Classic F1 Ferraris in action at Laguna Seca

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Ferrari’s ‘F1 Clienti’ programme was in action at the famed Laguna Seca circuit last weekend.

Classic Ferraris from the 1970s and 1980s joined more recent machinery at the Californian track, where they tackled the famous Corkscrew corner.

Here are pictures of the cars in action:

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Images © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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70 comments on “Classic F1 Ferraris in action at Laguna Seca”

  1. Whoah! for sure they made so may cars!

    1. I’ve never thought F1 cars would drive at Laguna Seca. They should adjust ride height very high!

      1. A Toyota F1 car held the unofficial lap record around Laguna Seca a few years ago.

        I dare them to have an F1 race there… I dare them. It could easily be done, I bet you no-one will end up dead or seriously injured.

        1. I bet you no-one will end up dead or seriously injured.

          What??

          1. In other words, F1 would be safe at Laguna Seca.

          2. Around the corkscrew? Haha!

            Seriously imagine how much run off you’d need, let alone the chance of serious accidents.

  2. Admittedly, I’ve never watched a race around Laguna Seca, but I’ve seen enough of it on TV and in video games to form an opinion. I have never understood why it has such a legendary reputation. The corkscrew is an interesting corner, sure enough, but the rest of the track is quite bland. Perhaps the fact that it’s one of the few famous American tracks that isn’t an oval circuit has something to do with its fame, but I’ve never really rated it, myself.

    1. But the Ferrari 640 on the other hand, I have always adored. :)

    2. I don’t know, I quite like it on games, and not just for the corkscrew. Its got good flow to it and I think you need good rhythm to go fast round there.

    3. The corkscrew is an interesting corner, sure enough, but the rest of the track is quite bland.

      Same. The first hairpin, the Corkscrew and the final corner are all unique. Every other turn seems identical.

      1. I like the right hander before the final turn, but the rest of the track is a bit bland, corkscrew excluded…

        1. yeah braking for the corkscrew is proper hard to with a pikes peak escudo in GT2

        2. I disagree. Pretty much all the corners are unique in approach and execution. As mentioned below, the camber varies from corner to corner, there’s low speed, high speed, blind corners, ones that run uphill, ones that run downhill. There’s a reason it’s considered one of the more challenging tracks of the world.

          1. I actually quite like it, for sure it has nothing on many, many other tracks, It’s not in the same league as Spa or Interlagos, but for sure, it’s unique and has it’s place in motor racing lore.

      2. The narrow left hander on the run up the hill is pretty good, as are both the corners following the cork-screw- the left-hander being particularly easy to mess up. In a long race on a video-game it’s a good, tricky track to chase best times on.

    4. True. Now Road America on the other hand has some awesome flow and is legitimately worthy of its legend status.

      1. Totally Agree. Road America is my favorite track in the sates.

        1. Hands up, I only know the tracks in Forza & GT but I think Road Atlanta is a far better track. That said, Road America’s right-hand high speed kink is sweet.

          1. +1 for road atlanta, just awesome

            and yes laguna seca is great, each of the other corners which you guys find ‘bland’ have their own little secrets which challenge the driver… late apexes, varying camber, more open than they appear, longer than they appear etc.

          2. Considering America isn’t known for its road racing, it sure has a lot of good road courses. Laguna, Road America, the Glen and Road Atlanta to say the least. Sears Point and Sebring are another couple, then there’s the smaller, lesser known ones like Lime Rock and Virginia International.

            Road Atlanta is immense fun on video games.

          3. Don’t forget Barber Motorsports in Alabama. That’s where USF1 would’ve winter tested…

    5. one of the few famous American tracks that isn’t an oval circuit

      *cough* Sebring, Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Lime Rock and Mid-Ohio are all pretty well known I’d say.

      1. Road America, Road Atlanta, Miller, Barber, Portland . . .

        1. Road Atlanta’s another one I remembered should be listed among the well known. I don’t know if Barber, Road America and Portland are as famous outside of American circles, though.

      2. Seriously, Sebring?

        There are some good ones though, COTA should hopefully be added to the list, but come on Sebring isn’t good.

        1. I wasn’t talking about whether they were good, but whether they were famous. I think it’s fair to say Sebring is known around the world by race fans. Especially endurance fans.

    6. From an American, I’ve never really understood it either. I can easily name 10 american road courses better than laguna seca. Hell, it’s not even the best track in it’s state.

    7. Earnard Beccelstone
      24th May 2011, 23:29

      Stand on track at Laguna the corkscrew and you’ll realise just what an amazing piece of race course it actually is.

      The way it just plunges down and twists away and the steepness of the gradient are one of those things that really have to be experienced first hand – TV just doesn’t do it any justice.

      The whole back of the track (from turn seven through to the hairpin) is fantastic. The rest is a bit …meh, 90 degree left handers and a few medium fast sweepers.

  3. This is supposed to be a family site Keith, I’m sure some won’t appreciate such brazen pornography.

    Me on the other hand, I love it. The 312…Oh my God…

    1. A true F1 Fanatic!

  4. I hate these guys who are F1 Clienti…because I’m not one of them! Love the 640 and 312.

    1. so do I!

