Ferrari F190 F1 race car

Ten F1 cars also make a cameo

Thanks to WCF reader motoriety27, we can bring you these webcam images of Ferrari testing fifteen 599XXs and four FXXs at the Nurburgring.

Ferrari rented the legendary racing circuit for three days of testing as part of their F1 Clienti program. Besides the aforementioned cars, Ferrari also brought ten F1 cars including Nigel Mansell’s F190 (which raced in the 1990 Formula 1 Championship), Gerhard Berger’s 412 T1 (which won the 1994 German Grand Prix), and Michael Schumacher’s F300 (too many wins to list).

More importantly, the second picture proves the Skoda Octavia Combi is the Ferrari of station wagons… take that M5, E63 AMG, and RS6 Avant!

Source: Ferrari

Press Release (Click to expand)

Today, at Germany’s Nurburgring circuit, three days of testing got underway with fifteen Ferrari 599XX and four FXX, the amazing laboratory-cars of the eponymous development programme, taking to the track for some free practice sessions.

Coming together at this special event is the present and the future, represented by these non-homologated sports cars and the Maranello company’s past, in the shape of some of the single-seaters that have written their part in Scuderia Ferrari’s Formula 1 history. Ten of these will be in action in Germany, run by the F1 Clienti Department of Maranello, taking turns on the circuit so that their owners can experience the excitement of driving on of the most famous tracks in motor sport.

Among these rare jewels are the F190 raced by Nigel Mansell in the 1990 Formula 1 Championship, the 412 T1 with which Gerhard Berger won the 1994 German Grand Prix, the F300, which was the forty fifth car built by Scuderia Ferrari for the 1998 season, driven to six wins by Michael Schumacher and the F2001, with which the German champion won nine races. Also present, the more recent F2007, which took both World titles for the Scuderia.

A three-minute long video from Ferrari gives us an inside look at the debut of the Ferrari 599XX.  Shown here, the car was piloted by Felipe Massa, as well as seven new Ferrari buyers.

“I really enjoyed testing this car, I think it’s extremely powerful and has an exceptional stability,” Massa reportedly said of the 599XX.  “Considering that it has been planned for the track it’s really easy to drive.”

The video was shot over three days at the end of January on the Ricardo Tormo track in Valencia, Spain.   The non-celebrity drivers were also given training sessions over the weekend event.

Previously, the 599XX concept debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009.  Based on the 599 GTB Fiorano, the concept model had an engine built with significantly lighter weight parts, while being enhanced from a performance perspective.  The engine was not the only part of the car that became lighter; the car uses a composite body, carbon-ceramic brakes, and carbon-fiber and aluminum all over.

The 12-cylinder engine of the 599XX produces 700 PS (510 kW; 690 hp), with a redline of around 9,000 rpm.  Aerodynamics were further improved to provide 630 kg of downforce when speeding around the track at 300 km/h (186 mph).  Meanwhile, the “High Performance Dynamic Concept” system keeps the mechanics and electrics working in perfect harmony on the track.

Ferrari plans to replicate the event with other customers on tracks across Asia, Europe, and the U.S.