Driving Ferrari’s best cars frequently is a luxury most people can dream of, but Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz can do so anytime they want. In fact, Ferrari asks them to test the new machinery — to get feedback and also because they are extremely marketable.
Being a part of Scuderia Ferrari in F1 took Leclerc and Sainz to Fiorano earlier this week, where they tested out the F80, a ‘beast’ as the Monegasque driver described it.
Both drivers, who drove it at different times, looked extremely excited from the very get-go. The initial feedback provided was also straightforward, but one that was vital, as Leclerc praised the car’s predictability.
It has a V6 engine capable of producing up to 1200 horsepower, which brought a smile to the Ferrari drivers’ faces. “Feels like a race car,” said Leclerc. “But a predictable race car,” he added, importantly. “I love the fact that you don’t have to steer a lot.”
Welcome to the new Ferrari F80.
The embodiment of the ultimate in engineering. A V6-hybrid powertrain derived from racing and unleashing 1,200 cv – more powerful than any other road car to leave the gates of Maranello. #FerrariF80 #FerrariSupercars #Ferrari pic.twitter.com/4lREfNKii1
— Ferrari (@Ferrari) October 17, 2024
The F80, which can go from 0-200 mph in just 5.75 seconds had similarities to an F1 challenger, which Sainz pointed out. The 30-year-old said, “It’s close to F1”, as he guided the black and white striped car around the fabled track in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. “It’s incredible how much power it has.”
A wonderful experience for both drivers, who got to test the F80, which costs $3.9 million in retail, for free. Leclerc, who has been at Ferrari since 2019, also revealed that out of all the cars made by the Maranello-based squad to date, it had the best balance. Surely, the 27-year-old will get his hands on many more in the coming years, unlike Sainz.
For the Madrid-born driver, the F80 experience would have been particularly special as it was likely one of the (if not the) last tests he would take part in for Ferrari. In just a few weeks, he will leave for Williams, with whom he signed a multi-year contract earlier this season.
