Ferrari now offering a classic car driving academy at its track in Italy
Have you ever wanted to race around the Ferrari test track in Italy in a classic car? Your dreams may have come true.The Ferrari Classiche Academy offers keen Ferrari fans the opportunity to take part in driving courses, which focus on several of the classic cars synonymous with the legend of the Prancing Horse brand.
Each of the Ferrari courses are held over two days at the Fiorano Circuit in Maranello, Italy where participants will learn the techniques used to drive cars produced before electronics had entered the automotive world. For those who have only ever driven cars made post 1980, this is sure to be an educational yet thrilling experience. There is no power steering, lane assist or electronics here!
Ferrari Classiche Academy has a selection of track driving modules that give everyone, including those new to historic cars, the chance to familiarise themselves with the dynamics, gearbox, corner management and the other aspects of driving classic cars on a track.
So keen to sign up? Well before you kit yourself out head-to-toe in prancing horse gear and hit the track, you start with a practical introduction to the cars covered in the course. These include four 308 GTS and GTBi models and a Mondial 3.2.
Next is a guided tour of the Officine Classiche Ferrari and the company's technical archive, where you’ll view technical drawings, engineers' notebooks and race reports for GT and racing cars produced from 1947 onwards.
Now for the track. The sessions consist of a series of technical briefings by the instructors on driving techniques for cars with a manual gearbox without electronic assistance, including heel and toe and double clutching techniques.
An instructor accompanies all participants, as they work through the series of sessions of increasing difficulty across a wide range of driving conditions, including wet and counter-steering at speed.
The next round of Ferrari Classiche Academy courses start next year so if you are keen to drive some classics and pick up some new 'old school' skills, book yourself in.
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