My first time driving a Ferrari was a shambles… I wouldn't change a thing

Yesterday at 01:51 PM

Every time I tell someone I'm an automotive journalist, they usually respond by asking about my favourite car or remarking how cool it must be to drive supercars in exotic places. I'm quick to follow up by saying, "It's not all about flying across the world to drive Ferraris!"

Most often you'll find me behind the wheel of a medium SUV or a dual-cab ute – the kinds of cars people actually buy and regularly research on the internet.

But, every now and then, the odd opportunity does come along to do something spectacular.

Last month I had the opportunity to fly to the home of Ferrari in Maranello, Italy, to learn about the brand's Ferrari Approved program.

MORE: Why Ferrari insists on developing supercar parts in-house, when most don't

This also involved driving some of the brand's latest nameplates. However, the interesting part is that they weren't factory fresh examples. They were cars with upwards of 25,000km on the odometer, showed off in an effort to promote just how important a certified pre-owned Ferrari can be.

Personally, I haven't had much of a drive in a Ferrari before. Ferrari press cars don't come around too often. So, while I've had the cool opportunity to briefly steer a 550 Maranello and I've had a quick blast around the block in an SF90 Spider, I haven't really had much seat time to date.

With that in mind, I was mildly concerned about this event. The itinerary had me behind the wheel of the SF90 Stradale – a car with 736kW (986hp) – on Ferrari's fabled Fiorano test track and the weather forecast was not conducive to this kind of action.

The region Ferrari's Maranello, Italy factory is in – Emilia Romagna – had just been through serious flooding and remnant rainfall continued in the area for long after.

So, there was nagging trepidation as I arrived at the wet Fiorano circuit and caught a glimpse of the Ferrari SF90 Stradale I'd be driving, sitting nonchalantly in the pit area.

The Ferrari SF90 Stradale uses the tried-and-tested 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine from the Ferrari Roma and F8 Tributo – it outputs 574kW in the SF90's case. However, while that engine drives the rear wheels only, there are three electric motors that provide drive to the front wheels for total power outputs of 736kW/800Nm.

Fiorano is Ferrari's own test track located within the factory grounds. It's the test bed that the manufacturer uses to develop all kinds of cars, including its F1 program and the ultra-exclusive XX series.

For that reason, I was surprised at how tight and technical the circuit was. It's incredibly narrow in sections and there are some very short straights. There's also minimal margin for error with unforgiving run-off areas. It's obvious that the performance of Ferrari cars has outgrown the limitations of the track – they simply go too fast these days!

However, the experience of driving at Fiorano is entertaining all the same.

Thankfully, my first laps on the three-kilometre track were as a passenger so I could get the lay of the land. Blasting out of pit lane, I get the first taste of the SF90's raw power and it's genuine knock-the-air-from-your-chest speed.

The first corner comes very quickly, but my Ferrari test-driver pilot has the car under control as he stamps down hard to get heat into the carbon-ceramic brake rotors.

Around the first few corners, I can instantly feel how flat the car stays through switchback bends. The Assetto Fiorano-lightened car I was in is 1570kg, but there's nary a sensation of lateral shift as the car scythes through the bends.

There's a very cool bridge section that rises over the main straight – this is arguably the sketchiest part of the circuit. Under full throttle, the car goes light over a crest and scrabbles for traction, but then you immediately have to dive on the brakes to make a 90-degree turn onto the next straight.

It's proper rollercoaster stuff – especially sat in the hot seat of an SF90 Assetto Fiorano that can sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds.

With the hot lap out of the way, I was feeling more comfortable with giving it a go myself.

As I sat down into the heavily-bucketed, carbon-fibre-backed seats, I noticed the whopping 25,000km on the odometer of the car we'd just done that hot lap in. Most Ferraris would be lucky to see 1000km in a year, but this car had notched up its 25,000km amount in four.

The car had been through the Ferrari Approved process that certifies a Ferrari's history and, if necessary, restores the vehicle back to showroom-fresh condition with new parts.

Inside, there were next to no signs of wear and tear and it was obvious from the previous lap that the car remained fighting fit in terms of its stonking ability.

Despite being told to have the manettino steering wheel dial in wet mode, I was left (relatively) to my own devices when taking to the track myself. Fair to say, I was very cautious for the early laps.

That said, exercising the SF90's astonishing power is exceedingly easy. The all-wheel-drive capability and tack-sharp electronic stability systems meant I could go full-bore without worry of the car losing purchase on the damp track.

Even sections of standing water did little to upset the SF90's progress, the supercar unrelenting in its ability to put down all 736kW to the road. The brakes do their best work once you've got a few laps under your belt, and clamp down mighty hard on the huge rotors.

Simone, my Ferrari co-test driver passenger, reminds me that to get the most out of the car, you have to stay wide and keep the car as composed as possible through corners. I was told to keep off the slippery painted kerbs and found it difficult to hit the corner apexes, which were achingly late in the bend.

Even so, the SF90's sharp steering is quick and feelsome for determining grip levels. I was able to make mid-corner adjustments to my line to track closer to the edges of the circuit without upsetting the car's balance.

Simone encouraged me to take the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission's operation into my own hands, but I was more than happy for the car's smarts to work it out for itself. It was one less task left for me to control – besides, it did a better job than I ever could have.

