 2010 458 Challenge |
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Image credits: © Ferrari.
2011 Ferrari 458 Challenge news, pictures, and information | ||
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458 Challenge debuts at Maranello
Maranello, July 14th 2010 – The 458 Challenge has made its world premiere debut in Maranello during the Annual Dealer Meeting, a traditional event that brings together the representatives of Ferrari's international sales network.The new berlinetta, which will flank the F430 Challenge in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli in the 2011 season, is the fifth model used by Ferrari in its one-make championship which, next year, will be extended to include a new Asia-Pacific series.
Coming just a few months after the Frankfurt Motor Show unveiling of the 458 Italia on which it is based, the 458 Challenge introduces a number of important modifications to adapt it for competition use.
The direct injection 4499 cc V8 remains strictly in production tune, wîth an output of 570 hp at 9,000 rpm. That said, modifications have been made to the gear ratios and calibration of its dual-clutch F1 gearbox to guarantee higher torque at lower revs. The 458 Challenge is also equipped wîth the E-Diff electronic differential already employed on the road-going version, a first for Ferrari's track-only cars.
Significant work has also gone into cutting the car's weight. This focused on both the exterior and interior wîth Ferrari's engineers concentrating in particular on reducing the thickness of the bodyshell panels and on using lightweight materials, such as carbon-fibre as well as polycarbonate for the front and rear windscreens and side windows.
The new 458 Challenge also has a specific suspension set-up wîth steel uniball joints, stiffer springs, single-rate alloy dampers, centre-nut 19' forged rims, larger dimension Pirelli slicks and a ride height lowered by 50mm all round. It is also equipped wîth the new generation Brembo CCM2 brakes integrated wîth the latest ABS system which debuted on the 599XX, Ferrari's extreme experimental laboratory car.
Another first for a Ferrari Challenge model is the adoption of the F1-Trac traction control system, the most sophisticated of its kind. Developed in-house by Ferrari, the F1-Trac system constantly monitors levels of grip for maximum high-performance road-holding. Two specific track-biased calibrations have been developed for this application, wîth control logics and strategies derived from Ferrari's extensive racing experience in the F1 and GT championships. The F1-Trac is completely integrated wîth the E-Diff to guarantee maximum stability and acceleration both into and out of corners.The ABS/EBD, F1-Trac and E-Diff calibration settings are selected via the manettino on the §teering wheel, the first time this solution has been adopted on a model developed for the Ferrari Challenge series. The driver has a choice of three configurations: OFF position (traction control deactivated), position 1 and position 2. The latter two settings have progressively higher levels of control system intervention and are selected in accordance wîth grip conditions on the track. In the course of the intensive development sessions involved in honing the 458 Challenge for the track, the engineers also managed to improve the car's lap time at Fiorano by two seconds over that of its predecessor, resulting in a new record of just 1'16.5'. Equally impressive is the amount of lateral grip the new car generates – up to 1.6G.
 | Vital Stats |
| Engine : 4.5 L., 8-cylinder Power: 570 hp Torque: 398 ft-lbs | |
7-speed Manual | |
The Ferrari 458 Challenge on track at Vallelunga
Maranello, 28 July 2010 – The fine tuning of the newly born Ferrari 458 Challenge continues and, as from yesterday, it was at the Vallelunga circuit for a test, wîth two drivers, the Italian Maurizio Mediani and the brasilian Jaime Melo, taking on the role of test driver, as they took turns at the wheel of the Prancing Horse sports car. At the end of two days at the Roman circuit, both men were pleased wîth what had been achieved.According to Mediani the 458 Challenge is 'very quick and extremely good fun,' its handling inherited from the road going car from which it is derived, combined wîth modifications made for its specific use in racing. Melo, just back from the fifth round of the American Le Mans Series, in which he races a F430 GT2 run by Team Risi Competizione, highlighted how much the driving experience is enhanced by the electronics systems operated wîth the now classic manettino on the §teering wheel, a first for a car used in the Ferrari one-make series. 'I am sure that Prancing Horse competition owners will be very pleased wîth this car,' commented the Argentine before leaving the circuit to prepare for the next ALMS round, which takes place on 7 August at the Mid Ohio circuit.Source - Ferrari
Zhuhai hosts the inaugural round of the Ferrari Challenge APAC
The International Zhuhai circuit today hosted the first round of the APAC Series of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, wîth no less than twenty two 458 Challenge cars fighting it out for the first wins in this series of the championship.The busy programme saw novice owners making their track debut in the Coppa Shell and those wîth more racing experience involved in the Trofeo Pirelli. They took to the track for two races wîth separate classifications, in orer avoid unequal competition and in order to ensure spectacular racing.
