qinghai Lake, the diverse range of loyal Ferrari customers and established media gathered under the guidance of experienced instructors. Setting off at a sprint on August 12th, the fleet of some of the greatest super sports cars available today swiftly headed to Ta’er Monastery. Continuing further northwest into Zhangye Danxia National Geopark in Gansu Province, the landscape gradually evolved from pastures of grass plains into a terrain of colourful rising rock formations vibrantly hit by brilliant desert sunrays.
While the expedition ploughed on, there were also no shortage of thrilling and stimulating driving experiences when the fleet arrived in Jiayu Pass, on the far western reached of the famed Great Wall and Dunhuang, best known for the extraordinary Mogao Grottoes, and the adjacent Mingsha Mountain, named after the sound of the wind whipping off the dunes, the singing sand phenomenon. These were ideal venues for the fleet to enjoy the magnificent Chinese historical relics before they finally completed the fantastic journey in Yumen Pass, the subjects of countless ancient Chinese poems, whose most famous lines are still frequently quoted nowadays. Every guest that had participated in the incredible drive had gained a unique insight into not only these cherished Ferrari creations, but also the historic heartland of China and its longstanding and well-established culture.
The event goes beyond a pursuit of extravaganza driving experience. Ferrari presented a donation to 4 local primary schools for the provision of much-needed equipment and resources for the poverty-stricken children. As a further message of gratitude and devotion to the region, Ferrari honourably presented a donation to Dunhuang Grottoes on arrival at the UNESCO World heritage site for its ongoing restoration and future conservation. All the efforts to give back to society serve to reflect the “The Love of Red” programme, which has formed the central pillar for the corporate social responsibility initiatives of Ferrari in China, aiming to align all philanthropic efforts of Ferrari in four core areas with donations valued over 14 million RMB annually.
Such an exclusive journey couldn’t have been achieved without the top-end performance made available by the most acclaimed Maranello creations. A full model range of Ferrari composed a fleet of 50 supreme sports cars, including the Ferrari 812 Superfast, the most powerful production car to date, and the GTC4Lusso T, the first Ferrari four-seater to be powered by a V8 engine and a truly powerful model both on track and on road. Adding a further exciting addition to the programme was the display of the LaFerrari Aperta onsite, a model launched as an icon of the 70th anniversary, the highest performance spider hyper car available today will be present at each stage of the 70th anniversary celebration events worldwide to tribute to the glory and excellence of the Ferrari brand.
Reflecting on the success of the enthralling and wonderful rally on Silk Road, Mr. Matteo Torre, the President and CEO of Ferrari Greater China, commented, “Ferrari is a proud company in which tradition and innovation are melded each and every day to fuel the Cavallino Rampante. The Silk Road rally we staged in China combined authentic Ferrari excellence with distinctive Chinese elements to create a truly unique Cavallino Rampante experience. It not only stands out as a clear demonstration of our wholehearted tribute to the ancient legend with modern day interpretation, but also the strongest possible statement that Ferrari is dedicated to the China market by keeping bringing world-class Italian sports car excellence here. We are always thrilled to gear up for further achievement along this incredible journey.”
Scuderia Ferrari News – The summer break – how it all began
Posted: 17.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Up until 2008, we raced all summer long
Once upon a time, August was a hot month for motor sport. Until a few years ago, the F1 calendar didn’t feature a mid-season break. It was quite common for the Hungarian Grand Prix to take place over the weekend known in Italy as “Ferragosto”, the nearest to the 15th August. And for us Italians, “Ferragosto” can only mean holiday time. Nevertheless, in ’98 for example, we put thoughts of the beach far behind us as we tackled qualifying in Budapest on 15th August and a day later, Schumacher and Ferrari went on to take one of the great Grand Prix wins.
Those were the days. An F1 team is part of a company and, as such, it has an obligation to allow its staff a rest period. From 2009, this break has been regulated, first of all by an agreement between the teams, who were then gathered under the umbrella of the Formula One Teams Association, which required that one comply with a moral obligation to stick to the rule. Then, in 2014, this agreement became part of the Sporting Regulations (Art.21.9.) It defined the minimum shutdown period as 14 days in the event that the gap between two consecutive races on the calendar be 24 days, as is the case this year between Hungary and Belgium, or 13 days, if the gap is only 17 days.
So what happens, or more correctly, what doesn’t happen in this break? The drivers make the most of it and go on holiday. The Ferrari duo of Kimi and Seb are planning to spend time with their respective families. And all work has to stop: no simulator, no wind tunnel and so forth. You could claim that today, with portable computers and smartphones, there’s nothing to stop people working at home. But the teams themselves are actually very strict about ensuring everyone adheres to the rules. One interesting point: a few years back, the idea was put forward that there should be a further break around the Christmas holidays. It was not approved, mainly because December and January are months that feature frenetic activity as teams rush to build their new cars.
Ferrari 70th Anniversary in Belfast
Posted: 12.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Charles Hurst Ferrari was delighted to celebrate this Special Milestone in Ferrari’s History, on Saturday 12th August.
