Friday 23rd April 2010

Video: 599XX 'Ring Record'

In-car with Rafaele de Simone for the full 'hot lap'

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Rafaele da man, er de Simone

Check out this awe-inspiring in-car clip of Ferrari factory test driver Rafaele de Simone wringing his just-announced 6min58sec 'record' lap from the 599XX.

The lap, shown here in full, gives Ferrari a claimed 'production-derived' sports car record at the classic Nurburgring old circuit, although the time has already been beaten by Radical SR8 which clocked 6min48sec last year.

Ferrari's view, apparently, is that despite being road legal the SR8 is basically a spaceframe racing car so it's time doesn't count - although as there aren't any hard and fast rules as to what 'production derived' means in the context of 'Ring records, debates around the issue are likely to rage forever.

Still, even though the £1.2m (if you could buy one) 599XX is a rolling laboratory with 722bhp on tap and more advanced technology than your average space mission, we're not about to knock the effort. 'Forza Ferrari' and all that!

[powwerr]

probably a bit off topic but it bugs me

Why is there so much 'graffitti' on the track at the nurburgring?

is there a story/meaning behind it?
???

[Vetteran]

Fxxxing amazing!! best vid I have seen.

[jimbo2728]

Ohhh if only Schuey in his hey day was available for this test.. You will all shoot me down for the fact that he is struggling at the moment but I would have loved to have seen him beast the 599XX around the green hell..

[Belfast Boy]

powwerr said:

probably a bit off topic but it bugs me

Why is there so much 'graffitti' on the track at the nurburgring?

is there a story/meaning behind it?
???

Dont Quote me on this but a mate of mine that lives near there said its been "tagged" where people have crashed and either been hurt or Killed, or written off the car!

Track length over 20000km? @9seconds, take me there!

Edited by Belfast Boy on Friday 23 April 15:33

[scubadude]

Don't care about their record claim validity but nice to see ultra expensive/rare beast ragged properly, usually see Ferrari's cruising around here slowly so everyone can see the driver not being driven as intended.

I liked the rear view mirror view of the driver- he was certainly taken a beating in the bends... Like it or not that thing corners like its in a Playstation gane!

[dinkel]

Liked the GD T70 Spider more. Why? Love lo-tech stuff struggling on da track.

[GaragedV8]

Just watched the 599xx video side by side with the SR8LM, sync from the Yokohama bridge ( 1min 34s Ferrari video / 2min 11s radical video )...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrH5KHngtw4

Will say this the 599xx seems to make some time in the big braking but everywhere else the SR8lm is quicker, and some sections where it pulls out huge chunks of time over the ferrari.

[xcat]

Hmmm.... surely a Radical is more production than this? I could, if my pockets were deep enough, go and buy a Radical. Could I go and buy a 599XX?? I dunno... waiting to be shot down in flames.

Apart from that, excellent, as someone said earlier, nice to see it doing what it was made to do.

Long may that continue, from every manufacturer.

[Stu R]

I'll be honest, that car gives me a lazy lob on. Great to see it being used in anger at the 'ring.
As far as records go though, I'm of the opinion that the radical does indeed count as a production car, and remains the record holder. It's road legal, drove there and back, and monstered it. But really, who cares! If it keeps makers of cars like these returning and putting in laps I'm glad there's some competition there.

[RDMcG]

Utterly impressive...brilliant. I still don't really want one ( as if I could afford it), but it refreshing to see a Ferrari stretched with such spectacular results.

[RobM77]

Fantastic video

One thing that interests me is that his apex speed at Aremberg is only about 5kph off mine in my bog standard Elise. That's not a statement about my driving at all, I just found it interesting. I guess a car like this gets it's lap time from acceleration and braking.

[mybrainhurts]

WTF...?

Sounds like a sewing machine...

[Spiritual_Beggar]

great Vid..

But as already mentioned....the British made Radical is quicker, and more 'production' than this.

So stick that in ya pipe Ferrari! :P

[AJ-T]

Id like to see this 599xx go up against a car that was made by Ferrari over 10 years ago the F50 GT1.
I reckon the F50 GT1 would still give its newer cousin something to think about!!!

Great video though, really enjoyed it.

[steelej]

mybrainhurts said:

WTF...?

Sounds like a sewing machine...

You have a V12 sowing machine?

[DiscoColin]

It seems to ride bumps extremely well, but the driver does seem extremely busy there... It isn't like watching someone like Walter Rohl set a time, making one wonder if there wouldn't be more time to be made with the car in different hands???

[DodoRacing]

powwerr said:

probably a bit off topic but it bugs me

Why is there so much 'graffitti' on the track at the nurburgring?

is there a story/meaning behind it?
???

Eifel is the Hyde Park, Ring tarmac is the speakers corner for the Germans. :-)

[DodoRacing]

Very impressive for any road car, not as much for a 1.2M race car! Which one is it? On second thought, I don't care. I just want it and I want it now.

Edited by DodoRacing on Friday 23 April 18:02

[tati25]

Cool video! Well done Ferrari.

[Joe911]

DodoRacing said:

powwerr said:

probably a bit off topic but it bugs me

Why is there so much 'graffitti' on the track at the nurburgring?

is there a story/meaning behind it?
???

Eifel is the Hyde Park, Ring tarmac is the speakers corner for the Germans. :-)

In the evenings leading up to the annual 24h ... this st goes on ... and a great deal of the track 'artwork' gets done ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDMAv9r4-7M