The first race in the APAC series ended in victory for China's Anthony Liu who crossed the line ahead of Ringo Chong (Singapore) and Hisamori Hayashi (Japan) after an exciting and closely fought contest. Equally tough was the race to the podium among the Coppa Shell drivers, in which Gregory Teo (Singapore) won from Siwon Ryu (South Korea) and Rudi Laksmana (Indonesia,) taking his first racing success.
Race 2 once again confirmed that China's Anthony Liu had the upper hand, as he took an amazing win, beating fellow countryman Zhang Shanqi and Japan's Hisamori Hayashi. First place in the Coppa Shell went to Siwon Ryu (South Korea) who took a great win, beating Australia's Steve Wyatt and Tiger Wu (Taipei.)
The APAC series of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli will be back in action at the Shanghai circuit over the weekend of 24 July. On the same card, the busy programme will also feature sessions for cars entered in the FXX and 599XX as well drivers at the wheel of their historic F1 cars as part of the non-competitive programmes run by Ferrari's Corse Clienti department.Source - Ferrari
| A 458 ITALIA ON THE PODIUM AT SEBRING | |
 | Maranello, 17 March -The Risi Competizione 458 Italia finished second in class at the Sebring 12 Hours, the famous endurance race held this year for the sixty second time. At the wheel of the 8 cylinder car entered by the Ferrari of Houston team, Gianmaria Bruni, Matteo Malucelli and Olivier Beretta drove an attacking race throughout, producing a perfect combination of car, strategy and teamwork. Having started from pole and dominated the race right up until the final hour, the Risi Ferrari had ...[Read more...] |
| SPEEDS IMPROVE ON FINAL DAY OF SEBRING WINTER TEST MUSCLE MILK | |
 | Muscle Milk, BAR 1, Risi Competizione and Flying Lizard lead classes SEBRING, Fla. (Feb. 8, 2013) - The 2013 American Le Mans Series presented by Patrón Winter Test at Sebring International Raceway is now in the books, and the second day of the two-day session saw times come down in all classes. Defending ALMS P1 co-champion Klaus Graf posted the quickest time of the test on Friday morning, turning a 1:46.368 (126.579 mph) lap in the No. 6 Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX...[Read more...] |
| IT'S WINTER TEST TIME FOR THE ALMS: FIRST STEPS TOWARD THE 2013 SEASON-OPENER AT SEBRING | |
 | The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will be in 'preview mode' next week as a significant group of teams participate in the annual Winter Test at Sebring International Raceway The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will be in 'preview mode' next week as a significant group of teams participate in the annual Winter Test at Sebring International Raceway. The Feb. 7-8 test comes a little more than a month out from the season-opening 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours ...[Read more...] |
| GT: GROWING WHAT'S ALREADY GREAT 2013 AND '14 BOTH SHAPING UP AS DYNAMIC SEASONS | |
 | Regarding the 2014 sports car merger, GT prospects are tantalizing in the 2014 sports car merger. That's with a full year of split GT action in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and the GRAND-AM Rolex Series still to come. One of ALMS President and CEO Scott Atherton's key bullet points at the September merger announcement was that its GT class – considered by many the best GT racing currently going worldwide – would be adopted basically as-is for 2014. That's fortu...[Read more...] |
| Three Of ALMS' Best Return To Sebring | |
 | Risi, Dempsey back for full season; Audi debuting R18 hybrid in U.S. The first race of the 2013 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will mark the return of two legendary teams to racing in America and a Hollywood star's debut at one of sports car racing's toughest tests. Risi Competizione is back to full-time competition in the ALMS' GT class, Audi will race its R18 e-quattro hybrid prototype for the first time in North America, and Patrick Dempsey and Dempsey Racing em...[Read more...] |
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| 2010 458 Challenge |