A cavalcade of 70 Ferraris driven by their owners, had the unique opportunity to journey through Belfast, led by Ferrari’s Special Anniversary car, The LaFerrari Aperta.
Our Cavalcade met for registration and reception at The Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, Cultra, where our guests had the unique opportunity to explore the museum. We then travelled onwards, stopping at the iconic Titanic Quarter Slipways for a photograph, before arriving at the Royal Palace, Hillsborough Castle, to begin our evening celebrations.
Our evening began with a Champagne reception in the Beautiful Gardens at The Royal Palace and a chance to explore Hillsborough Castle, followed by an exclusive dining experience by local multi award winning Chef, Chris McGowan.
We were delighted to be the final UK Dealer to host our 70th Anniversary celebrations.
We had a fantastic day and our customer feedback has been superb!
Ferrari 812 Superfast Australasian Premiere
Posted: 11.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
V12 Ferrari with the most powerful ever 800 cv production engineGreatest performance and luxury comfort
The Ferrari 812 Superfast has officially made its Australasian debut, the very first appearance in Australia following the International Premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show in March this year.
The model opens a new chapter in Ferrari V12 engine history and marks the 70th anniversary since Ferrari released its first Cavallino Rampante sports car, the 125 S, in 1947. Ferrari remains to this day the only manufacturer to have continuously produced sports cars with 12-cylinder engines throughout that time.
This highly acclaimed car in a new colour Grigio Caldo Opaco, was unveiled in the exclusive location, The Meat Market in North Melbourne. This iconic heritage listed building was transformed into the world of the Cavallino Rampante with dynamic and sporty flavor which epitomized the pulse of the 812 Superfast, the star of the day.
Ferrari 70th Anniversary in Edinburgh
Posted: 08.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
August 8 – 2017 – United Kingdom – Graypaul Edinburgh organised a gathering of over 70 Ferraris in Holyrood Park, Broad Pavement, Queens Drive Edinburgh to celebrate 70 years of Ferrari.
Over looked by the famous Crags’ of Arthurseat and within the proximity of Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament the clients gathered between 14:00 – 18:00 to enjoy the glorious sunshine, specially created tricalore pizza and homemade ice cream which went down very well on such an unusually hot day in Scotland.
At 16:00, the clients gathered to do some serious flag waving to the sound Italian anthem. They enjoyed it so much so they asked for an encore, which was duly obliged.
Headed up by the LaFerrari Aperta at 18:00 the cars all lined up for the parade through the famous streets of Edinburgh starting with a drive past the Scottish Parliament, Holyrood Palace and the Royal Mile, which took some time to negotiate with the thousands of spectators who came down to see the parade during the Edinburgh Festival. Cars in the parade included a LaFerrari, F12tdf, Dino and the 328 GTB that was featured in Magnum PI.
Heading on past Calton Hill with its collection of historic monuments, which form some of the most important landmarks of the city we made our way back to the dealership at Fort Kinnaird.
Clients then enjoyed an evening of sumptuous Italian food and Italian inspired entertainment to finish of an excellent day, which included the unveiling of the 812superfast.
All in all a great day celebrating 70 years of Ferrari in such magnificent surroundings.
A testing summer
Posted: 02.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
From Hungary to Barcelona, an overview of pre-holiday testing
“There’s hardly any testing these days and you have to make the most of every opportunity.” That’s a sentiment always shared by Kimi, Seb and the entire Scuderia Ferrari crew. Ever since 2009, when in-season testing was drastically reduced and strictly controlled, every session is extremely precious, because it’s the best way to bring together all the work carried out in the factory, in the simulator and on computer.
The difference between these tests just completed and the two winter sessions is pretty marked: in February and March, Barcelona serves as a test bed for a car that has yet to tackle the rigours of the race track. One is mainly looking for reliability, while learning about the car and establishing a baseline set-up. On the other hand, at the in-season tests, one is dealing with a known quantity and its strengths and weaknesses can be understood. The work therefore focuses on improving on what one already has. But where can that improvement come from? At the Hungaroring test and also at the session in Bahrain in April, many journalists were asking how can a team prepare for an upcoming race on the calendar, on a track which might have very different characteristics. Consider for example that the Hungarian test will be followed by races at Spa and Monza. The reality is much more complex, because a test programme involves validating new solutions that might be of use throughout the rest of the season, aside from the fact that one might use a high or low downforce wing. When a car emerges from the garage, it is not necessarily fitted with all the new components available…
Lap times do not count for that much in testing, but one can say that the SF70H worked well in Hungary, both with the race drivers and with Charles Leclerc at the wheel. The regulations insist that part of the test is given over to “young drivers,” who have taken part in a maximum of three Formula 1 Grands Prix. Leclerc and Antonio Giovinazzi then split the work load at the Pirelli test in Barcelona. In this instance, the SF70H was kept in standard trim, because, during tyre testing, teams are not allowed to make any significant changes to the car.
One final point: the two tests this season, in Sakhir and at the Hungaroring, both followed on from a Scuderia Ferrari victory. Worth noting that the final test takes place in Abu Dhabi, just after the final round of the championship.
