Tracking a super car.

[ntiz]

So I have been looking to start doing some trackdays and maybe some racing in the future. This has brought on thoughts of me and my Dad using his F430 for a bit of on track fun. But the conclusion we came to was it would all get a bit expensive with clutches, brakes etc and if we got it wrong putting it in the armco would obviously cost a lot to put it all straight. Just don't think we would have as much fun kind of being afraid of binning it.

This led to the plan for a Caterham or Atom etc to thrash guilt free in the knowledge we could replace or fix it without having a cardiac arrest.

I was wondering mainly out of interest if many on here Track there supercars? I would say on here we are the more driving focussed end of supercar ownership so more likely than most communities.

As we spend so much timing talking about carbon tubs, aero and hardcore specials

[MDL111]

I track the Scuderia - only managed about 4-5 days this year though (Hockenheim, Brno, Salzburgring). I hope to do a lot more next year...

Am awaiting my first service of the car with trepidation ...
Also had a stone hit the windshield, which is a 5k repair/replacement according to my dealer

[355fiorano]

My personal opinion/mantra is that I buy a supercar to experience what it is designed to do. I can't do that on the road and these cars are built with track in mind.
Being scared is natural but with good tuition it should be very safe, so do book yourselves a tutor for a couple of sessions if you do one.
If you haven't had any track experience it may be a good to do a couple with caterhams etc. having said that it is a very different experience to what you will have with your car.

[WCZ]

seen plenty of 430s on track over the years, generally driving with some kinda restraint

[anonymous-user]

355fiorano said:

My personal opinion/mantra is that I buy a supercar to experience what it is designed to do. I can't do that on the road and these cars are built with track in mind.
Being scared is natural but with good tuition it should be very safe, so do book yourselves a tutor for a couple of sessions if you do one.
If you haven't had any track experience it may be a good to do a couple with caterhams etc. having said that it is a very different experience to what you will have with your car.

Absolutely agree with this. I try and track my F430 regularly although I have needed to make a few upgrades over time. See my thread at https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Although driving on the road can be great, you won't really know the car until you track it. Tyres and petrol are your big costs for the day, then consumables such as brake pads and the occasional hub. Clutch wear is less of an issue if you have it in Race and are driving as intended. To keep it sensible I bought an MX5 Mk1 race car which is is still fun - especially on the tighter circuits - and more importantly can be raced! That has to be your next step if you get into it.

Start at somewhere like Silverstone with the 430 - loads of runoff and space for mistakes. And get a driver coach in the car with you - even half an hour makes all the difference.

[BlueIn2Red]

I disagree that most supercars are designed for the track, in fact quite the opposite, they're road cars designed for the road. Apart from anything else, in the UK at least, the majority of track days have noise limits which exclude supercars.

[_Leg_]

I own a variety of cars including Supercars. I track a track prepared Lotus Exige 350 Sport. It's prepped for track, has a second set of lightweight forged wheels with track tyres (ZZRs), 3 way adjustable suspension, harnesses and as well as a variety of other things, it's insured for track days. I rarely drive it on the road although it is road legal.

This all means I can take it on track and enjoy it 100%. I'm not holding back because I might destroy a set of brakes or tyres, I'm not being cautious because it isn't insured, I'm not compromised by road tyres or seatbelts (Seatbelts on track are a complete pain in the arse), nor am I compromised by needing it afterwards for road use.

I track with a couple of mates I race with and they have a mechanically identical (to mine) 350 Sport and a 3/11 430 so are generally playing out together. People usually pull aside and let us through, except Radicals. Bloody things, whoosh!

I once tracked my E92 M3 at Croft and destroyed a set of tyres, discs and pads in one day. Oops. I once took my F12 round Blyton for 4 laps after a days testing in a Funcup car as the track was empty. The dashboard lit up like Bonfire night and the brake vents wouldn't close again until Ferrari reset them.

Exige just needs new tyres and brake pads from time to time.

If you want to really enjoy a supercar, head to the Italian Alps, Austrian Alps or the Dolomites.

I'll second Cook's comment about Instructors above. The most important thing you'll ever do to improve your driving. I recommend www.jamiestanley.co.uk.

Edited by _Leg_ on Monday 17th September 16:20

[Trev450]

Leg makes some very valid points. I too have a dedicated track car that is also road legal (Evo 6RS) but with the mods I've made to make it track focussed it has become a rather unpleasant road car. My supercar which is an R8 V10 I have tracked once, and whilst it was fun, it's just not practical for all the reasons given by Leg.

[willy wombat]

I have tracked my 430 (which I no longer have), my 599 and my 458 spider, none with any ill effects other than tyre and brake wear. However I am fussy about which track days I go to as I am happier with similar value cars around so that everyone is conscious of not being silly buggers and risking a collision. For this reason I have normally done Ferrari Owners Club days, Peter Saywell's days at Goodwood, etc. I don't think it does the cars any more harm and it's probably safer than giving them stick through the Alps (which I do as well). As someone once said to me, the most dangerous part of a Brands Hatch track day is the M25 going home.

[isaldiri]

355fiorano said:

My personal opinion/mantra is that I buy a supercar to experience what it is designed to do. I can't do that on the road and these cars are built with track in mind.
.