    2. http://www.ferrari.com/English/Scuderia/F1_Clienti/Pages/About_F1_Clienti.aspx

      So how about starting a F1F fund to bring an old F92A out of retirement? Surely one of the more unloved cars is within budget. ;)

  5. I wonder how that f2004 goes on slicks…

    1. They look so much better on slicks than they did on those horrible grooved tyres. I never hear anyone say F1 should go back to those.

      1. I wonder how that f2004 goes on slicks…

        My word, I never thought of that! I’d love to see a qualifying session with 2004 cars on slicks. That would be insane.

        They look so much better on slicks than they did on those horrible grooved tyres.

        Agreed. It looks much cleaner. And although I don’t want the grooved tyres back, I didn’t really have anything against them. They were a good way to reduce grip without limiting aerodynamic development.

      2. Funniliy enough I was watching the 2008 season review the other day and I couldn’t help notice how massive the last generation of Bridgestone grooved tyres looked, they were enormous, and they badly spoiled the look of the cars.

        1. The front tyre dimensions were wider then, to make up for the loss of contact patch due to the grooves.

          1. Which sort of defeats the whole point of a grooved tyre a bit, doesn’t it?

          2. Agreed, but there was something about the constrcution of the later Bridgestones (and the Michelins actually) that made them look even wider.

            I’d post a few pictures but I don’t want to violate anyone’s copyrights!

          3. You can post links to pictures, no problem.

          4. Which sort of defeats the whole point of a grooved tyre a bit, doesn’t it?

            That’s what I was thinking…

  6. That 312 is gorgeous, isn’t it? But look how high the driver sits, it almost looks as though his shoulders are outside the car.
    The third shot is taken from the camera clipped to the rear wing. I wonder if that was a video cam as well as still and if that onboard clip will ever become available.

  7. Does anyone know who’s driving the cars?

    1. Dunno, but isn’t the guy driving the 2004 wearing a Kimi Helmet?

      1. well spotted! Kimi was in the USA recently driving NASCAR TRUCKS so he may of drove the 2004????

      2. I was wondering that myself!

        1. They do al sorts of helmets on request for these clients.

      3. Everyone wears fantasy helmets, time ago there was a Villeneuve-design with yellow and red as colours IIRC.

        1. me being pedantic but the helmet the guy in the f2003 is a sparco helmet which technically may be up to it but the
          fia only allow bell, arai or schuberth helmets. he breaking the rules

  8. Look, someone even used Kimi’s head in the F2004. LoL

  9. i see the mighty F2004 still has the vodafone logo…how long is that supposed to last or are they just lazy to take it off??

    1. Teams generally keep their cars in the original liveries, with exceptions for things like alcohol or cigarette sponsors.

  10. F2004 on slicks, you’re looking at the ultimate monster right there. Nothing would come close to that!

  11. I used to have a toy of the 640, only about 2.5 inches long. Once I broke the front wing! But I used superglue and it was as good as new after that.

    I know the F2004 is a best I’d rather have that 640. Sometimes it isn’t about engineering and performance but aesthetics and style. Kind of how I don’t mind F1 making a few speed sacrifices (though I think they’ve been done in the wrong area) and adding things like degrading tyres for the spectacle.

    1. Mark Hitchcock
      24th May 2011, 12:06

      I used superglue and it was as good as new after that

      That’s HRT’s policy as well.

    2. Mark Hitchcock
      24th May 2011, 12:09

      oh and I also had a model of a 640 as a kid. It understeered on some milk and broke its suspension on the skirting board.

    3. Just had a look at the 640’s wikipedia page. Blimey, it finished on the podium every time it finished a race. However, it only finished 9 of the 32 races it started, and was disqualified and excluded from a further three.

      Still finished 3rd overall that year, I guess, so not all bad.

    4. I have models of 50 of Ferrari’s 56 cars! All from 1977 to 2010, many from 1970 to 1977 and 1950-1960 and a few from the other years.

  12. Who drove the cars there? Race drivers or normal people?

    1. Race drivers aren’t normal people? :P

    2. I think “rich people” is the answer! Still, it’s good that some of these cars still get used, rather than just sitting in a museum.

  13. That’s not Raikkonen in the F2004?!

  14. Some of those old Ferrari’s just look abysmal…however, I appreciate that was the style of the time!

    I like Laguna Seca. It’s nice. The corkscrew is pretty good and difficult to get right (only from Xbox experience of course!).

    1. Some of those old Ferraris just look abysmal

      Possibly the most controversial comment we’ve ever had on F1 Fanatic. If that remark was directed at the 640 I’ll have to send the boys ’round.

      1. Haha Keith! :D

      2. I can see it now, Andrew Tanner sitting in his living room enjoying a nice cup of tea when he is disturbed by a knock at the door:
        “ere, ma boy Keef sez you dun like the 6-for-ee. Now, dun make me change yur mind for ya”

        yeah I’ve probably watched a few too many cockney gangster movies……

  15. Yummy, yummy Ferrari 640. Mansell and Berger AND say hello to my semi-automatic friend :)
    That is just pure F1 car p0rn right there: pretty and innovative. 1989. good times. Thanks Keith.

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