Hungary Test – Ferrari wraps up Hungarian testing
Posted: 02.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Seb and Kimi optimistic: “We’ve picked up momentum, want to be stronger everywhere”
Mogyorod, August 2 – The second and last in-season test session of the year ended with both Scuderia Ferrari drivers back on track at the Hungaroring after last Sunday’s one-two in the race. Sebastian Vettel took the wheel of the SF70H this morning at 9, and handed over to Kimi Raikkonen after a couple of hours, for the Finn to continue the development work. Sebastian completed 47 laps, his best time being a 1min17sec124 on Supersoft tires, while Kimi ran 60 laps with a best time of 1’’17’842 on Supersoft tires. Now it’s time for our guys – not only the drivers, but all the team – to have some well-deserved rest during the two-week summer break, to get ready for the forthcoming challenges.
“You don’t get a lot of testing over the season”, Seb said “so it was a good opportunity to try a couple of things and get a feeling from the car. Obviously, in such a brief test you are not expecting to turn the world upside down, but it will be useful for the next races and for a better understanding of the car. I think this year we’ve been strong pretty much everywhere, of course there have been races in which we did not perform at our best; of course there will always differences from track to track, but the purpose of all the work we do is to be in a good shape for the rest of the season. We’ve picked up momentum with the win in Hungary, now it’s up to us to keep it going, but I am confident that we have the right people and are going in the right direction. As for my holidays… I haven’t done much planning, I think I’ll just be getting some rest, after all those flights!”
“We always bring something different, irrespective of where we are and try to learn from it, commented Kimi. “We had a very good result, as a team, here in Hungary, but we always try to improve further. Today was a normal testing day, but obviously here you have more time and tires available than you have during a race weekend, so we try to get the best out of it. In the last few races, my feeling with the car has improved consistently, which shows that the new things we’ve brought have helped me drive better and better. Also, I am happy that I could help Charles Leclerc prepare for his test, but then it’s fair to say that all the team supported him”.
Hungary Test – Leclerc: “A fantastic experience”
Posted: 01.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
98 laps in the SF70H: “Driving a Ferrari is never a normal thing”
Mogyorod – 98 laps at the wheel of the SF70H in the boiling heat of the Hungaroring and a final lap time of 1’17”746, on the Soft tyres. It was also the fastest lap overall on the day. But for Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari Driver Academy student and current leader of the F2 championship, the stopwatch readout was not the most important aspect of this day.
“Driving a Ferrari is never a ‘normal’ experience,” commented the 19 year old Monegasque driver. I felt as though I was driving a race car for the very first time. It’s a great honour I have been accorded and I thank Ferrari with all my heart for this opportunity. I am pleased with the work I did and I hope the team is too. Driving the SF70H was a fantastic feeling and coming from F2, it’s a whole other world, from every point of view. It was the first time that I’ve driven a Formula 1 car with the wider tyres and this level of aerodynamic downforce and it was an incredible feeling. I also learned a lot from the work in the garage: Ferrari has the best engineers in the world and I felt very comfortable working with them. To set the fastest time is nice, but, in testing, its importance is only relative. I can now go on holiday in a happy mood, before concentrating on the second part of the F2 season. For the moment, Formula 1 is just a dream. I still have work to do and I know that: one step at a time.”
Tomorrow, 2nd August, the test continues with Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen driving.
70th Anniversary of Ferrari at Maranello
Posted: 01.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
Ferrari has organised two days of festivities in the company of thousands of customers from around the world to celebrate its 70th anniversary. Several events will be held on this special weekend. “Legend and Passion” is a celebratory auction where Sotheby’s will help sell some of the most representative models in the history of the Prancing Horse.
On Sunday, over 120 masterpieces that have emerged from Maranello’s factories from 1947 to today will compete in a prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza where they will be evaluated by a panel of judges chaired by Ed Gilbertson, Honorary Head Judge at the event. Some of these models will parade through the streets of Modena on Saturday and will be displayed outside the city’s Military Academy.
The celebrations will culminate on the evening of Saturday 9 September when customers will be given a unique show, embellished by the presence of international guests.
Ferrari 70th Anniversary at Capesthorne Hall
Posted: 01.08.2017 / Source: Ferrari
1st August 2017, Cheshire, UK – Hundreds of people gathered in Cheshire to witness one the largest collections of Ferraris in the North West of England, as Stratstone celebrated 70 years of the iconic brand.
Against the stunning backdrop of Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire, more than 70 Ferraris were displayed for people to experience the luxury marque up close.
Amongst them was the LaFerrari Aperta, the Special Series model that recently starred at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
As people milled amongst the incredible collection, they enjoyed prosecco and Peroni in the Butler’s Pantry, and ice cream served throughout the day.
At 4pm, the crowd gathered as all Ferraris roared to life and began a parade through nearby villages Alderley Edge and Wilmslow. The parade included three LaFerrari Apertas, a LaFerrari and an F12 TDF, which were a hit with spectators, who waved their flags as the impressive vehicles passed by.
To round off a fantastic day, those who took part in the parade enjoyed a prestigious post-event dinner where a static display of Ferraris continued the celebration of the evolution of the marque. Attendees also had the first chance to see the new Ferrari 812 Superfast in the North-West.
