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2009 Ferrari Challenge
The Ferrari Challenge offers around 150 Ferrari owners each year a chance to use their cars in the way the designer intended - on the track. Find out how they are doing in 2009.
Introduction
The Ferrari Challenge round at Le Castellet, France
This year’s Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli sees the Shell-powered Ferrari F430 Challenge cars back on the race tracks of Europe, Italy and the USA for another exciting season following a year of fantastic racing in 2008. The series offers the chance for Ferrari enthusiasts to immerse themselves in a unique Ferrari event, with Shell in the heart of the action.
As with all Ferrari GT cars, the F430 Challenge competition cars are fuelled and lubricated by Shell, and the seven-race championship will once again show Shell’s racing pedigree as products are tested to the limit by these highly tuned supercars. On-track learning experiences are then passed to Shell's engineers to help the continual development of better products for road going motorists.
The F430 was born from a desire for an even more "GT Style" car in terms of equipment and performance. While the F430 Challenge is powered by the same 490-bhp V8 engine as the normal road-going Ferrari F430, there is a notable Formula 1 influence across various aspects. The brakes, for the first time on a Ferrari race car, use carbon-ceramic technology (CCM) while the gearbox, unlike a GT car gearbox, is fitted with its own oil cooler to reduce operating temperatures and prolong the life of the engine under racing conditions.
The series allows Ferrari customers to enjoy their cars in a structured competitive environment, racing against other Ferrari owners. All drivers have the same engine and technology allowing spectators to enjoy watching evenly matched, enthusiastic drivers in fierce competition in road-legal Ferrari racing cars. The "Shell Cup" is awarded to the best gentleman driver each race.
From the driver's seat or from the grandstand, the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli is the perfect way to enjoy passion for the Shell-powered Ferrari GT cars and performance.
F430
F430 Challenge
The Ferrari Challenge round at Monza, Italy
An intensive series of development tests held at Fiorano have honed the F430 Challenge's talents. In fact, it offers a stunning series of features sure to meet with the approval of its drivers. As ever, the transfer of technology from Formula One is significant, particularly with regard to the braking system. It uses carbon-ceramic material (CCM) - a first for a Ferrari sports competition car.
Gearbox
The electronic gearbox is also Formula One-derived. It works in exactly the same way as the one used aboard the Grand Prix car. Thanks to a two-plate clutch and specific software, it also offers the same gear-changing times as the road-going F430 (150 ms) in the much more extreme track conditions.
Tyres
19-inch slick tires were also developed specifically by Pirelli for the F430 Challenge. They are designed to comply with the very strict racing regulations that demand endurance while still delivering blistering performance.
Weight
The F430 Challenge boasts a weight of just 1225 kg (excluding fuel). Weight has been reduced in every area of the car, from the engineering to the bodywork. Of particular note are the Lexan® windscreen, the all-carbon fibre intake plenum cover, and the specific exhaust system. To ensure that drivers get the full benefit of the car's sporty prowess on the track, the E-Diff has been replaced by a mechanical differential and the EBD has been replaced with a mechanical system.
F430 Specifications
Dimension and Weight
- Overall length 177.64 in
- Overall width 75.7 in
- Height 46.6 in
- Weight 1225 kgTyres
- Front - 235/645 19"
- Rear - 295/680 19"Engine
- 8 cylinders V8 90 degree
- Total displacement: 262.9 cu in
- Maximum power: 490 bhp (360 kW) at 8500 rpm
- Maximum torque: 343 lb ft (465 Nm) at 5250 rpmCalendar
European Standings
Italy & USA Standings