Agreed with that other than the last bit. The cars are very much still road cars with not much more than a nod towards being used on track. At best they are road cars that can be tracked without too much grief.

That said, it depends on what purpose you want to track a car for. Trackdays are for laughs with friends, not laptime chasing or pushing a car on the limit so hard at all times till there's a serious risk of crashing. As pointed out, a specialist track car would be much more suitable for that although if you're that serious, one might as well go the whole hog and go racing (which is a whole different ball game of costs).

wrt to the OP's question i think I probably put 50ish trackdays on my 12c when I had it.

[monthefish]

willy wombat said:

I have tracked my 430 (which I no longer have), my 599 and my 458 spider, none with any ill effects other than tyre and brake wear.

Driving on a track is much, much harder or the car than road driving.

Although the after effects of this may not be apparent now, they will be further down the line. Suspension components, bushes etc will likely need replaced sooner as a result of track driving. (The current owner of your 430 will probably be discovering this)

[jakesmith]

I have owned some super cars rather than supercars per se and can’t stomach the risk of tracking them. I’ve tracked my 3 Boxsters which were worth £10k-£15k ish but not my 997 and R8. Just too expensive if I write them off however unlikely.

Bravo to those tracking their Ferarris

[hunter 66]

Track my .2GT3RS ( although it is not a Supercar ) without insurance as on good trackdays with other expensive cars the behaviour is good and if it gets a bit racy ... just stay away from them .
Good to stretch their legs , always lots of Ferraris and Macs out ....

[anonymous-user]

BlueIn2Red said:

I disagree that most supercars are designed for the track, in fact quite the opposite, they're road cars designed for the road. Apart from anything else, in the UK at least, the majority of track days have noise limits which exclude supercars.

I don't think anyone is saying that they are designed for the track, but rather that a track day is the only safe and legal way to explore their potential. Avoiding the kerbs, tracks are smoother and pothole, cats-eye, stone and surface change free. Sure - if you track hard and regularly you are going to go through friction surfaces quicker but the occasional day of fast but sensible driving around a track is not going to place loads on the car beyond what they are designed for.

Ferrari tests their road cars on Fiorano, Lotus on Hethel, and McLaren (at least for the 12C) used Dunsfold http://cars.mclaren.com/featured-articles/fast-tra... These cars are absolutely designed to be driven fast, and a track is the best place to do that.

[K50 DEL]

I tracked my 360 at Yas Autodrome as part of a Ferrari organised owners weekend, was a fun experience though it did show some shortcomings with the car (brakes didn't like repeated stops from high speed at the end of the long straight)
Although I did spin the car, the run-off areas were large enough that I wasn't worried about it and above all, it may be a supercar but at the end of the day it is just a car, made of metal and can be repaired....... the day I get precious about it is the day it'll be sold.

[sparta6]

willy wombat said:

As someone once said to me, the most dangerous part of a Brands Hatch track day is the M25 going home.

Agree with this
For one race meeting quali was on the Friday. Pads took a beating for various reasons and a new set required before the race on Saturday morning.
Only way to bed them in properly was on M25. Late Friday afternoon. Rain. Lots of Polish HGV's.
I've had better moments

[topless360]

I had considered the same with my 360 but have decided against it. Instead we have a stripped out, track spec Civic Type R which gives us worry free track driving.

I've seen the odd Ferrari on track days, there was a 430 at Rockingham a few months back. But each time the Ferrari hasn't been driven anywhere near its limits and we've actually been quicker in our old Civic.

Unless you're already a pro, I'd much rather start out in something slower and get to the limits, before moving up the ladder.

There are a lot of 'all the gear, no idea' types you see in supercars/Caterhams/Westfields etc but they aren't close getting the most from the car, which seems like no fun to me

[Zadkiel]

I'd have to agree with the general gist here, I think there is absolutely no harm in doing the occasional track day in your supercar and I would in fact recommend it, it's always good fun to do some proper speeds in them. However if you are wanting to do a decent number like one a month say then I'd get a dedicated car for track days.

[chris lake]

i have raced 2 wheel gp bikes and LMP type sports cars all over the world and done track days,in my experience its not worth the risk with a supercar,i took my 1 off corvette c7-r IMSA replica to combe yesterday for a charity supercar day,being very popular i didnt stop all day literally, brakes warped after 10 laps and its only 1380kg,s,i used to have an evo,thats the car for trackdays,engines are bullit proof,4 wheel drive,ayc or go caterham if you dont mind the open top but with a supercar you never know whats going to occur,seen a honda nsx in the armco at goodwood,not nice

[4321go]

chris lake said:

i have raced 2 wheel gp bikes and LMP type sports cars all over the world and done track days,in my experience its not worth the risk with a supercar,i took my 1 off corvette c7-r IMSA replica to combe yesterday for a charity supercar day,being very popular i didnt stop all day literally, brakes warped after 10 laps and its only 1380kg,s,i used to have an evo,thats the car for trackdays,engines are bullit proof,4 wheel drive,ayc or go caterham if you dont mind the open top but with a supercar you never know whats going to occur,seen a honda nsx in the armco at goodwood,not nice

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ this

I own two cars: a Gallardo and a Westfield Eleven. The Gallardo is terrifying on track. Not because of the speed, but because of the “What if......?”s. Conversely, the Westfield is an absolute hoot.