Currently reading: Ferrari 458 Challenge: new pics
458 racer takes to the track for the first time at Vallelunga

Ferrari’s 458 Italia Challenge racer has taken to the track for the first time at Vallelunga.

Ferrari test drivers Maurizio Mediani and Jaime Melo each drove the car at the Rome circuit and both were pleased with the V8 racer.

See the official pics of the Ferrari 458 Italia Challenge in action for the first time

Mediani said the Challenge was “very quick and extremely good fun”, while Melo said he was “sure that Prancing Horse competition owners will be very pleased with this car”.

The 458 Challenge has the same direct-injection, 4.5-litre V8 powerplant as the regular car, producing 562bhp at 9000rpm. The gains for track use come through revised gear ratios and recalibration of the 458's dual-clutch F1 gearbox, plus a major push to save weight.

Ferrari has reduced the thickness of the 458's body panels and made greater use of lightweight materials such as carbonfibre and Lexan. The firm has declined to quote a weight figure for the new car, however.

Read Autocar's first drive, plus see pics and video, of the Ferrari 458 Italia

The Challenge's chassis set-up features stiffer springs, single-rate dampers, 19in racing wheels, larger Pirelli slick tyres and a lower ride height (down by 30mm). It also has Brembo CCM2 brakes, as seen on the 599XX.

The new model also gets Ferrari's E-Diff electronic differential and F1-Trac, its traction control system, the first time these set-ups have been offered on one of the firm's track cars.

Ferrari claims the 458 Challenge can generate lateral forces of up to 1.6g, and that it laps the firm's Fiorano test circuit in 1min 16.5sec – around two seconds faster than the F430 Challenge car.

The 458 Challenge will be the fifth car to compete in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli; it will take on F430s, 360s, F355s and 348s.

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Kevinosbern 28 February 2019

I think it would have been

I think it would have been really interesting if you could have added the video footage of this test drive. I think people are more interested in watching videos rather than reading a big article, which is very dull.

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kcrally 2 August 2010

Re: Ferrari 458 Challenge: new pics

yeah, thats what i was thinking. but a fiorano test track is a 2km stretch of tarmac, that could cost pittance to build. unless your abu dhabi.

david RS 2 August 2010

Re: Ferrari 458 Challenge: new pics

F1-Trac : contrary to a race car without contestation.

"Ferrari claims the 458 Challenge can generate lateral forces of up to 1.6g, and that it laps the firm's Fiorano test circuit in 1min 16.5sec – around two seconds faster than the F430 Challenge car. "

In a general point of view, why a monotype race car must be faster, more glued to the track, more expensive?