There was no chance I was keeping track of the speeds I was doing – there was too much concentration on ensuring I was keeping both my passenger and I safe in the poor conditions.

However, I learned later that the car topped 220km/h down the main straight. That was achieved even with a short section of the main straight where we were instructed us to lift off and coast for a few seconds. Mind-blowing!

Pulling back into the pits, all I wanted to do was to go out again and do more of the same. Being on that track in that car was addictive.

However, my next showcase of the Ferrari lifestyle beckoned.

Ferrari wasted little time in getting me behind the wheel of a 2020 Ferrari Roma and sending me on my way up through the hills near Maranello for a cute road trip around the locale.

Yet, the downfall continued – and only became worse as I rose higher in altitude through the tight Italian roads away from Maranello.

I was simultaneously trying to come to terms with the Roma's uniquely laid-out cabin while also contending with thick fog – this was not the laidback lifestyle I signed up for!

The Ferrari Roma I was driving featured the same 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine as the SF90 Stradale, though with no electric assistance and much lower power.

It 'only' produces 456kW and 760Nm; outputs that are sent solely to the rear wheels.

Unfortunately, it took some time before I was able to exercise those outputs in full. I could barely see 50 metres ahead of me through the persistent fog, which was putting somewhat of a dampener on the mood.

But, I could appreciate the same level of cabin fit and finish that I experienced in the SF90 Stradale. This Ferrari Approved car showed no signs of scuffing or stains, while the exterior looked in as-new condition despite the rain.

Ferrari Approved cars go through a 201-point check to ensure they're in tip-top shape for the next owner, and as Ferrari's own certified used program, the manufacturer warrants vehicles for up to a further 12 months in countries like Australia.

In my eyes, the Ferrari Roma is a gorgeous car – particularly in Spider drop-top specification. However, the integrated body-coloured grille is a contentious design route that some dislike.

What's not up for debate is the space on offer inside the cabin. Although it's described as a 2+2 seater, the rear seat space had about enough room for my backpack and that's it. The backrest is also rather upright and it was incredibly dark back there, meaning it wouldn't be a comfortable experience anyway.

I do love the materials and cabin design though. The leather is plush and there was enough side support to keep me stationary through corners. Ferrari also uses alloy pedals with grippy indentations – perfect for gripping wet shoes.

Everything is cantered towards the driver which makes for a very ergonomic cabin. I just wish there was a bit more storage space for loose odds and ends like my camera or wallet – it seemed that stowage space was limited to a single cupholder, a small smartphone tray, and a narrow centre console compartment.

Back on the road, even though I was behind the wheel of a Ferrari, progress between small Italian towns felt like it was at a snail's pace. The good thing is that the Roma's engine is flexible and can equally do low-speed driving as well as moving quickly.

But as I started to come down in altitude, the fog became thinner and thinner and I started to exploit the Roma's V8 engine more and more.

Much like the SF90 on the racetrack, the grip is impressive. There's plenty of feel from the steering rack, and the system is direct to wherever you point.

It's fun blasting through the eight-speed dual-clutch's gears and the amount of punch offered by my test car – which had 16,000km on the odometer – felt perfect for its grand-tourer positioning.

The exhaust doesn't shriek at high revs like a Ferrari is used to, but the grumbles, pops, and snarl of the twin-turbo V8 was more than enough to keep me entertained.

There's no doubt that it's a firm-feeling car for it to perform dynamically, but Ferrari has been producing cars long enough now that it knows how to tune suspension. It strikes a fine balance between grand-touring comfort and sports composure.

Funnily, no one in the Italian towns I was passing through took a second look at the string of Ferrari Romas trundling through the streets. I imagine they'd be more than used to seeing priceless Ferraris on test runs around the region.

If anything, I was doing the inverse – ogling at the simple Italian country life. The towns are simple but quaint, and the surrounding green forests are lush with life.

The same can't be said for the road condition – that was dead and needed reviving. There were plenty of pockmarks, lots of cracks, and mismatched bitumen that tried to upset the Ferrari's suspension, but the adaptive dampers did a good job of ironing out the imperfections.

In any case, it wasn't long before I was back on the motorway, trying to figure out which chute I was meant to go down for the toll booths.

Judging by the traffic waiting to enter, I wasn't the only one. But I was the only one who got pulled out of the queue by the police stationed just before the gantry.

Perhaps they saw my hesitation in choosing a lane, or maybe it had something to do with the $453,000 supercar, but I was the unlucky one who had to pull over and perform my best Italian language.

I didn't get much further than "Buongiorno" before the kind police officer started with his impressive English. After explaining the test drive and how I'm from Australia, he was ready to hand my licence back.

However, it was another officer who stepped in that threw a spanner in the works. He was after a translated version of the licence so he could corroborate my story – luckily I had my international driving permit on me.

After 15 minutes, and presumably green lights from his higher-ups, his tone changed from stern to friendly, and I was encouraged to give the 3.9-litre V8 some revs as I drove off.

Between being thrown in the deep end at the racetrack, the relentless rain, and the police stop to top off the day, there was enough excitement for a first time driving a Ferrari.

But, all I can think about now is how much I want to return. Maybe in the summer, next time.

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