The 458 Challenge is derived from the 458 Italia and is the fifth model used by Ferrari in its single-series racing programme. The latter is currently split into Italian, European and North American championships which will be flanked next year by the new Asia-Pacific series.
Also on the stand is the F430 GTC owned by the AF Corse team, one of the cars with which the Maranello marque won the Constructors’ title in the GT2 class of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 2010.
Compared to the 458 Italia, the 4.5-litre V8 remains strictly in production tune, with an output of 570 hp at 9,000 rpm. 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 with 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 with Ferrari’s engineers concentrating in particular on reducing the thickness of the bodyshell panels and on using lightweight materials, such as carbon-fibre and Lexan.
The new 458 Challenge also has a specific suspension set-up with 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 with the new generation Brembo CCM2 brakes integrated with the latest ABS system which debuted on the 599XX, Ferrari’s extreme experimental laboratory car.
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.
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