Ferrari Formula One cars get ready for a race. (Photo : Getty images/ ullstein bild / Contributor)
Ferrari has allowed some of its devoted customers buy old Formula One race cars since 2003. The F1 Clienti program promotes sales of F1 cars to few privileged group of customers and also offers technical support to buyers who bought Ferrari F1 cars prior to the launch of the program. It has also said that F1 Clienti will soon be ended.
Ferrari will freeze selling its old F1 cars to private buyers as the newer cars are complicated, Ferrari F1 test driver Marc Gené told Autocar at a preview of the new Ferrari World theme park in Bacelona. F1 test driver also stated that the F138 that was in use during 2013 season will be the last F1 car offered for sale.
"They are just too difficult to maintain," Gené says for F1 cars from the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Digital trends reported that for the 2014 season, F1 initiated rules calling all teams to use full hybrid powertrains with 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engines assisted by electric motors. Those rules being in effect, benefit to lower F1's carbon footprint and also design cars. Whereas these have proved to be much more complex than earlier generations.
The newer Ferraris have a KERS system on-board that maintains to restore the energy which has been emitted by the brakes and turbocharger. The final version to be made available for sale is the 2013 F138 that used an easier form with electric assist on a 2.4 litre V8 motor. The newer versions are fuel efficient by 35 percent.
On cars reported that in respect of the F1 Clienti program, Ferrari flies the retired cars for the owners to take a drive. It allows the users to organize own events and the owners have the sole discretion to get the car delivered in a track of choice. Ferrari sends a team of technical experts with the cars to help the drivers to realize driving fantasies in the most safe manner. As the last set of cars are now kept for sale, the prices have gone up proportionately.
Ferrari also stated that cars having an age of at least two years have been kept for sale to prevent any issues where the latest tech encounters any rivals.
