[Quaid]

Call me sacrilegious, but I really have no faith in my Ferrari 355 as a track day tool. It just feels wrong to be subjecting a thing of beauty to such abuse.

I am always worrying about what mechanically might go wrong, or what happens if I fall off the track, to enjoy the sensation of driving close to the limit.

Do any of you guys use your Prancing Horses on the track, or do you favour something more hardcore, more industrial, like a Porsche or a Caterham?

I have to say personally I actually enjoy track days more with my 964RS or GT3 than my Ferrari.

 

[Dj Dirk]

Well
i spend a lot of time near the tracks (still not on it unfortunually)
and most people drive they way they feel like what they can handle or waht risk they want to take.
This summer there was a 308 owner that took his for the first time on the track, he already has the car 5 years, he always was also affraid for it, and afterwards he was glad that he did it and really enjoyed himself but he never pushed the limits of the car or himself
advice from me and i'm sure from a lot of owners who have been on the track, go for it
it's a ferrari, they are build to be driven fast

 

[Stradale]

Ferraris are made for track days. Why shouldn't you drive your F355 on track days ? I drove my 328GTS as well as my F355 when I had them and they were so much fun. I do now with my 360 F1. Yes there's always that possibility of going off the track but just remember to drive within your ability then you're all right.

The best approach is to to a performance driving school. You'll be amazed how much you can learn about track driving. It is totally different from fast road driving. Check your brakes, oil etc and go for it. Remember do no do more than 5 laps at a time or the brake will fade. This is the same for Porsche or Skyline R34 or any car. Brake fade on the track is very common. Rest the brakes every 5 laps. So know what you have to do before you go and what you can do with your car at the track, you'll then be well prepared and find it very enjoyable.

 

[ze_shark]

I've done quite a bit of track days on motorcycles, and 2 with my 355, the difference is stunning. Modern bikes a real track tools, you can line up lap after lap without any brake fade or the feeling you are ruining your tires and your shock absorbers.
The difference with cars is that you can feel the brutality of the treatment you impose on the machine. 380hp feel pathetic on most tracks (relatively to the weight of a 355), brakes, tires and shock absorbers do suffer.
If you cherish your car, this is something you may want to do occasionally, but if trackdays are your hobby, I am sure that there are more affordable (and faster) tools than a 355, which remains a fabulous ROAD car.

 

[Stradale]

Track days with your Ferrari should preferably be don with other Ferraris. If you're going to do it all the time with your Ferrari then it's a very expensive way to go. When I say track day it's with other Ferraris.

The general public track days is better done in your Porsche GT3s or some other cars that are less costly to repair and maintain.

 

[Quaid]

Cheers for the advice guys,

It's not for the lack of track day skill, it's just that I think there are much better tools for the job than a Ferrari. They deserve to be loved, stroked, eased out on sunny days and then given their head on public roads where the mechanicals will not be put through as much sustained punishment.

I think I will keep the Ferrari for 'special' days and let the Porsches loose on the track days, though a trip to the Nurburgring in the 355 has to be in the offing. That is too good an opportunity to miss...

 

[buzzlightyr]

I don´t own a ferrari YET but arnt track days and racing what Enzo built these cars for